Chicago Getaway Hostel

The hostel was really clean and had a nice atmosphere! The staff were super friendly and helpful. There is a huge kitchen that is well organised and has a proper storage system for food. There is also a dish washer. The breakfast provided was really good! Every morning they alternate between the cooked food, scrambled eggs and waffles. There is also cereals, toast, tea, coffee and porridge. The rooms were nice with storage lockers although there wasnt really enough space for suitcases and backpacks near your bed. The bathrooms were nice and clean. The building has been recently renovated so it looks all new with new furniture in the common areas. Overall would probably stay there again if i was to go back to Chicago. ¹⁰⁄₁₀ would recommend.

I am compelled to write a positive review of the Getaway Hostel after a bad experience at the IHSP hostel recently. I have stayed at several hostels here in Chicago over the last few months and the Getaway hostel is the best BY FAR!

1.) The prices for the accommodations and location can not be beat! The hostel has always been very clean and comfortable but with recent renovations it even better and more modern.
2.) The staff is the best of any hostel I’ve stayed at. EVERYONE from reception to the cleaning and maintenance staff to Matt the manager are friendly and engaging!
3.) The wi-​fi is of the best and so is the breakfast. Most hostels just put out some bagels and packets of oatmeal with jars of peanut butter and jelly and cream cheese but here they actually put a presentation together on par with a real hotel.
I could list more but I’ll stop here. The Getaway is a choice. It is located in a great area of Lincoln Park DePaul University. Its near the Red line Fullerton stop and many buses.

My Group doesn’t have any experiences staying in Hostels so my review is a bit biased but we were overall displeased with the experience. First when we arrived late night around 11, the front desk was not there to check us in (sign placed that he would be back in 5) but we waited probably 15 minutes. Finally when he arrived we checked in and we got our room. (5 dollar fee if you lose your key card btw) We got a room with a private bathroom because we are germaphobes.
When we entered the room we were somewhat shocked at how little there was. A 3×3 table and a very bare minimum bunk bed. Mattress is quite bad (I can feel the springs). Bed is very squeaky. The room was hot overall from the heat and there is no AC to be found. The staff said to open the window to get it to cool down. Problem is that the window is next to the bed so our faces are freezing and our bodies are hot. We asked for extra blankets and got some but they had no extra pillows in the whole building Combining all of these things we didn’t sleep well at all.
Management staff was not very understanding or accommodating the next day. We checked out early and was forced to pay the full amount for our 2 night stay citing a 24 hr cancellation policy. I can understand they are running a business but we really are unsatisfied with the room. And it was EXPENSIVE for a room (130 a night) Anyway stay here if you don’t need to sleep that well; if you need rest stay elsewhere.
We ended up staying in an air bnb for less (115 a night for a full apartment to ourselves)
Don’t know why anyone would stay here for the money.

This hostel is about three blocks from Fullerton Red Line. I stayed here twice, traveling through Chicago, about a week apart.
I paid only $ 18 for a top bunk in a 12 person dorm. For $ 28 I was able to park until 3:00 the next day, just out the back door.
The showers were nice, bathrooms clean, no bad smell in the place; attractive, friendly, home-​like atmosphere.
The bed was comfortable, clean smelling; the dorm was quiet other than one person cough-​barking for the first hour, and I had a good sleep, like a home away from home.
Breakfast is included and they have a nice variety. Excellent oatmeal.
Helpful people work here.
If I ever stay overnight in Chicago again, I hope it will be at this hostel.

I have to start by saying that Chicago Getaway Hostel is one of the greatest hostels I have stayed in. It offers excellent conditions at excellent prices. I went there with my wife last month and we both agreed that we made a wise choice. First of all, the hostel was very clean and this is something you don’t get to see too often. What is more, I can even say that the place is actually trendy, and it represents a perfect option for those who want to spend a weekend or more in Chicago without spending a fortune on accommodation. We benefited from free Wi-​Fi, and this was great because it helped us search for places that we should visit. I also have to mention that they serve delicious free breakfast! If you want to cook, you can easily do it, since the hostel features a fully equipped kitchen. They also organize different sorts of events, and you are free to attend them.
The staff is nice, friendly, and ready to help you with everything you might need. The location is another advantage of the hostel, and you will be close to numerous attractions. I strongly recommend this place to anyone visiting Chicago.

