Congress Plaza Hotel Chicago

My request for a room in the North Tower was not forwarded by hotels.com, so I had to request it at check in. Noisy fan in the room with no temperature control. But it masked the constant noise of knocking pipes. Very low hot water pressure and there wasn't any hot water at all by 9am on my day of checkout (a Sunday). One of the two elevators was out of service for two days of my three day stay in the North Tower - lines formed for use. Breakfast restaurant only offered an expensive buffet.

We have used this hotel primarily for football season, when we use our season tickets for games. We have always considered the Congress a comfortable option, for the price and convenient location to the stadium. We stay the Saturday night before football games. This year, when we stayed 9.20.2025, we were treated very poorly by the parking facility "attached" to the hotel. We learned something new. It has no ties to the Congress and is not owned by them in any way. That said, my review of this property was greatly changed by the parking situation. They actually have NO PARKING, which I didn't understand from previous stays. Per our interaction with the attendants in this parking garage, which we have used for YEARS, it does not owe the guests of the Congress anything. They told us they are not open on the weekend. We could park Saturday night but would have to get up in the morning and remove our car BEFORE noon, before the game, which was the sole purpose of our stay. Anyone who has been to Chicago knows parking is a travesty, a rip off, and very inconvenient. Available lots fill very quickly, especially on game days. They really could not tell us how or where to make that repark happen. They just said look lady, take it or leave it. We promptly left and parked in the Hilton facility. I will think very hard about ever staying at this hotel again for a game. Parking is an essential component of a hotel and offered amenities. The Congress is failing, at least on weekends!!

The room not cleaned, it was like when I left. The gym has old equipment.

The hotel is an old classic hotel full of ambience. The staff is friendly, there just is not enough of them. My only issue was the parking. Hotel does not own nearest parking lot which is around the corner and behind the building. It is not an” in” and “out” parking lot. Hassle to park car after check-in.

Lack necessary amenity for long stay like laundry, microwave etc

Park across Wabash Avenue, it is half the price! Excellent stay!

Not Satisfied, AC not working and very pricy parking. Didn't like it much.

Not one to complain, but I was pretty disappointed. I’ve looked at the Congress since my first visit to Chicago as an upscale historical place. When I had the opportunity to stay I jumped on it. 10th floor south tower went to get ice the ice machine didn’t work. Another guest said lift the top and use the bucket to scoop so I did when my hand hit something slimy. It was filled with mold that was now all over my hand. Ok no ice. Went to the pop machine for a cold drink. Pop machine would give you random pops not the one you were asking for. That night took a bath to discover the plug was broke and not attached. No biggie I used the washcloth and plugged it waiting for it to fill I get a knock on the door it’s engineering. My bath was leaking into the room below us and I’m told please don’t use the water and will be moved the next day. I’m moved the next day to a room on the same floor but looking into a courtyard and other rooms when my original room was looking into the park and Lake Michigan. New room went to take a bath filling up the tub and it was filled with hair clearly not cleaned. Short trip thankfully as I only got to fully shower and clean myself the 3rd day there with temperatures reaching mid 90s. No discount no apologies actually was asked a couple times if i accidentally overfilled the bathtub like it was my fault I said no I didn’t and engineering agreed more than likely it’s the old pipes corroding away which is why the drain plug couldn’t even be screwed in.

The historic hotel was unique and had a beautiful lobby. The location was walkable to the bean and several food options. The downfall is that there is no parking onsite, and the parking nearby was $58 for 24 hours.

No parking

Hair in bathrooms, dusty

There were holes in the sheets, food on the walls, and dirty floors. We ended up having to book a room at a different hotel because we couldn't bring ourselves to stay here.

My room was in unacceptable condition. The area under and around the radiator was covered in black mold, with visible damp spots on the carpet. The wall panels were broken and partially detached, exposing filthy insulation and dust buildup. It’s clear that this isn’t a recent issue — the mold and damage indicate long-term neglect and serious hygiene concerns. The air quality was poor, and the room didn’t feel safe to stay in. This hotel urgently needs a deep cleaning, mold remediation, and repair work before renting out these rooms. I do not recommend staying here until they address these issues.

