Hotel 71

I guess this is a Wyndham now. I stayed April 2013 post-​remodel. It was posh without being obnoxious. I’m not a fancy pants and I didn’t feel out of place. The location is fantastic. The rooms and views are beautiful. Get on the correct side with a view. It’s across from the river that goes through town. You can take a $ 3 water taxi (boat) ride to lots of downtown places. You can also walk to a lot or take a short cab ride. Near the Magnificent Mile if you’re into shopping. Near a lot of good restaurants a medium length walk away. The waterfront is pretty to walk. A 7 – 11 is near for whatever you forgot. I would never stay anywhere else again. I’m sure it’s just as good under the new ownership.

I had the unfortunate luck to visit during the hotel renovation after it was purchased by Wyndham. Looks great on the outside, and the lobby is comfy and clean. Our room was fine, clean, and spacious.
Problems? Elevators had a lot of problems, something that can be quite terrifying when you’re travelling up and down to the 37^th floor. There were no ice or vending machines on my floor, and I searched three floors before I found one. We also had to call the front desk twice because our coffee supplies had not been refilled. When I have to leave the hotel at 7:45 am, I definitely need some coffee, and for the price of the room, I definitely deserved to have my coffee stocked daily.
We weren’t lucky enough to get a riverfront view, so the view of a dumpster, HVACs, and other weird-​looking industrial things weren’t very enjoyable. We could barely get a peek of Lake Michigan if looking from a certain angle. Being up on the 37^th floor I would have loved a better view, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers.
The front desk staff was pretty friendly and helpful, so I’m assuming our issues were due to the renovations. I anticipate that after renovations these problems will be solved, but next time I’m in Chicago, I’m probably going to look for other lodging.

I’m going to break this down really simply:
–Location is awesome. You’re right on the water, a very short walk to Michigan Ave and a very short walk to Millennium park
–Rooms are great – big, nice view. Only con is that it took us 2 nights to figure out how to close the curtains on the windows so we wouldn’t be awakened at dawn. The trick? There’s a fake curtain, then a sheer curtain, then a «keep the light out» curtain behind that. We thought we were the only idiots who didn’t realize this, but turns out others in our party had trouble too
–Service kind of sucks. We didn’t have our room cleaned one day we were there (and, no, we didn’t have the «do not disturb» sign on the door, fyi) and they were late with our dry cleaning, which made us late to a dinner reservation
I think Wyndham just recently took over this hotel, so I imagine it will adhere to some new corporate standards soon – for better or worse.

Location was a huge plus — close to Mag Mile, shopping, Milennium park, lots of eats, next to the river.
Friendly staff.
Comfy bed and pillows.
Free wifi throughout.
My only complaint was my shower seemed clogged the first day. It was not a good feeling having dirty water at my feet while showering. It was odd that it went away the 2^nd day even though we didnt have housekeeping service.
I did wish that they had a spa in the hotel. Getting a massage at my hotel after all that walking would’ve been nice.

Upon arrival, we were upgraded to a suite for free. I was really surprised. Then I figured out why. The hotel was under construction. Every morning at 7:30am, the hammering starts. It was not too bad since it sounded like we were a few floors under it (we were on floor 16). Also, only 1 of the 4 elevators were working so there was always a wait. Other that those two mishaps, the room was decent and roomy. We had a refrigerator so helped to bring home leftovers to snack on or eat for lunch the next day. The staff was friendly and the room service was very good. I hope that if we stay here next time that we get one of the upgraded modernized rooms.

This hotel is currently undergoing construction. Which means forget about getting to your room midday. The hotel has turned overly every single elevator to the construction crews. Meaning about 2 people per trip are allowed to squeeze in past filthy equipment. Not what you want to do on your way to a business meeting.
Hotel 71 didn’t bother informing guests when they made their reservation. Truly low class.

