The Congress Plaza

United States , Chicago - IL
CHICAGO, 520 South Michigan Avenue
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100 reviews shown

6/10

Pleasant

29 Jun 2026

Jun

My room was old and simple. Because of that, some people may not like the room at all.

Business Self

8/10

Excellent

29 Jun 2026

Colin

Great location with easy parking right behind the hotel. Many activities in walkable distance from the hotel as well.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Jun 2026

Ryan

Very cool place to stay on a budget. No parking, but we found good parking that was a 4 min walk away. Location and view was awesome. Would stay again for sure.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2026

Damon

Charm

Business

6/10

Pleasant

29 Jun 2026

Francis

Ice machine on all the floors work, and car valet is advertised but nonexistent

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2026

ROBERT

nice selection of drinks at the bar

Self

6/10

Pleasant

29 Jun 2026

Dawn

Friendly staff. Encountered a cockroach in the elevator.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2026

Dalvonte

Good and clean.... Staff were nice and acted quickly with my requests... No complaints

Partner

4/10

Poor

28 Jun 2026

Sarah

This hotel hasn’t been updated in decades. The staff do the best they can with a very old hotel that needs a significant investment to be nice.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

28 Jun 2026

Jamie

Check in was quick and easy. The room was pretty but the bathroom door didn’t shut correctly and it wasn’t cleaned prior to our check in. All of the staff was friendly. The bar could use more than one bartender on the weekend as many customers left because the wait was so long.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Jun 2026

Jason

A simple one night stay. Didn't use any of the services. Convenient location for our stay.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

28 Jun 2026

Bouen

Peeling paint on elevator, breakfast restaurant was very dark and and lack of sun light. You can hear your next door neighbor, you can hear traffic noise and sirens late into the night. Not the greatest insulation to prevent noise. However, our view from the hotel room was magnificent.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2026

Jennifer

Very clean. Room was spacious. Water temp fluctuated from cool to warm, rarely hot.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2026

Andy

Definitely an older hotel and you can tell, but the history is part of it! The room was great though, along with the location

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

28 Jun 2026

Melissa

The smoke alarm started beeping due to low battery. Also due to it being an older hotel the walls and floors are thin and the couple above us had an eventful morning.

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

28 Jun 2026

Katie

Overall very old and dirty

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

28 Jun 2026

Alexandra

The property is very old and it shows. The room was renovated and mostly nice. The shower pressure cold be better and the bathroom could use a redesign. The bed was comfortable. TV is tiny, ironing board was wobbly.
Overall 2.5 / 3 stars.

Family

4/10

Poor

28 Jun 2026

Dennis

Location, lake view and the lobby is all the positives I could think of. Once you go up to any floor, this building is in need of serious maintenance and upkeep. There's rust and peeling paint everywhere. Hallway carpet odor, broken bathroom vent systems, leaky shower heads spraying water at the ceiling. I'll stop there. I wouldn't stay here again. My suggestion is tear it down and build a new one.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

28 Jun 2026

Jim

Parking not very good. Had to park outside in the rain

Business

6/10

Pleasant

28 Jun 2026

Kristie

The place it was nice, the rooms could have a little more updating, but good. When we arrived our car was half into the street. I did not like that in the roundabout. The men that was working in valet parking I guess, was rude to my husband. There was a red jeep parked in the middle of that roundabout that was in the way.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2026

Tanya

2/10

Poor

27 Jun 2026

Randi

4 days of a cold shower and a broken bed. I will never stay here again and I suggest that anyone thinking about staying here to look elsewhere. Bathrooms were severely outdated.

Partner

4/10

Poor

27 Jun 2026

dave

The Congress was my number #1 place for 30 years. It's an older hotel and shows. Doors in my suite don't close or lock correctly. The room wasn't cleaned when requested so my travel mate could make bets if the room was serviced or not by the time we returned. Not even when I called House keeping. We did appreciate the lake view we paid for, but at its high price, I would recommend a newer hotel in the city.

8/10

Excellent

26 Jun 2026

Mileane

The hotel is a bit run down, but my room was very clean. The breakfast was good, although it is not included, and for some reason I thought it was. The receptionist was amazing. She was very kind and allowed me to check in early, which I really appreciated. The location is also excellent.