The room was spotless, the staff courteous. The only negative is that every morning housekeeping around 9 am knocking on the door. And the absence in the room of the "Do not disturb" sign not helping.

Room was clean and very large. comfortable bed. Bathroom was clean despite showing signs of wear. Excellent shower. Good location for access to city centre, parks, lakeside and Institute of Art - excellent! Staff were friendly and helpful as needed but not intrusive. Didn’t use cafe or restaurant as lacking vegetarian options.

Spotless room. Shops nearby

Service was fine, but very quiet and uninformative. I was very uncomfortable in my room. Three of the towels had yellow stains, the toilet seat was loose, the shower curtain had stains on it, and the shower itself had hair in it. The toilet bowl was also dirt. Very disgusting. Had I not gotten into Chicago at 11:30pm I would have gone elsewhere.

Bathtub dirty and full of other people’s hair. Entire building and room smelled. Walls paper thin. Furniture was falling apart.

Not very clean, toilet had toilet paper stuck to it, housekeeping is every two days, windows don’t open, air felt super stuffy and dusty, no information provided to us, just overall the lobby and the room felt like two different worlds.

Got a very good rate during an event that had filled up many nearby hotels. Lovely sparkling-clean room, rather small, a firm king bed, dresser, & table. It felt cozy, not crowded, enough drawers and closet space, nice-size bathroom with shower-tub. Room has nice ornate details. 10th-floor sunrise view was terrific. Street & park-concert noise was distant. Noisy neighbors in the adjoining room. Staff very friendly, outgoing, helpful. Lovely lobby with high ceilings, ornate decor, lots of seating. Hotel is ornate and lovely, if a little dated. Bar and restaurants in the hotel are fairly expensive. Reasonable breakfast across the side-street, creative bagels two blocks away. Lots more just west in Printers’ Row. Terrific Blues two blocks away. We felt safe walking out after dark. Loved it! We will return!

View and location were awesome. Room and hotel were clearly dated both good and bad. Overall good but missing some modern amenities like air conditioning or climate control

View was great. Beds still hard as a rock but room is very comfortable otherwise.

Room felt like a prison cell…very bleak. On the 5th floor but could hear the very loud party on the second floor. Shower valve screamed loudly for the entirety of the shower. Great location and nice lobby but some attention needs to be paid to the rooms.

LOVED the room and the view was spectacular! The location could not have been any more convenient. Lobby was beautiful. Our room had a separate living room with bay windows looking out over Lake Michigan and the city. The bedroom was fantastic with a comfortable bed and pillows. We slept so well. Nice separate bathroom and an extra walk-in closet. I was so pleased that I didn’t want to leave even after 3 nights. I’ll definitely stay here again.

Clean linen and towels. Comfortable bed. Old a/c unit that made noises when adjusted and may use some filter cleaning. Old carpet.Tiny room. No space for a table, just one chair available. Fridge and cofee maker were good.

Only complaint would’ve bn the temp in the room spent time being way too hot and way too cold but no thermostat.

ON good side -= a) location; b) front door bell and taxi stand staff friendly and effective. Good first impression. On bad side, beginning with the worst: 1) lack of temperature control in suite - room was freezing, fan would not turn off, no way to control temp - guests should not have to put on sweatshirt under bedsheets. Temp control should be basic requirement for rooms in 2025. At least have working fan controls - could not turn off either fan in suite. 2) breakfast cafe staff and service is slow and unprofessional; cafe is very dated and old; front desk did not welcome us and went down from there 3) Hotel lacks clear identity or vision. Lobby music was often modern hip hop - doesn't have to be Bach, but should be a "feeling" in line with old and beautiful lobby decorations. Feels a bit like a YMCA at this point.