Great hotel in a central location. Get the same view as those staying in Trump International Hotel, but for a fraction of the price.
Hotel 71 is a boutique style hotel that has modern interiors with pretty decently sized rooms. The staff is super friendly and, if you request an upgrade to your room, you may be able to get one if the hotel isn’t overbooked at the time.
I recommend staying in one of the River View rooms over the City View Rooms. The river view looks out over the Chicago River and Marina Towers to give you a quintessential Chicago view that you can’t find anywhere else. The city view rooms aren’t bad either.
You can usually find deals for this hotel on Hotwire, Orbitz, Expedia or one of those sites. I’ve stayed here a couple of times for events, and have never spent more than $ 100 for a room.
The staff is extremely friendly and the concierge will help you with any extra accommodations that you may need. I’ve posted some pictures of the views from my room to the picture section, so hopefully that will help in making your decision.
TWO BULLET RECAPS:
:LOCATION:
–Smack in the middle of the city and walking distance to shopping/​restaurants
–Close to the L and various buses
:AMENITIES:
–Spacious Rooms with amazing views
–Restaurant and lounge downstairs
:SERVICE:
–Staff is very friendly and accommodating
–Very helpful in giving you dining/​tourist advice
:INTERESTING FACT:
–They shot scenes for The Dark Knight here (Bruce Wayne’s Penthouse)
–They shot scenes for Showtime’s Shameless here.

Wonderful downtown on the river location with views of the river. Close to Michigan Ave, Millenium Park, center of the city.
Hotel has a virtual texting concierge which was very helpful and made great suggestions. You also text to summons the valet to get your car. It was very convenient and easy.
The rooms are modern and comfortable and roomy and clean.
The elevators are small and there are only 2 so the get crowded and sometimes you wait.
Overall, my new favorite downtown getaway hotspot.

We stayed here during our fall excursions for recruiting. I love hotels, so I have an internal laundry list for what I want, depending on the locale and price:
Booking — was a breeze! Called the hotel for the UIC rate and our reservationist was professional and fast.
Getting there — 1^st time in Chicago as an adult, and called the hotel twice for directions. The hotel operator gave me incorrect information — twice. Not fun when you’re on a tight schedule.
Finally getting there — the doormen just stand there, never offering to assist with luggage, which I had, or… TO OPEN THE DOOR AND GREET CUSTOMERS!
Checking in — simple and pleasant for me, but my co-​workers debit card didn’t register properly, so her account was overdrawn by almost $ 500.00. I had to talk her off the ledge and ask her to contact accounting to release the excess funds.
The room:
Modern and spacious, with panoramic windows, the city view rooms are more views of alleys, even on the 28^th floor. Couldn’t enjoy the chaise lounge, as it’s awkward to watch TV or look out the windows. Even with free wi-​fi, the only option for working was sitting at the desk — no bedside plugs? Really?! All the lighting in the room was indirect; great for romance and wrinkles, not so much when you can’t find an earring or a contact lens. Liked the K-​Cup coffee maker, but liquid creamer would be preferable to that dried nastiness in the set. Good coffee doesn’t deserve that.
The bathroom was large, the towels were fairly plush, and the blood orange toiletries were a welcome change from Aveda. Brighter lights would have been nice in there also.
Checking out — easy, but those lazy-​ass doorman didn’t offer to flag a taxi or OPEN THE DOOR when I left.
We were close to everything and it was nice to be so close to the river. Didn’t have a chance to try the bar or restaurant, but there were people in there every time I waked by.
Would I stay here again? Not sure, but with so many other choices in the area that can do it right, it’s doubtful.

Love this hotel, and would stay here all the time if I got points here. The staff is professional and accomdating. The lobby always smells fresh, sometimes like green tea! The drinks and appetizers are delicious and the outside area is comfortabling and relaxing.
The rooms have coffee machines which is a must for me, and I’ve never had any issues with any of the rooms.
Definitely check this place out if you’re in Chicago even if it’s for a happy hour, you’ll have a great view of the city as well :)

I stayed here for several days when in Chicago for work a couple years ago. I was on a high floor and had fabulous views of the river which made for amazing sunrises. The staff were great, very accommodating, and the rate was reasonable. The location was also perfect, as we were very close to lots of shopping, restaurants, and Grant Park. I’d definitely stay here again and would highly recommend it.

