Let me begin by saying that I rated our overall experience Above Average because some of the past reviews had me thinking that I was walking into a unclean hotel.

Normally we stay in the River North Area but unfortuantely most of the decent hotels in that area were booked. So, we decided to book at the Essex and were very hesitant about it at first because it was an unfamiliar place and the reviews were not favorable. I was pretty much expecting the worse.

Here are the positives about our stay...
1)checked in at 11:30 a.m. with no problem
2)free shuttle to the Pier (every hour)
3) free shuttle pick - up from the Hancock
4) immediate action concerning the fresh stains on our room carpet (great job housekeeping and the manager on duty!!!)
6) location (across the street from Grant Park = Buckingham Fountain
7) Savoy Bar and Grill (wide variety of items)
8) valet parking
9) 4th floor heated swimming pool and deck area (pool had to be about 75 degrees)

The negatives......
1)Valet parking (I cringed at paying 29.00 a day, we normally stay at a hotel that offers free parking to its guests)
2) room seemed too small for 2 adults and 3 young kids (we had 2 double beds)
3)location (other than grant park there wasn't much else in the area that we really wanted to see)
4) Savoy Bar and Grill prices were too high
5) rate I paid of 270.14 total

Overall, we were satisfied with our stay at the Essex. Even though we weren't in a familiar area the Essex made it easy for us to get to our main destination (which was the pier). We were able to take the shuttle to the pier, then walk to the Hancock and then be picked up and taken back to the hotel. The kids enjoyed the pool and sitting outside on the terrace. I guess I just kind of wonder what the other posters expected. I by no means expected to be pampered but we were pleased with the hotel and with the customer service given by all staff and the immediate attention they gave to our problem.

Would I stay at the Essex Inn again? Yes
Would I recommend it to others? Yes
Would I pay the same rate? No
What would I pay? between 100 - 135

Stayed here for trade show. Excellent location but very dirty room. I travel approx. 40 weeks a year and know hotels. The carpeting needs to be replaced and I felt like I should always be wearing shoes. The air conditioning was weak at best . Try to find another place before booking at the Essex.

We have just returned from a visit to Chicago which is a beautiful city and well worth a visit. Lovely people, lovely buildings and views, lots to do.

However, we had booked to stay at the Essex Inn on South Michegan Avenue, Chicago. Their website showed lovely rooms, and stated that it had been recently renovated! Not so - it is terrible. Please do not believe the photos, they are not appropriate.

The wash basin and shower tray were all broken and the enamel had worn away. The walls were all chipped and stained and marked. The curtains were filthy as was the carpet which was covered in stains. The furniture was old and very chipped and broken. The light switches were old and looked "unsafe" and again not clean.

I asked to be upgraded but it was full ( a local football match and the Chicago trialethon was in town) so they could only show us another room in the same state as ours.

Needless to say we checked out the very next morning and booked into a fabulous hotel and had a super few days.

We were only in Chicago for 4 nights and it could have entirely ruined our stay.

Please be very careful if you do book this hotel. The pictures do not show it as it is and the description of "recently refurbished" gives and entirely wrong impression.

We will never stay here again! The room was damp all 4 days, even with the air conditioner running, so the bedding and everything we brought was damp, too. The bathroom floor was filthy. Bedside lamps and tables were grimy. The first time we went to use a "clean" towel, we discovered it had makeup all over one side - it had been folded to hide the dirty side. The worst part: We'd paid up front for the whole stay through a website, but found after we checked out the Essex Inn had also charged us for the room directly. This nearly $350 mistake on their part could have caused us major problems if we had not caught it. They did credit us the amount, but it took almost a week to correct the problem.