No room control of temperature Smallest TV in room ever, AND only analog service Great location

The hotel is gorgeous on the ground floor; interesting but somewhat confusing layout on the other floors.I'm not sure I would have found my way out if there were a fire and the elevator wasn't an option. There is very little "seasonal climate control" in the rooms. Choices were Off, Chilly, Cold and Arctic. It was only in the upper 60s when we were there and the rooms were too cold for us. We also felt the beds were a bit hard. A lot of that is personal preference of course. There were multiple outlets available along the baseboard which was a pleasant surprise. The shower pressure was good and water was hot. There were not enough flat surfaces for toiletries in the bathroom. A small table would have helped. The towels felt a little damp just from the temperature (humidity?) in the room. The steam from the showers helped warm the room a little since it didn't dissipate very quickly. I'd say it's a gorgeous 5 star hotel in the public areas, but more like a 2.5 in the rooms and in the upstairs areas, at least where we were in the south tower. Some of that is due to being an old hotel that they've tried to bring into modern times with mixed results. Overall great location near Grant Park, the Loop, about a mile from Soldier Field, with various food options and public transportation nearby, etc. The view from our room was another building. Maybe try to ask for a front-facing room if you book. The desk staff was helpful with everything except the room temperature.

Great view if your room faces the lake. Convenient location with reasonably close parking. Overall very clean. Cramped bathroom. Very hard bed and overstuffed pillows. Door to room was on an angle in the corner of the hallway which made it a challenge to get a stroller into without folding it up.

Clean room, location, friendly staff, value.

Great location, nice people.

There was a long line to check in. Then the room that they originally put us in was not yet cleaned. Then we had to wait in line again to get it changed. The room was outdated and the shower had no water pressure. WAY too expensive for such poor service and an old room.

Hotel in need of repair and maintenance. Room service food was cold. Staff not very friendly. They are short and seem annoyed to provide a service.

My room wasn't ready, so I came back at the time they told me{an hour later} and it still wasn't ready, I came back another hour later and they still didn't have my room ready, but gave me a room they had. It was rather disappointing to have to come back 3 times before I was able to check in and get my room.

The condition of the hotel is below average, but the service and cleanliness are outstanding.

Really nice room that was clean and simple. Comfy beds and great view of the city. Conveniently located near all the excitement downtown. The staff at the front desk was not very helpful with my questions when checking in though and made for a difficult beginning experience.

We booked at the hotel for 3 nights and loved it! View was amazing. Our flight was cancelled and we had to stay another night. The front desk staff was amazing at finding us a reasonable price and upgraded our room to an even nicer view! Truly loved the care they took with helping us with the unexpected longer stay.

The bellhop (storage) staff and greeters at the front door were excellent. The security staff were abrasive and rude, as the bathroom was closed for cleaning, there was a sign directing people to the Lounge/Bar. The door to the lounge/bar was open. Seated at one of the tables in the open area led to security coming to move us as if the door wasn't open and as if there wasn't a sign directing women to that area of the hotel. The hotel has a great location!

The hotel was beautiful and clean. It was definitely older but that brought a beauty to it. There were notable repairs that needed to happen but nothing that impacted my stay. The staff was unfortunately the only truly negative thing about this hotel. The front desk staff seemed to be very inconvenienced by having to do their jobs and was quite rude in their tone. I tried to go down to the bar one night and waited in a line of about 4 people that continued to grow for about 15 minutes while the bartender ignored us. Finally, the man at the front of the line asked him for a drink and he told him he needed to wait because he was doing something and then continued to ignore us. The hotel was great other than these interactions.

This was definitely the BEST location one could ask for. We felt safe and were located right on Michigan Ave. with easy access to public transportation. We didn't splurge the extra money for the lake view, but still had a glimpse from the side. It's not like we were in our rooms that much anyway, LOL! Front desk, gift shop, bell hop, and security were friendly and very helpful. Tried the restaurant for continental breakfast which was less than par. Service there was abrupt and unsmiling, to say the least and the options were extremely limited. Even the coffee seemed old. I know the historic building is going through renovations, which is great. Ours had been "renovated" but the cheap shower head which gave no pressure combined with the 1980's white IKEA like furnishings were not impressive. But again, the location is perfect!

great location downtown with affordable parking nearby. excellent location with shops and restaurants within walking distance. it’s an old building but it’s part of the charm.