Love this Hotel!!! I had spent and evening with a Bachlorette party here years ago and beside the $ 40 parking fee I loved it so much that I had to return. So just recently my love and I ate at their restaurant. It was super great. Outdoor seating on the river, booth table, great food, and exceptional drinks. I felt fancy and 2 classes above my rank. My fav drink was the tequila martini… oh la la it was damn good. Best martini I’ve ever, ever had and I was a bartender. So there.
My love had beers and appetizers, I mostly drank my dinner and munched a bit on the meat and cheese platter and shrimp appetizer.
The setting is perfecto. Seriously if your gonna bring your date and your A game this is where you do it. This is where the magic can and will happen.
Now it gets pricey but sometimes that’s cool with me, with the surroundings and drinks Hotel 71 gives, I’d do it weekly if I could.

We LOVED our room and our stay here at Hotel 71. The staff was very friendly and we got an upgrade from our regular king size room to a river view. Amazing view of the Chicago River and Trump Tower across the street.
The bed was really comfortable and the bathroom was awesome. there was a standing shower stall in our bathroom with a rainfall shower head in it. It felt like we were at a spa! We definitely took more showers than we needed to just because the shower was so nice! There was even a TV in the bathroom and it was nice and spacious in there. Another great thing about the bathroom was it had a dimmer switch for the lights in there. What was amazing about this was that my early morning trip to the bathroom didn’t end up blinding me when I turned on the light. I just turned it on just enough to see where I was going and then was able to hop back into bed without a problem.
We only stayed one night so we didn’t encounter the housekeeping staff at all. Our room was clean and modern, so no complaints there at all. Valet parking was quick and easy and the hotel was located close to everything we came into the city for. For the price and location, we’d definitely stay at Hotel 71 again.

Great location in downtown Chicago’s Loop. Right across the street from Trump Tower and on the river, this Hotel has great views. The rooms are clean, well decorated and spacious. Big bathroom, but not much counter space. Comfortable beds. The staff is very nice and helpful. the bar in the hotel is called Hoyt’s. the bartenders are awesome and the wait staff is very nice. No breakfast offered at the hotel, but there are good places to eat very close to the hotel.
We found a really good rate on
.
I would highly recommend this hotel whether you’re staying for a couple days or a whole week.

Love, love, LOVE this hotel. When traveling to large cities for tradeshows, I’m pretty much expecting higher hotel prices. Still $ 230/​night for what I got was a great deal. Plus, it was on the shuttle route to McCormick Place.
The regular rooms were booked and since it was getting close to show time, I upgraded to the junior executive suite for only $ 20 more a night than the regular room. Couple that with a 20% discount for pre-​paying and it was a pretty good deal. Posh interior, working elevators with low wait times and generally really nice looking. The suite had a wet bar and fridge, very nice lounge/​desk area, huge sleeping area with chaise lounge and a phenomenal bathroom. Garden tub + seperate shower with rain head — LOVED it.
Hotel 71 is close to EVERYTHING. Seriously, the best location. The river is across the street, the Tribune building just to the right and fantastic architecture all around. Nice little restaurant/​bar extended off the lobby and an array of food/​drink choices all around.
The staff was super friendly and my room was fantastic. I will say I can see how others reviewers may be irritated with the thermostat — I had it set on cool for the most part but I’m pretty sure it stayed the same temperature the entire time. It was comfortable for me, but I can how others might find it a bit stuffy. The business center was a little on the small side, but had everything I needed and everything worked.
I’d definitely recommend this place for business or pleasure and will for stay again the next time I’m downtown.

Ok, it gets 5 stars for location, value ($ 129 Groupon price) and the BEST HOTEL BED EVAH!!!
I’m really picky particularly about the A/​C issue I’ve read about… our room has afternoon facing sun and Voila, A/​C worked perfectly keeping us at 68 degrees even though it was moderately hot and humid outside. The gym facility was pretty good too… we worked out at 1PM so was empty, but can imagine prime time can get crowded, but it was good for us…
No restaurant in hotel per se, kinda a bar style place, but wife is from Chicago so we drove to Andersonville and had great breakfast up there.
I don’t know what they are using for their beds, but we slept fabulously and that is so important… comfy and supportive…
The room is very spacious and the bathroom is huge with his/​her sinks so no bumping into each other a large tub and separate shower. Bathroom beautifully done in beige/​peachy colored marble — nice! That said, I think we paid adt’l $ 20 for the renovated bathroom :-(
Location right on the river, between Michigan and Wabash so shopping and restaurants are nearby… easy to get to, near Lakeshore.
Winning!