I’m giving 4 stars because, as a female solo traveler, I did not feel completely safe. The reception desk is not close to the entrance. There is one person near the entrance, but if he is busy, he may not be able to see everyone coming in and out. The hallways are long, and I did not notice much visible surveillance or security. Overall, I had a good stay, but I think the hotel could improve safety and security for guests.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jun 2026

Melissa

The hallways of the hotel are awful. Super run down and scary looking like out of a horror movie film. As far as the room itself it was fine, nothing special. Bathroom fixtures are ancient but I did have great hot water. Air conditioning works almost too well, my room was freezing! Great for a cheap stay close to solider field but nothing special. Staff at the front desk was friendly

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2026

jesus

Great experience! Close to everywhere we wanted to go!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Jun 2026

Charise

Parking was difficult, trying to trek luggage around and find parking was terrible, but the staff was helpful. You can pull in front of the hotel and unload and they will hold your luggage. There is a parking lot behind the hotel, spaces were very tight and prices were about $45 a night. Hotel was built in 1893 so the rooms aren’t extravagant, they have character. Great location for walking the city.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2026

David

Great hotel… close to everything

Self

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2026

Frederick

The location was awesome. We were able to walk to all sites we wanted to see.

Family

8/10

Excellent

25 Jun 2026

Brandi

The hotel was like a location for our event and accommodated accordingly

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2026

Aarion

Room was clean and nice

Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Jun 2026

Jorge

A bit pricey for a very old and “painted over paint- place. Great location, parking in the area is 40 dollar per day. Overall it was not bad.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2026

Mark P

A beautiful and historic hotel. Our room was comfortable and we enjoyed our one night there. We really enjoyed looking at the items and pictures that were part of the history of this hotel. The highlight was being allowed to see the magnificent Gold Room (Thank You Jane!).

Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Jun 2026

Amara

I liked the property and level of personnel. Two days I attempted to eat in their, in person restaurant and was given unrealistic wait times. 45 minutes and still didn't receive food after an hour and a half. I canceled the order and was late to my event. Also there is no on-site parking. The website suggested there was for a higher fee. But it was clean and a nice place to stay.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2026

Jillian

Great old times vibe. No bells and whistles.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

24 Jun 2026

Kao

Our room was spacious and clean. Everything works and soundproofing was great in a busy hotel. The only could make it better would be adding a door to the main bedroom and slightly larger TV (or just completely get rid of it).

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jun 2026

Jennifer

Great price for the hotel itself and location. Parking was affordable and just a block away. Definitely recommend if you are there for an event at Soldier Field or nearby.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

24 Jun 2026

Daniel

Rooms need major updates. No valet parking

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

24 Jun 2026

Jacobus

Property is in a prime location but overall rundown.

Business

4/10

Poor

24 Jun 2026

Paul

Room is fine, clean and updated. Hotel is pretty lame. While
Lobby is cool, the rest has hallways with peeling wallpaper and holes in the wall. Weird maze of passages to the rooms. Windows in my room frozen shut, even though they exit to fire escape. Super bright lamps right outside and curtains don’t shut them out at all. Pretty loud noises from the El train. At $250 a night definitely not a great place

Business

2/10

Poor

24 Jun 2026

Kristy

Terrible experience. This hotel needs a complete renovation. Peeling paint, wallpaper, old stained carpet, ceiling tiles falling, musty smells and to top it zero hot water. When reported the front desk said let it run for 15 minutes- that did nothing but waste water.

Do not recommend staying here.

Business

6/10

Pleasant

24 Jun 2026

Arianna

Rooms were clean, staff were nice people

Family

8/10

Excellent

23 Jun 2026

Alan

Great location for see the city. Staff is very friendly and helpful. The only problem we had was the a/c unit was leaking water
on the floor the staff came in the room and turned off the a/c unit and left a fan to help with the summer heat. Parking was expensive but very close to the hotel. Parking lot not part on the property paid $60 per day. Overall would I stay again yes I would. See you soon.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jun 2026

Mary

If you ask at the front desk, you may be able to get a tour of the Gold ballroom and learn more about the history of the hotel. We enjoyed the view of Lake Michigan from the window. The details in the architecture were amazing. I had heard it was haunted but we did not get to experience any paranormal activity. It was a very pleasant experience anyway.

Family

8/10

Excellent

23 Jun 2026

Kevin

excellent location. Majority of the room is renovated but some part are still look worn

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jun 2026

Nathaniel

I reserved 5 rooms. In two of the rooms the air conditioners were faulty. One room had a partial repair (the hotel provided a portable unit); in the other room, A/C never worked, nor did the portable units provided by the hotel.