Great place to stay downtown. Convenient to Grant Park, Millennium Park and the water front. The room was a bit dated but wasn't an issue and we were hardly ever in the room. Will definitely stay again.

The Congress Plaza Hotel was centrally located for me and my husband. We had traveled to Chicago by train. We were able to go to all our destinations by taxi, Uber and the Red Line to Wrigley Field. Our room had a lake view, well worth the price. We saw the sunrise most mornings. The staff at the Congress Plaza were helpful, respectful and would ask about our adventures. The hotel is very close to Lake Michigan, just two streets away. We took a water taxi to the Navy Pier. We used the gift shop several times. It was well stocked. I needed sunglasses and they had great choices at a reasonable price. We also had breakfast in the cafe and dinner one night at Raphael’s. We will definitely stay at this hotel for all future trips to Chicago.

Great location! Older hotel that has thin walls but great customer service and attentive staff. We went to a concert at Soldier Field and easily walked to and from.

Very convenient to South Loop sites!

Perfect location in downtown.

Great option if your plan is to visit the downtown nearby. Very close to interesting points to go by walking and close train stations.

Outstanding location

Best location in Chicago

This was definitely the BEST location one could ask for. We felt safe and were located right on Michigan Ave. with easy access to public transportation. We didn't splurge the extra money for the lake view, but still had a glimpse from the side. It's not like we were in our rooms that much anyway, LOL! Front desk, gift shop, bell hop, and security were friendly and very helpful. Tried the restaurant for continental breakfast which was less than par. Service there was abrupt and unsmiling, to say the least and the options were extremely limited. Even the coffee seemed old. I know the historic building is going through renovations, which is great. Ours had been "renovated" but the cheap shower head which gave no pressure combined with the 1980's white IKEA like furnishings were not impressive. But again, the location is perfect!

Great hotel very centrally located to all the things we wanted to do. I would highly recommend. It’s a beautiful historic building showing a few signs of wear but clean. I would skip the bar, the taps were broken and the bar tender was rude.

Hotel in need of repair and maintenance. Room service food was cold. Staff not very friendly. They are short and seem annoyed to provide a service.

My request for a room in the North Tower was not forwarded by hotels.com, so I had to request it at check in. Noisy fan in the room with no temperature control. But it masked the constant noise of knocking pipes. Very low hot water pressure and there wasn't any hot water at all by 9am on my day of checkout (a Sunday). One of the two elevators was out of service for two days of my three day stay in the North Tower - lines formed for use. Breakfast restaurant only offered an expensive buffet.

Great location for downtown walking. The bar staff was friendly. I was here on business. The desk area didn't have any electrical outlets nearby for working but I get this isn't strictly a business hotel. If I was on vacation in CHI, this place would be ideal. Great value and the location was perfect. Overall, great stay and will be back in next month for work meetings.

I’m a good location with views into the lake. Rooms are looking very tired and the ironing board I had in my room fell to bits. There was no restaurant service whilst I stayed. I was not told this when I checked in and only found out when I ordered lates room service

Was a nice size room great view and price.. breakfast was service was a bit slow but good food

We really enjoyed our stay there and plan be back. Special shout out to Tina in the restaurant. She was outstanding!

I knew this hotel wasn’t the best but it’s sad to see how it has been cared for. Simple fixes like a coat of paint would do wonders for this place. Hated that you cannot control your room temperature only the fan speed. Our room was so hot. The toilet had a super high pitch whistle every time we flushed. The shower water pressure was at a dribble.

The bathroom vent did not work in my room. Breakfast and dinner were over price extra $3 per meal. No good clarification on why it was charged