Really great 3 night stay here! Booked a private room for 2 which included a desk with light, bunk bed, and closet. The building as a whole was kept very clean. The common spaces, kitchen, and outside were all spotless and had plenty of space for all of the guests. The outdoor patio was a nice touch for guests to sit outside on their laptops. The computers in the main lobby were awesome — especially being that there were 6 of them and a free printer! Staff was very friendly and did a great job with morning breakfast, check in, and bag stowing.
The only things keeping me from giving it the fifth star were #1 — for 3 nights it was $ 300, which even for a private room and public bathroom is a bit steep. And #2– I would’ve loved to see more hostel wide events because there were a ton of people there and the only event they had was a barbecue (no other outings or get togethers) But still a great stay!

As you can see…“snot nosed” punk kids respond with such pettiness like «hope your court case went well»… Do yourself a favor cause apparently doing «part» of their job means the guest can stay in filth and it’s suppose to be okay according to this jackass… Do not stay at this place!

I stayed here while travelling through to Green Bay. Since I stayed on a Wednesday, I received a discounted rate of $ 37 for a 8 bed room with an on suite bathroom. That, coupled with the $ 15 parking I paid at a nearby garage made this place a cheaper option than most hotels.
The hostel itself is in a stunning neighborhood. No «sketchiness» whatsoever. The front staff was very helpful and the hostel itself is laid out very well for interaction. If you’ve never stayed in a hostel, the idea of sharing a room with strangers might freak you out. It didn’t with me.
Breakfast the next morning was awesome, and I left full and ready for my drive up to Green Bay.
I will be staying here again.
One quick note: if you stay here over the weekend, there is a two night minimum and the price jumps to around $ 55/​night. Also, bring shower sandals.

Awesome experience. This was my first time visiting Chicago and I quickly came to realize there is nothing inexpensive about the hotel stays. Each DECENT hotel I came across was minimum $ 164/​night. Ehh, ain’t nobody paying that. After speaking with some friends who’ve been to Chicago several times they informed me about hostels. I never heard of it so I looked it up on you-​tube LOL I’m going to be very honest, I was not sold on the dorm-​type living environment & thought those days were over but I was open and thought to give it a try. I came across Chicago Getaway Hostel, was able to view the different room types, amenities and read other reviews. What really got me was the pool table LOL strange I know. Even before arrival, the staff was very friendly and answered all my questions. What I loved about this place was all the residents residing here are not from Chicago so you get a chance to interact and meet people from all over the world. I met a prospective NFL player for the Chicago Bears, a few people from Denmark, New York and other places. The environment is very warm and the atmosphere creates a very welcome one for strangers. Each morning breakfast was prepared (waffles, oatmeal, eggs, toast, cereal, etc) or there were stoves and refrigerators if you wanted to bring and cook your own. They have bigger rooms but the room we stayed in was a 2-​bed/​half bath with a toilet and sink. No offense, but when creating these bathrooms, they must’ve had supermodels in mind because they are extremely tight and only cater to sizes 0 – 2 LOL. It was helpful not having to go all the way down the hallway all the time just to use the bathroom but I guess they say go handle your business and come right back out LOL. There is also a sink and small closet in the room. The rooms are clean and kept very cool as there is a window unit and fan. There is no TV in the room but there is one main TV in the lounging area next to the kitchen. The showers/​bathrooms are down the hall from the rooms — they were also very clean. I cannot brag enough about the staff. I don’t remember their names but every single last one of them were AWESOME and extremely helpful! We arrived on Sunday morning at about 8am (check-​in wasn’t until 3pm) and they were kind enough to hold our luggage. I’m so glad I was open to trying something different other than your typical hotel. I mean, when you think about it you’re only in the room to shower, go to bed, wake up and get dressed so quite frankly, a hotel was not needed. The only change I would make is looking into other hostels closer to majority of our locations. This location was very safe and closed to Lincoln Park but majority of the things we did were downtown. It’s soooo affordable ($ 70/​night), the hostel has different activities every night and it’s a really great time. All in all, great experience and major kudos to the Chicago Getaway Hostel staff!

