Kimpton Gray Hotel Chicago

My partner and I stayed here after driving a long distance, and the service was questionable. We really enjoyed our stay at the Kimpton in Omaha, so maybe our expectations were too high. When we arrived, the valet was missing for around 10-15 minutes even after we went in to check in at the front desk. When he did arrive, we had to wait for a cart to carry our luggage, which was an additional 20 minutes. When we got to our room, it was so beautiful and after that the hotel staff service was great, offering me a charger as I forgot mine in the car. We went to the hotel restaurant Vol 39 for dinner, and it was disappointing. We ordered the Provencal Tartine and the Warsaw Mushrooms. I believe they were sitting out for a while before they got to us, about an hour after we ordered. The mushrooms were cold when they got to us, and the Tartine's bread was completely soaked. The server was very kind, and got the manager for us who took the food off but still charged us full price for our drinks which we were a bit bummed about. It is a beautiful place, just really disappointed in the experience overall after traveling so long.

We just visited Chicago. I can't say enough good things about this hotel. It started with a very nice and attentive Valet. The Front Desk staff were great as well. It was our 25th wedding anniversary and they surprised us with a note, Champagne and chocolates in our room. When we asked if coffee was available the next afternoon, they had a coffee maker delivered to our room. We had a fantastic breakfast in Le Bella Trattoria. The breakfast potatoes are amazing. Later we had a lunch delivered. The room was very nice. Overall this a beautiful hotel with amazing staff.

I have stayed in a lot of Kimptons, and value their dog-friendly policy. So when we decided to attend a graduation in Chicago, as soon as I found the Gray, I booked it for my family, including our tiny, well-behaved dog. This was probably my strangest Kimpton experience ever. Although the staff was friendly enough, it did feel like -- well, sleeping in a former insurance office building, kind of uninviting. First, the entry way at 122 West Monroe takes you into a foyer which leads into a dimly-lit hallway. Arriving with my bags, I wasn't sure where to go next. There are elevators to the left that will take you to the second floor, but I didn't know that. Retracing my steps, I found someone in the foyer who told me to go up the stairs and turn right. Without him, I might still be wandering on the first floor! As it was, I didn't spot the discreet sign (more for decoration than information) directing people upstairs until day 3. Our room faced a side street and was always dark and sometimes noisy. A white noise machine, as we've had in some city hotels, would have been good. The Gray offers earplugs, tucked away in a small bathroom container along with the usual cotton puffs and face wipes. I didn't even spot them until the last day of our time there. The room also had a funky wet-socks smell, which we mostly noticed after coming back at the end of the day. It wasn't awful, but suggested to me that the carpeting hadn't had a shampoo for a while. If you are bringing a pet, know that there's no grass within a few blocks. Also, a lot of places in the Loop, including at least one shop in the hotel, are closed on the weekend, which I didn't mind because it was an easy walk to the river and Michigan Ave, but might be a hassle for some. It wasn't awful. It wasn't great. For over $400/night, I expected more. That said, the morning coffee was quality, and the afternoon wine pretty good.

I had much greater expectations from Kimpton Gray Chicago than what I experienced. The Kimpton Gray is priced almost on par with JW and other luxury brands. However it does not live up to that. Couple of examples: 1. I asked for water bottles in the room and was told that there was a charge of $4 per water bottle. Almost every hotel that I have stayed at have no problems in providing a couple of water bottles at no cost. For the price that Kimpton charges for the room, I would have thought that a couple of water bottles would be standard. 2. There was a small bowl of kids gummies in the room as a welcome treat. I mean really... Kids gummies. For a hotel and brand that wants to be considered upscale. They can do better. The quality of the room itself was nice. Overall, not impressed. Especially when given the choice of hotels in the Chicago area.

Really nice hotel in the middle of the Loop. Old office building converted into a hotel. Neat old fixtures such as elevator, lobby, staircase etc. Nice Staff, excellent location to restaurants, theater, easy to get transportation but many venues are walkable.