The James Chicago

This hotel had some of the best service and friendliest staff I have ever met in the city of Chicago! We use Hotwire to get hotels when we stay downtown, so we have stayed at a lot of different ones. The James has by FAR had the nicest employees. You can tell that they take customer service very seriously and it was very much appreciated.
The location was great as well. Right in between Michigan Ave and State St with plenty of great restaurants and shopping within walking distance. Highly recommend this hotel!

Pros:
*location! Right off Michigan Ave in the heart of shopping & entertainment.
* our apartment king checkout time was 2, so we got to take our time and really relax!
* 24 hour room service with yummy food choices (the crab cakes are great!)
* great service – our room wasn’t ready in time, so they gave us two comp cards for food/​drink that were $ 25 each. Everyone was polite and provided quick service.
* complimentary breakfast, in room or in the restaurant (it has to be «classic American,» which is your basic eggs, potatoes, a meat, and toast with coffee & juice). I’m a basic breakfast eater, so this was all I wanted anyway. You can certainly order anything else from room service, it will just not he complimentary.
Meh:
*the view from the corner room on the 10^th floor was ok, but not spectacular.
* the sliding bathroom door doesn’t lock. It didn’t particularly bother me, because I was here with my husband. But if you’re with your mom/​sibling/​non-​lover, it’s weird.
*the windows actually open up all the way, which is neat for warmer months… but they’re also older and don’t insulate the cold/​sound very well, so you can really REALLY hear all the sounds of the city at all hours of the night.
Cons:
*the couches are very modern, and consequently, very uncomfortable. The room layout in the King apartment had the couch situated perpendicular to the tv, which was odd and made relaxing awkward & uncomfortable.
* the tv in the bedroom, where relaxing is very comfortable, was tiny.
*no coffee maker in the room! C’mon. They do provide coffee in the lobby (but who wants to get dressed just to get your first cup of joe?!). They provide only an electric kettle, teabags, and instant coffee packets. Not my jam.

Loved my stay at The James. Found this gem of a hotel through Hotwire and am so glad we landed here! From our check-​in to the day we left, everyone on staff was so friendly and nice.
The rooms are decorated in a modern/​minimalist fashion. There’s a giant bed, a little area for eating and sitting, a bathroom, and a tiny closet. Overall, the room is smaller than other hotel rooms I’ve stayed at but I’m guessing it is because it’s in a big city. However, the location is perfect. We walked to most of the destinations we wanted to see. And if we were tired of walking for the day, we took an über and honestly, most of our über rides were under 10 minutes. That’s how good this location is. And not to mention, it’s right across from Trader Joe’s! *Insert heavenly trumpet sounds*
There is also a free business center which came in so handy. We needed to print something at the last minute and it was so convenient to know we can use their business center, free of charge. They also have good tea selection in stock at the front desk and in your rooms that they replace everyday.
The James Chicago is elegant, top notch, and the best hotel location-​wise. Add in the great service we received and this hotel will be long-​remembered in our memories. Staying here made our Chicago trip relaxing and easy.

This was our second stay at the James hotel and again they did not disappoint. The staff were all amazing and our online check-​in worked perfectly. The steak house downstairs provided us with probably the best breakfast we’ve ever had! The only issues we encountered were as we upgraded to a city view, we opened our window to a great view but about half the windows were dirty enough not to be able see through them. This didn’t bother us as much because we were out and about a lot. The second issue was the toilet in the room clogged easily and it took a couple of calls to the desk to get somebody up. Again, not too big of a deal as our over-​all stay at the James was amazing. The James is our favorite place to stay in Chicago and with the service they make standard, will easily keep us coming back.

Excellent service. Attention to detail. Central location — easy access to highways and Lake Shore Drive.

Was here for a staycation and I absolutely enjoyed it. Utilized both the prime house and spa downstairs. 5 stars for the room! Loved the theme; very minimalistic. Bed was super comfy. Wish I had a better view but it’s totally understandable since the hotel is in the middle of all these skyscrapers. I had a view of a parking lot and and an alley but who cares, I’m just here to sleep. Also, great location. Lots of restaurants and shops nearby. There is a Trader Joe’s and Starbucks across the street. Walk a few blocks and there’s mag mile!
Why 4 stars? Staff can be hit or miss. I’ve encountered three different front desk attendants. Great for the most part. First guy, very friendly and welcoming. There was an issue with my reservation and he was very willing to work it through with me; he took care of it with no hassle on my end. Second guy, I had a question and I wasn’t able to comprehend his response. I was confused so I asked him to explain it again. Me not being able to comprehend wasn’t his fault, but what irked me was the frustration in his voice, saw it in his face too. Wellps, sorry for causing you some inconvenience. Third lady, it was a short and sweet encounter since I just was checking out.
So there ya have it! Great place and staff [for the most part]. Would I stay here again? Yes, of course!

Short el ride from Chinatown museum and hotel collide. Steady rotation of pieces from local gallery display in lobby and rooms facing inner courtyard treated to pictographs projections every evening

We LOVED this hotel. All the staff was great. The girl at check in was awesome, we even got an up grade. The room was nice, the bed was comfy and a chic bathroom. The room was dark, which I don’t mind. No view, but that’s not the end of the world.
The location was GREAT — very central Fantastic access to mag mile and plenty of restaurants. The attached steak house, David Burke Prime, is horrible but not the hotels fault.
Also, the hotel is totally reasonably priced. Worth every penny.

