PUBLIC Chicago

I wish I had seen warnings like this before booking. This hotel (and others in its group) engages in misleading practices that trap guests. Despite the owner's claim that they "absolutely do offer direct bookings," the reality is they funnel reservations through third-party sites. You are not booking directly with the hotel — you're routed to a separate billing platform. Upon arrival, they then demand additional funds or charges that were not clearly disclosed upfront. The rooms are small, dated (very late '90s/early 2000s vibe), and poorly maintained. The classic Gold Coast location is the only real positive, but it doesn't make up for the subpar condition and customer service issues. The response from ownership is also misleading — it deflects responsibility instead of addressing the core complaints about transparency and third-party funneling. This is not a one-off; it appears to be their standard operating model. Strongly recommend steering clear and choosing a property with straightforward, honest direct booking. Other guests need to be warned before they waste money and time on this.

This hotel provides an absolutely fraudulent experience. I booked with a third party who didn't disclose any extra fees, but upon looking at the hotel website these fees are also misleading. When you check in, the hotel will FORCE you to pay an extra $80/night (before taxes) for a PRIVATE GUEST CLUB upgrade, which includes access to breakfast, $10 credit towards dinner, credits towards drinks, late checkout, gym access and free water. In total I had to pay $285 on top of what I already paid for the room for 2 nights, for a MANDATORY 'UPGRADE', meaning its not an upgrade at all if everyone has to get it. It is a complete scam. They force you to buy the 'perks' which are really just common services that hotels usually provide for FREE. The fact this includes late checkout, which everyone now gets, just means its a regular checkout time. Completely misleading. This fee is marketed as a special experience but is mandatory. Forced purchase of this experience is misleading and provides zero regard for the customer. Customers have zero power or ability to change this fee, and the hotel does not care about unhappy customers. A sad example of selling out and no regard for providing a quality experience.

Great stay! I wasn’t sure what to expect since I didn’t know much about the hotel beforehand, but I was pleasantly surprised. The staff was friendly and welcoming, especially the team at the bar, who provided excellent service throughout our stay. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, with plenty of room to relax. The hotel has a lot of character, and you can tell it’s a historic building, which adds to its charm. At the same time, the décor is tasteful and well maintained. The surrounding area is very walkable, making it easy to explore nearby attractions, restaurants, and shops. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and I would definitely stay here again.

First and foremost I was charged a "resort fee" of $142 that eerily resembled the upcharge that was offered when I booked the room but declined. It was for drinks, which I don't drink, and breakfast which we had plans for eating elsewhere. The desk clerk said it was because I booked on Hotels.com. I call bull. I was too tired to fight it and am disputing the charge on my Amex. The room had an ugly brown carpet with bleach stains. The bed was no more than a foot off the ground, I'm 6'4" and this was unacceptable. The A/C unit sounded like a dishwasher running all night and the space allocated for the toilet, which looked like a locker room toilet, was hardly big enough to fit in and I'm not fat. How the hell is this a 4 star hotel? I've stayed in nicer Motel 6s. Never again, stay far away from this property

This is possibly one of the most depressing rooms I've ever stayed in. This room boldly claims the moniker of Deluxe. It is, in fact, a sparse room with cheap, cool gray vinyl floors and walls and trim that have been sloppily painted white so many times that I feel like I've been transported back in time to my most pathetic college apartment. The tiny sofa looks like it had a former life as a Z Gallerie floor model. Its companions are two gray throw pillows that Homegoods would be ashamed to sell. The rest of the furniture is not much better. There is a wildly uncomfortable desk chair that looks like it was scooped up after a neighborhood Italian restaurant liquidated all of their dining room furniture, a desk that was maybe cool and modern in the late 90s, and a low platform bed with inexpensive, warm-toned maple veneer. The headboard is comically wide and blocks full access to both windows. The lamps are sad and dusty- none of them related to one another in style. The curtains are hanging off of the track. The sheets are scratchy, stained, and thin. They don't even bother to use a fitted sheet... but who can be bothered when they have so many rooms to clean every day. Oh WAIT! They don't clean them every day. For that privilege, I'd have to pay an extra $35/day. I think I see Cheez-it crumbs by the dresser. The art fails, even by hotel art standards. All 3 pieces are 4x6 basic sketches of the city in cheap frames, hung begrudgingly in an attempt to detract from the stark, white walls. Well- almost all white walls. There is a weird stain or smudge on the wall next to the desk that I'm hoping is makeup. And all this on top of getting scammed with fees to the tune of an extra $80+/night. I will stay here because I have to - it is paid for and I can't change it. My sincerest wish for all of you fellow travelers, dreaming of a fun Chicago vacation, is that you stay anywhere else.