I was nervous walking from the train to the hostel because I’ve never stayed at a hostel before and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I can assure whoever you are that is reading this, this is an all right place.
The hostel encourages interaction. The layout includes a decent sized lobby, cafeteria and a side sitting room. The cafeteria itself isn’t so much a cafeteria where you are served (a continental breakfast is available,) but more of a place where depending on your stay, you can store groceries, cook them and eat them. The hostel provides cooking utensils and silverware. I didn’t take advantage of this, but the option is there.
I had a single room and it was small, but that wasn’t a big deal because I didn’t spend that much time there. I was happy at the good amount of power outlets so I could plug in and recharge for the next day.
The bathrooms were kept clean and convenient to use. Depending where your room is you might have to walk a while, but it’s a small consolation.
One drawback for me, which isn’t much of a reflection on the hostel was the location. It’s about six blocks off of the red line near DePaul in a nice and quiet neighborhood. I wouldn’t mind it as much if I was staying for an extended time visiting, but it was a bit away from some nightlife and tourist attractions. It was a decent hike to try and find a bar or a place to eat.

Perfect.
Super affordable, in a stunning section of Chicago, reallyreallyreally clean! Events every night of the week to get social. Really though, it is easy enough to make new friends at breakfast, which is bountiful and complimentary! The common area has lots of outlets, and this super cool retro ambiance; great music plays 24 hours a day. There’s also reading material, foosball, and even billiards! (Four quarters per game of pool.)
I had top bunk, and seven roommates. The majority of people are awesome and courteous. My fellow travelers came from highly diverse backgrounds; it’s not just college kids.
To anyone unfamiliar with what a hostel is, amenities may seem a bit barebones compared to a hotel. You’ll definitely want to bring the standard shower sandals and toiletries. I picked up a pretty purple water bottle with a built-​in filter at Walgreens. Having a roll of paper towels also made life easier. And of course a padlock to lock away your valuables in one of the suitably sized lockers provided in the rooms and hallways.
The location truly is great. Arlington Place is quiet, gorgeous and a quick walk to Clark Street which has lots of bars and shops. Lincoln Park is a hop-​skip-​jump. It’s also just a jaunt to the nearest L, with the red line that goes right to the Loop (and of course beyond).
You can purchase tickets for attractions like the SkyDeck and the Art Institute, which really saves time and trouble.
On your last day, they’ll store your luggage after you check out so you can explore Chicago just a little bit more. :)

This was just the cheapest place I could find to stay kind of last minute for Fourth of July weekend. I thought it was still kind of expensive for the little prison cell rooms, but it was fine and I’d stay there again. You only get a thin little blanket — I don’t know if it would be different in winter, but it was fine for the summer.
There is a women’s shower on each floor, it just wasn’t obvious on the fourth floor like the men’s was, so you don’t have to wash your hair in the little sink you paid extra to have — unless you want to!
It’s in a pretty nice quiet neighborhood and it’s a very short walk to the Fullerton station on the red/​purple/​brown lines. It’s also pretty close to Whole Foods if you’re buying stuff to make food in the kitchen.
When we went they were painting the walls so you had to be careful not to brush up against anything which was kind of annoying.
We were there for specific stuff, but they had hostel events posted in the elevator like bar crawls etc which could be fun if you’re staying a while.

As the third hostel I have stayed in, Chicago Getaway Hostel was definitely the most modern. The kitchen is on point and allows a lot of space for storage.
However, I feel as if the hostel lacks security. During my stay, a stranger followed me through to the bathroom and was spying on me. When confronted, the stranger ran off. As I consulted the front desk, they attempted to get a visual of the intruder with security cameras.
Be careful when you hold the doors open for guests that don’t use their card to swipe. it seems as if anybody can come through and wander around the kitchen and lobby area.

This is a very affordable hostel in a great location. The hostel is clean, the staff are friendly, the beds are comfortable, and there is a lot to do in the hostel itself.
I stayed there for two nights and was very satisfied. It’s a very short walk away from multiple forms of public transportation, which made it very easy to head into the city. here are computers with fast internet and free printing. The staff were very friendly, and offered great tips about how to get around Chicago and things to do in the city. The hostel as very clean and public areas were very comfortable as well. There also were several social events put on by the hostel, and while I did not take part in the vents (I had other plans), I thought it was a great way to help single travelers meet other people in a new city. Finally, the free breakfast each morning was very good and a nice touch.
I do have a few complaints however. My room was on the first floor near the dining room and common area. This area got very loud in the mornings and at night, which made sleeping occasionally difficult or impossible. It would also be nice for the hostel to provide more outlets in the rooms. There were twelve beds in my room and only one power strip, which meant I had to work hard to make sure I could charge my phone and other electronic equipment. You need a key card to access the bathrooms, which was a little annoying when I had to use the rest room in the middle of the night.
However, the real reason I am taking off a star (if i could, I would take off 1.5 stars) was because there was a group of middle school students in the hostel during my stay there. They were very loud, took up a lot of the common areas, and made it difficult for travelers to enjoy the hostel. The breakfast room was very crowded with the kids there, and many students and faculty were not nice to me and acted like I was in the way. Hostels are meant for travelers, not field trips and I did not think it was appropriate for a group of at least thirty middle schoolers to stay in the hostel and take away from the experience of other patrons. Overall, this was a very affordable and comfortable hostel, and I would recommend this hostel to anyone traveling to Chicago.