This hotel is in the middle of everything. One of my gfs and myself went to Chicago on a whim b/​c of the Virgin Airlines Groupon and she found a $ 99 per night Groupon for this place. Great location, right across from the Trump building and on the river. It’s right off of North Michigan, near the Magnificent Mile and between Grant Park (0.2 miles away!). It’s close to the L line from O’Hare ($ 2.25 per trip every two hours) or you can walk everywhere. The corner bakery is several yards down from the hotel and there’s a Walgreen’s and 7 – 11 closeby.
Bar downstairs, pretty flowers, nice desk people, complimentary internet and biz office for printing out boarding passes, nice waiting area, pleasant door staff. Would come back!

I’m not certain how to go about this review… How about a pro/​con list
Pros:
nice hotel. I think it was recently remodeled.
Nice sized bathroom
From the 28^th floor the views are nice
There is a closet in the bathroom which I find very helpful because I had to leave before my wife and baby son woke up.
If you don’t have a fridge, they will get you one
Great location … In the heart of the city
Friendly staff — they must be trained well with customer service
Big rooms
Fast elevators
Cons:
No pool
No continental breakfast
Small elevators — but they are fast and it really isn’t an issue
AC is by the window and doesn’t cool evenly
Pros beat Cons by 4 stars

Yet another hotel that I booked off of Hotwire. I believe this one I got for around $ 75 a night.
There seem to be a lot of complaints on Unilocal about the elevators being too slow. From my experience they were just fine! I never had to wait more than a minute or two, which seems perfectly reasonable.
I found the location to be quite convenient for my needs. We were planning on taking the Wendella boat tour, and this was literally across the street. It’s a few blocks from a CTA station, but nothing unmanageable by any means.
The room was nicely sized, though unfortunately our view was quite lacking. Mostly alleyway, though there was a sliver of a lake view, if I craned my neck just right. The bed was VERY comfortable, and we didn’t get any noise from surrounding rooms. Best sleep I’d had in a hotel for quite a while.
This hotel doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles. The business center and gym were both certainly lacking. Still, for simply a place to sleep at night, this place was more than satisfactory. I’d never go out of my way to stay here again, but I enjoyed it well enough.

A pleasant surprise, indeed. I have driven, and walked by Hotel 71 countless times– and somehow I always got the impression that it was an outdated hotel in a great location. Well, I was wrong. Very wrong.
I had a Groupon to stay at Hotel 71 for less than $ 100 a night. Quite the feat for this part of town. Given that the rate was so low– I chose to upgrade to one of their King River View Rooms for a few more dollars. An excellent choice as my room was on the 12^th floor– and looked right down the Chicago River, and all its bridges– a beautiful view day or night.
When I arrived at the hotel– the valet took my car (a little pricey at $ 43 but in line with other places in the area) and I walked up to the front desk. The front desk clerk was welcoming and pleasant and had no issue in dealing with my Groupon or the special request that I had of him. You see– I was staying in town to go to a concert and I had a couple of tickets I was leaving for friends at the front desk. Given the value of the tickets and the fact that the concert was that night– there was little margin for error. He said it wouldn’t be a problem, they do it all the time and he was right. My friends picked up the tickets with no problem. Nice.
My room was large with a plush king sized bed with tons of pillows. The bathroom was also large and came with only a shower– no tub. The amenities were similar to a mid range hotel– nice but not luxurious. The towels functional but not sumptuous. The toiletries fine but not high end. But all in all a good deal for the money all the way around.
If you want something to eat there is a café on the ground floor and of course room service. All it seemed to be lacking to me was a bar area where I could have had a drink while waiting on a friend of mine. But since the weather was so fine– I wandered across the river and had a few outside at Smith and Wollensky instead.
Check out was seamless. The valet brought my car out in less than 5 minutes and I was on my way. But not before thinking was a great deal this hotel is– right in the heart of the city!