The InterContinental Chicago: Needs Improvement
Written: Dec 25 '08 (Updated Dec 25 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fabulous location, nice rooms.
Cons: Many extra costs, rude guests, terrible restaurant.
The Bottom Line: Chicago's got much better options than this.
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| chelledun's Full Review: InterContinental Hotels CHICAGO |
Located on the prime real estate of Chicago's Magnificent Mile, the InterContinental Chicago seems like it should be completely luxurious. I drew this one on Hotwire for a holiday celebration with the in-laws and felt we were sure to be in for some pampering. Unfortunately, some unsavory fellow guests and a general lack of attention to detail turned what should have been a great stay into a mediocre one, and I won't likely be returning to the Intercontinental Chicago unless it's accidentally.
Know Before You Go
The InterContinental Chicago is ideally situated in the mid-north portion of the Magnificent Mile. It is directly across from the Nordstrom indoor shopping complex, which happens to be one of my favorites. Numerous stores, restaurants, and tourist attractions are located within a fifteen minute walk and most others are a just short car ride away. We paid just $110 for each of our two rooms on Hotwire, but those booking through the hotel directly can more reasonably expect to pay $200+ for a night's stay.
Expect to pay a ridiculous parking fee if you valet park at the hotel. I understand this location is extremely central, but $50.00 per night seemed totally ridiculous considering that the fabulous Drake hotel just blocks away charges $38.00 for the same privilege. Were it not for the zero degree weather the weekend of our visit, we would have more carefully investigated the cost involved with parking two cars and saved ourselves some dollars.
Room
We had two rooms on the third floor with a partial view of Michigan Avenue, at least if one smushed up against the glass and looked left. Both were clean and well-decorated in reds, golds, and whites with black accents. My mother-in-law loved the plush sofas/window seats located at the far end of the rooms. The beds and sheets were quite comfy, although our sleep was not actually as good as anticipated for reasons to be discussed below. I did notice a few splotches, stains, and threadbare areas on the carpet and furniture which surprised me a bit at such an upscale hotel. Perhaps business is not so good at the moment.
The InterContinental Chicago's bathrooms are less posh than its rooms, largely due to dated fixtures. Our shower was so loud that when mr_chelledun was using it, I had to close the bathroom door to be able to talk on the telephone. We received nice toiletries but the towels were threadbare. The hairdryer was slow. At least there was one, I suppose.
I know that internet access was available for a charge, but we didn't try it. We also didn't buy any of the snacks or drinks available from the mini bar.
Public Spaces
The lobby was relatively impressive, partly due to being elegantly decorated for Christmas during our visit. A huge tree stretched from the first floor to the second, making for great photo opportunities for families and wedding groups. We liked the large amount of seating available on either side of the lobby and took advantage of one of the tables for some post-dinner card-playing.
The InterContinental Chicago has several in-house restaurants, including an "up-scale" table service location called Zest (more on that later), a bar and lounge, and a Starbucks. It also has a pool and fitness facility. We were disappointed to learn that it cost $12.00 per person per day to work out, and the workout room didn't even look that great.
Rude Guests
Amazingly, on the weekend we stayed, the InterContinental Chicago was host to one of the rowdiest crowds I've ever seen at a hotel. There were a couple of weddings and family gatherings here, so maybe that was the reason, but wow! First we experienced loud, drunk men shouting sexually explicit remarks in the lounge at around 9:30 p.m., right next to a table where a family with small children was sitting. Worse, we were awakened and kept awake from approximately 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. by a very large, noisy group of folks returning to the hotel rooms adjacent to mine. They stood in the space outside of the elevators and yelled, cursed, and laughed uproariously.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, we also saw quite a few unruly children during our stay. Kids were running around the lobby unattended both in the evening and the morning. I don't mean to be overly delicate and I understand that any of these things can happen anywhere, but it seemed odd to me that I encountered more rowdy patrons at this hotel than at any other in recent memory. Perhaps the prices have simply been too deeply discounted.
A Very Lousy Expensive Breakfast
Finally, the low note of our stay at the InterContinental Chicago took place just before we left. We stopped in for breakfast at Zest to avoid the cold for as long as possible. I expected an expensive dining experience, but the $25.00 price tag on the buffet exceeded my expectations. My father-in-law bit the bullet and got it anyway but noted that many items were unavailable and the lines for eggs and waffles were frustratingly long. The rest of us ordered ala carte and paid approximately $10.00 per person for a bowl of oatmeal (me) or scrambled eggs with toast (mr_chelledun and my mother-in-law).
More unbearable than the prices, though, was the craptastic service. I believe one server was waiting on the whole busy restaurant, and we couldn't get a refill to save our life. A bus boy finally brought some coffee and orange juice to our table and promptly served it to all the wrong people. I think there was a language barrier. Our total bill, which we had a great deal of trouble obtaining from our server, ran around $80.00 for four. I think we would have been better off taking our chances at Starbucks.
Overall...
I struggled with the rating on this one. Because of the location and low price we paid, I'm giving the InterContinental Chicago a three-star rating but I contemplated going lower. This hotel has good bones but poor maintenance, excessive nickel-and-diming, and an incredibly lousy restaurant make it a poor pick given all the other nice places to stay on the Magnificent Mile. For a much classier experience, head north for the Drake or south for the Chicago Hilton. You'll pay far less for parking likely leave happier.
Recommended:
No
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