I expect some sort of recompense, which was never provided.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

23 Jun 2026

llineth

There is no free parking if you rent a car

8/10

Excellent

23 Jun 2026

Ronnie G.

We arrived on Saturday and did not realize that there was a Morgan Wallen Concert being held. The parking was very difficult to find, and they gouged us. we had to pay $115.00 for one night of parking when we booked the hotel it said parking was available but it wasn't. Jose the Concierge was absolutely Great!!! Very helpful, without his help it would have been a disaster.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jun 2026

Kara

easy walk to soldier field.

8/10

Excellent

22 Jun 2026

Casey

Room smelled a little like mold or sitting water although the floors were never and the room was clear overall.

The shower had a lot of rust in it.

Hotel does not offer parking and the garage they recommend is was already full.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

22 Jun 2026

Jessica

It was VERY LOUD. The outside noise was unbearable the first night. Soundproof windows or sound machines are needed.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jun 2026

Celeste

The room was very clean and the staff were fantastic! I would recommend this hotel to anyone it was close to all the public transit stations

Friends_and_family Friends

4/10

Poor

22 Jun 2026

Vicki

The room was very clean and large and the bed was extremely comfortable.

The checkin process was very disorganized and had many travellers that had booked through apps waiting for more than an hour to be able to access their rooms. This was following an airport storm closure with many travellers were stranded in the hotel lobby and tired after arriving from the airport. I immediately knew there was a problem when I saw how many people were camped in the lobby at midnight. Even though the hotel was aware of the many bookings, they didn't make a list of names to verify with Expedia, etc. Travellers had to call their booking agent to call the front desk to push the reservation through. The hotel was not accommodating. Service in this respect was very poor.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jun 2026

Kevin

Big clean room, with a big clean shower/tub combo.

Right next to grant park so it was super close to all of the cool things.

Night time was a little iffy, but in the day time this area was super convenient

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jun 2026

Janesea

It was a beautiful hotel, perfect location, parking was ok. Would definitely recommend staying again

Friends

4/10

Poor

21 Jun 2026

Caleb

It was very hot. Leaving the hotel room was a great reprieve as it was much cooler outside.

I called the front desk to see if there was a way to make the AC stronger, but they answered and hung up immediately the first 4 times I called.

I tried again the next day and they told me there was a shared temperature for the AC and they wouldn’t make it cooler, but they offered a fan.

The building is very old. Barebones amenities.

Great location.

Not worth the price in my opinion.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 Jun 2026

Kelly

Room was super clean. Comfortable bed. Shower took quite awhile to warm up. Overall great location and will stay again.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jun 2026

Jenny

Very nice environment

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 Jun 2026

Mike

Great location! Historic building. clean room. Good value. hallways and stairwell could use some additional care and attention. chipping paint and damaged doors.

Friends_and_family Friends

6/10

Pleasant

21 Jun 2026

JOHN

Great location and lobby area is really nice and historic. Just a very old hotel, not my style.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

21 Jun 2026

Jazmyne

Nice room, hotel and housekeeping was great.

4/10

Poor

21 Jun 2026

Wyatt

No hot water. Room was outdated

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jun 2026

Kim

They were incredibly professional and accommodating. The staff was clear on expectations and were able to assist us on requests and information about the city. The rooms and hotel are gorgeous, the historical architecture was an amazing experience.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2026

Anthony

Allowed us to check in early and store bags which was so helpful!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2026

Crissy

This was such a great hotel in great location!

Family

6/10

Pleasant

20 Jun 2026

Lynette

Amazing ceiling height and moulding...room was spacious and the view and location were epic. Felt run down and no visible activity at the restaurants made it feel a bit sad.

Business Family

2/10

Poor

19 Jun 2026

Estevan

Complicated

Self

4/10

Poor

19 Jun 2026

Richard

Very run down or should I say historic. Shower had to run at least 15 min. before it got hot. I don’t recommend at all and I’m not that picky when it comes to hotel rooms. When I called front desk about the lack of hot water, I was told to give it at least 15 min. which is a very long time to wait.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

19 Jun 2026

Kathleen

Convenient location for our activities. Restaurant offerings pretty mundane.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2026

Dervisa

Thank you for everything

Friends

2/10

Poor

19 Jun 2026

Monika

Not worth the cost, bathrooms are old our tub dipped when you would get in, the AC didn’t work, I called front desk multiple times and no one answered. I tried speaking or seeing the manager and I was directed to her office vs being phoned and she was never available.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jun 2026