As a young budget-​oriented traveler I usually stay in hostels when I travel if available. The Chicago Getaway Hostel was honestly the nicest hostel I’ve ever stayed in.
The rooms were clean and the common areas were immaculate. The bathrooms were pretty busy but that’s expected for a hostel. The location is in a nice neighborhood and lets you see what Chicago is actually like outside the loop and most hotels.
Definitely would stay here again!

It looks nothing like the pictures they posted! When I checked out of the Chicago getaway hostel (closer to a college dorm), I asked how often they cleaned the bathrooms and rooms. The girl at the front desk said, «once a day.» I highly doubt it.
My travel buddy and I paid $ 200 for two nights. My father-​in-​law, who travels to Chicago all the time for business, said that we definitely could have paid less and stayed somewhere nicer. Oh well.
I highly recommend you stay somewhere ELSE unless you want to put up with dirty toilets, tiny hairs everywhere, yellow/​discolored pillows, and the previous guest’s empty candy wrappers next to your bed.

This hostel was nice. It is located in Lincoln park close to nice shops on Halsted street and more on Clarke Street (Urban outfitters, loft, TJ Maxx, and other quaint shops). Lincoln is another Main Street close to the hostel that has some fun bars.
The hostel is also close to DePaul University Campus (second to the one located in downtown), Whole foods, and the red line metro station. Favorite places to eat: Bee and Tea (they have boba tea and Vietnamese style sandwiches) and next door café (they have delicious crepes), Lou Malnati’s pizza (their deep dish pizzas are bomb).
Directions from the hostel to redline: make right from hostel, left on orchard, right on Fullerton. You’ll past Lincoln street (Dairy queen, Bee&Tea) and if you reach whole foods you have gone too far.

Disclaimer: this was my first stay in a hostel.
I am well aware that you pay for what you get and solo commercial accommodations around the area cost almost 10x as much so I was pleased with the price of the hostel but it was pretty bare bones. I wouldn’t have mind but I think my biggest qualm was the fact that the wifi was absolutely horrendous, I had no reception in my room, and my room was always muggy and wavered between too hot or too cold. If this was a 10 dollar hostel in Vietnam, I’d understand but this is the US’s 3^rd largest city in a very posh neighborhood. My in-​suite bathroom was always occupied right before check out and around bed time making booking it absolutely redundant and I found myself running to the common showers two floors up constantly. I didn’t enjoy the bunks either and still heard squeaks, snoring and all that jazz despite packing ear plugs.
I don’t think I was a fan of the clientele either. It’s not this fun, mature group of travelers — it had this dorm room vibe mixed in with families (yes, families with middle school aged children!) and older folks who didn’t want to pay hotel prices.
I ended up canceling the last night to do airbnb for 20 dollars more which was light years more enjoyable and comfortable!

My review is long overdue! A friend and I stayed here during the 4^th of July weekend.
Their location is great! Truly central and easy to get to where all the action is in the city. Lobby was very clean and nicely decorated.
Very cheap rates. If you need a room in a hurry and hotels cost too much, go there! As long as you’re good with roommates.
They grill out for their guests and offer cool suggestions.
Downsides?
Their breakfast was over-​hyped.
They didn’t have enough bottom beds available and should have mentioned that to us ahead of time.
The bathrooms are a mile away from the bedrooms. Really? WTH!

I went to visit Chicago for the weekend to attend a concert at Lincoln Hall and needed a cheap place to stay for the night. I found the Chicago Getaway Hostel and was extremely impressed with its modern look and great location! For the price you definitely can’t beat it! I got a room with two beds and a full bathroom for $ 62.00 and the stay also came with breakfast in the morning. It was very clean and the employees were very nice. The hostel was located near many stores, bars, restaurants which you could easily get to by walking or riding a bike. I will definitely be booking here the next time I travel to Chicago.