I really enjoyed teh Chickago Congress Hotel
I got a Priceline deal on it, ended up with a top floor room facing Grant Park during Taste of Chicago week, for $55/night!!! I recall it taking about 4 minutes to get to an EL stop from the front door.
This aged hotel is what I like to call an "historic" property. It is just a glorified way to calling it old. Sure, it had its heyday when it housed political leaders and movie stars, but that was decades ago. It was opened in 1893 for visitors to the Columbian World's Exposition, and was renovated in 1998. Now it serves as a home base for business people on a budget, backpacking Europeans who do not want to stay at a hostel, prom dates, and various touring groups like jazz bands and soccer clubs.
The hotel has 14 floors and 851 simply appointed rooms, including 50 deluxe suites. A standard room is plain but reasonably comfortable; it actually reminded me of my old apartment for some reason, so it is not too bad. The rooms have hairdryers and coffeemakers. Some of the grander suites have marble bathrooms with Jacuzzis. The rooms facing east will have excellent views of Lake Michigan. Clinton J. Warren designed the older north tower, with Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler as consultants (they designed the great Auditorium Theater across the street). The south tower dates from 1902-1907 and was designed by the noted architectural firm Holabird and Roche.
There is also a small convention center for large meetings, including the appropriately named Gold Room. The vaulted ceiling of this grand space was designed by William Dodge and meticulously restored by Lido Lippi in 1997 (Lippi's work includes the Sistine Chapel restoration). The Gold Room, which had served as the prestigious site of presidential nominations, is now used mainly for banquets and wedding receptions.
The hotel is across the street from the acoustically famous Auditorium Theater, one of the anchors of South Michigan Avenue (the hotel was actually connected to the theater years ago). You are close to the Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, and various museums. You are not as close to the shops around North Michigan Avenue, but if you do not feel like walking you can hop on a bus or taxi. It is one of the closer hotels to McCormick Place, which is not saying much because only the Hyatt is connected to this isolated lakefront convention center.
The Congress Plaza mostly makes news nowadays when a water pipe bursts on rare occasions. The walk through the main floor is highlighted by the high-ceiling reception area, but the rest of the floor is dreary as you pass a diner, bar, video game room, and small sitting areas. There is a gift shop on the main level. A small fitness room is located in the basement level.
I can honestly afford a little more if I plan right, so I'll do what I have to do, but I am trying to be reasonable.