Jan

Our tiny room was on the 12th floor, north tower, literally the attic, or in French, chambre du bonne, the latter usually with no windows. We had windows, albeit teeny, tiny. However, the view onto Lake Michigan was fantastic. There was a high step at the entrance to the bathroom, which was of concern, especially when trying to use the bathroom at night. The first couple of days AC was running very low and it was impossible to adjust it. We froze at night; there were no blankets available, only a thin bed coverlet. We addressed that with the reception and it was checked/repaired. There was a problem with the bathroom knob; it was so loose that there was a high risk of locking oneself in the bathroom. The last couple of days, the light in the tiny room entrance started to flicker and then finally went out.
The hotel has a lustrous history with 8 presidents spending the night there. The reception area and the elevator doors downstairs were very pretty and well-maintained. Unfortunately, this didn’t carry to the 12th floor, which looked a little shabby with wallpaper coming off the walls.
The big advantage was the hotel location; right where you would want to be when discovering Chicago. It was literally downtown Chicago.
The hotel has no parking, a major minus. Residents are told to use a private parking around the corner at $62/night, which we felt was outrages. We found another parking across the street at $40/night; still very expensive. Parking in downtown is pricey.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jun 2026

Willie

✔️ in late, around 9:30 pm. Room service was supposed to be open till 10:30. I call down and front desk said kitchen already close. Decent room but it's an old hotel so the usual bathtub is there, which is half a foot from the toilet. Stayed here because it was walking distance from blue line and where I needed to be next morning. So you stay at a very old hotel with old things in it

Self

6/10

Pleasant

18 Jun 2026

yan

The facilities are very old, and there is a musty smell in the room.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jun 2026

Angela

Hotel has been updated some since our last stay. We have stayed here every summer in june for 6 years now. Its at the end of the strip, its a great price range, and it has all that we need. Staff is very nice. The bell hop guys are helpful and hilarious. Beds are comfortable. We will always choose this place.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jun 2026

Sheryl

Great location for the hotel to be close where you want to go. Walking distance to the places we wanted to visits. We were there for 2026 Pokemongo Fest Chicago- Grant Park. So, it was an excellent location. Room had a view of the river/water. Room was very spacious for a standard double bed room and very much affordable when booked ahead of time. Would stay there again.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jun 2026

Donna

We were very pleased with our stay at Congress Plaza Hotel. Location was perfect for sightseeing. Many restaurant choices within walking distance. Our room had a beautiful view of Buckingham Fountain and Lake Michigan. Staff was friendly and helpful. Would definitely stay here again.

Friends_and_family Friends

2/10

Poor

17 Jun 2026

Ahsan

Have to pay for parking plus the ac barely works

Friends

8/10

Excellent

17 Jun 2026

Terence

The price is lower than other top rated hotels, and the interior of the bedrooms did not feel like one would expect in a higher level hotel. The lighting was awful, using LED lighting is not what it should be done in hotel bedrooms or bathrooms. I frankly have the impression that a private equity firm owns the hotel and is milking it. Again, however, the price was proportionate to the value received. And the views of the lake were great.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jun 2026

John

Good stay and requested a quiet room. AC is very cold but I like it cold in Chicago summer. Shower lukewarm first day and a bit cold side in second day.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

16 Jun 2026

Michelle

I understand that this is a historic property built in 1893 and it definitely has that charm, but the upkeep and amenities were surprisingly lacking. My curtains didn't close in my room, the paint in stairwells was peeling off the walls and the shower head and shower curtain hooks were cheap plastic. Dresser was cheap and peeling as well, small refrigerator barely worked.

Again, I know a lot of what you are paying for is location as well but I was surprised at the lack of upkeep.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jun 2026

Casey

We loved it. Great property with a great location.

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jun 2026

Jeffrey

Always stay here when I visit Chicago.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jun 2026

Nathan

Staff was very nice. Room was clean with a great view.

Self

2/10

Poor

16 Jun 2026

Melissa

The pictures look nice but this hotel is old an

4/10

Poor

16 Jun 2026

Lee

Crazily overpriced for the state of the place. Looks and smells like the 70s. Probably very nice back then, but now severely dated and in need of touch ups. Peeling pain, old carpet, lingering smell of cigarettes. You’re only paying so much for the location which is honestly not that nice except for the park and proximity to other attractions.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

15 Jun 2026

Marcia

This is the second time I’ve stayed at this property. It is conveniently located and the rooms facing the lake have a gorgeous view (request lake view). The room lighting was poor, and I missed having a table on each side of the bed.

Partner

4/10

Poor

15 Jun 2026

Zach

I really liked the location of the hotel. Its downtown with a bus stop right out front, and the train just a few minutes away by bus. The bed was really comfortable.
What i didnt like? The hotel was clean, but old and in disrepair. Our room was cold and the room's HVAC didnt work. The icemaker on our floor also didnt work. The decor and vibe of the rooms was cheap and out of touch with the rest of the hotel. The only complimentary coffee was the room coffee maker (an old 1 cup maker). Downstairs they charge $4 for coffee at the restaurant. You get 2 bottles of water, but they sell a larger water bottle, for $5, in the room. There's no included breakfast. I also hear that some of the rooms are haunted...
Being a guest here felt like you were not valued, but actually as a revenue source. Ive stayed at motels that were on par with this place.

2/10

Poor

15 Jun 2026

Jonathan

The property was not well maintained, and smelled very bad. My non-smoking room stank horribly of smoke so much to give me a headache trying to sleep. The beds were made well but the whole experience made me doubt the cleanliness of the sheets and blankets. Staff was not very friendly but did their job to check me in and out. Room was very overpriced for the lack of amenities they provide. Additionally the lamp in my room was burnt out and did not turn on and having only 2 outlets in the whole room is very annoying.

Partner

4/10

Poor

15 Jun 2026

Nancy

The gentleman that checked me in was not friendly. Barely spoke to me at all. Did not really give me any info on where things were located or how to get to my room. Thankfully a kind staff member realized I was walking in circles and helped me out. I get to my room and the tv does not work unless you use your mobile hotspot and mirror from your phone. I ordered room service at 9:30 and the lady was rude telling me the kitchen was closed but she would do me a favor. Per the iPad in the room the kitchen is open till 10:30pm on weekends. The women who brought the food was kind and amazing.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jun 2026

Alexandria

Wish had one more full size towel.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jun 2026

Racquel Bianca

I really enjoyed this hotel. It’s right next to the pier which means great views/ morning walks. Staff was very helpful and friendly

Friends

8/10

Excellent

14 Jun 2026

Erika

It was an awesome location, clean, and vintage, which I really loved. Walking you will have to go north to everything which is no more than a 20 minute walk. I didn’t use the bar so I can’t rate that. I didn’t like that there wasn’t a pool but overall service was great. I would definitely stay again and recommend to others. No ghosts!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2026

Catherine

We able to checkin early for a small fee. Room was clean and good size. Shower was nice. Had shampoo conditioner and body wash. Sink was a little small for toiletries. Had a mini fridge and TV was fine. They stored our bags when leaving and concierge was very helpful. Very close to Millennial Park and had a great view for fireworks at Navy Pier. Close to the L if coming from Midway. A very nice stay

Partner

4/10

Poor

14 Jun 2026

Dana

Not the best experience from the get go. Was told we could not use the luggage cart by ourselves and then was badgered into tipping. Asked for a crib on check in and was told they would send one up. We never received it and then had to leave for dinner hoping it would be there when we returned. It was not and I sent my husband down to ask. My husband did not realize I asked at check in rather than “booking at the time of the reservation” the manager who was helping him was very rude to him about how that isn’t how it works and you have to ask when you check in (mind you that is exactly what I HAD done). On top of that the rooms are not maintained all that well (though I do understand it’s an old building). The bathroom door didn’t close at all and the light in the closet wouldn’t turn off. Additionally only one elevator was working, which they didn’t realize until my husband asked one of the security guards about it as the lights were not illuminated for the floors. With a jogging stroller we often had to wait a long time for a car that was empty enough for us to fit when trying to return to the lobby.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2026

Susana

Great location

Self

8/10

Excellent

14 Jun 2026

Elizabeth

The rooms are beautiful! Had really nice staff. The biggest complaint would be that there were not microwaves in the room. (There is one on the ground floor) , and the AC keeps the room at about 73, which was too warm for my family's taste. The halls are a bit dingy, but the location is stellar, the price is reasonable, and everyone was super friendly!

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

14 Jun 2026

Lukasz

Very old room. Bathroom is disgusting . Definitely needs an update. Halls of the hotel leading to the rooms are stained by water probably . Would not recommend this hotel .

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2026

Erin

It was a really good experience

Family

6/10

Pleasant

14 Jun 2026

Paresh Kantilal

Dated hotel.