Where can we start with the James Chicago this boutique hotel is AMAZING! Literally right off Michigan ave. Centrally located, everywhere we wanted to go was a 5 – 8 min car ride — 10−15mins on foot. 2pm checkout so you’ll never feel rushed for anything here. STAFF: The staff at the James deserves a ¹⁰⁄₁₀. They’re so welcoming, polite, & professional. We live in a building condo back home. Wish I can bring them back to teach my building staff few things. ROOMS: Very very clean neat rooms, sleek design. Clean bathrooms! which is a must for me. Very comfortable & spacious. The only thing was the pillows. They really did suck but who cares, They’re just pillows. Also, try to ask for a room above the 10^th You’ll have more privacy from the building across. If considering staying in Chicago please do yourself a favor and stay here.

This hotel is the essence of modern elegance.
Our suite was beautiful and spacious, including a media room with surround sound and a projector. The living space was open and bright, complete with a full bar. The bed was downright dreamy, like sleeping on a cloud.
The thing that really stood out was the staff. Everyone at this hotel is friendly and beyond helpful. I had an incoming delivery and had forgotten some items, they accommodated me and checked in to make sure I had everything I needed. They really go out of their way to make your experience wonderful.
Worth every penny, I will definitely be returning.

This place was a nice hotel, but definitely needs a little bit of TLC. The staff were very accommodating and pleasant. The only off putting part was when we were trying to kill some time before leaving for dinner at the bar. The bartender was pretty rude and acted like we were inconveniencing him by ordering a drink.
All in all a nice hotel and a great location to be in while visiting Chicago :)

I got this room on Hotwire. For what I paid on Hotwire, I’d definitely say it was a a nice room, but I definitely wouldn’t pay what the room cost regularly. The people at the front desk were pretty nice — they helped us check in early. We received an «upgrade» because the room we had booked wasn’t ready yet. We had the option of waiting, but the room was described as an upgrade, so we took it. I’m not entirely sure it WAS an upgrade b/​c we ended up in a smaller bed with an interior view when we were originally supposed to have a king and a view of the city. I guess the room was bigger, but that sort of seems like a slide sideways instead of a step up. Anyway, the room was comfortable and stylish, but the furniture was definitely showing its age. The couch and chairs were uncomfortable and looked like they had been sat on by many, many, many people. The bed was comfortable and the room was very quiet. We didn’t have the chance to use any other amenities. The hotel is also very well located.
I did a little bit of digging on the website about their «Pets Welcome» policy and found out that while dogs are allowed, there is a fee of 75 $. That doesn’t seem very welcoming… I guess if you’re staying for a week it’s ok, but I was only there for one night and in that case, I’d much rather pay my dog sitter less money to watch both of my dogs. I prefer Hotel Allegro for traveling with dogs — they don’t charge a fee for up to three pets. That’s what I call dog friendly. Actually, I think I preferred Hotel Allegro all around, except for location.

Pros:
Most of the staff is nice and resourceful.
Great location!
Nice amenities
Cons:
I waited an unreasonable amount of time for my room to be ready
The woman, who checked me in, was a b***h.
I attempted to indulge in any relaxation
The room was in disarray (dirty sheets, dirty film on the paintings in the room, I went to grab something from the bar in the room and when I opened the sealed box of chocolate, I noticed that someone had eaten out of the package before me, and put it back, the bathtub drain had to be pulled out every time I showered because the drain plug was defective. Uncomfortable bed and pillows. Lastly, I called the spa week before my stay for any spa treatment they had, and the were booked up for every day.
This was a much needed Vacation, and I will most likely not be returning to this hotel.

Loved the design of this hotel, friendly staff, great location.
1. Location
I loved the location of this hotel, it was about a 20 minute walk to the art institute of chicago, 30 minute walk to the pier. Surrounded by Nordstrom, Room + Board, Eataly (food was okay… there’s better places) and lots of other shopping places. It’s right next door to Shake Shack so it always smells good and across the street from Trader Joe’s. About a hour with traffic from O’Hare.
2. Parking
Parking is ridiculously expensive. Avoid having a car if you can. If you can’t, pre-​buy a parking pass at the parking structure adjacent to the hotel. I ended paying $ 20 a day for self-​parking in the structure with in and out privileges. The Structure is called 50 E. Ohio.
3. Room + Bed
I stayed in the studio and it was very spacious. Couch + Queen sized bed. 2 tv’s. One facing the bed and one in the «living room». There’s also a sink and bar counter.
The bed was soft, too soft for my liking but it was comfortable and clean. I really liked the overhead reading lights. My room faced inward so I could see into the rooms of other guests. Windows are not tinted. Don’t walk around naked with the shades up.
4. Bathroom
Spacious long bathroom. Nice showerhead pressure. They had a big bottle of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash provided. Smelled like the earth. It was organic and a local company which was cool but it was too drying on my hair and skin. Oddly, there was one giant towel that was wayyyy softer than the rest of the towels. That was my favorite towel. Sliding doors on the bathroom.
5. Random Hotel Things
— Room Service food was okay. But not much delivers after 11:00 so at least there was 24 hour room service. They gave me free ice cream!!!
— Nice gym with weights, treadmills, and ellipticals
— Lemon or Orange water in the lobby, bring a water bottle.
— Free Wi-​Fi (decent speed, I mean I watched netflix without buffering too much)

I landed here through Hotwire, not knowing what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised. The rooms are very very nice, the front desk is super friendly, and the bar/​restaurant is excellent.
The food is fantastic and the bartenders are chatty and personable. All the right ingredients for a great visit and a desire to come back and stay here again.

I love the location of the hotel. When we booked it we had no idea that it was right in the magnificent mile area/​down town area. We just started walking and exploring and realized there are malls, shops and restaurants everywhere. The in room dining service comes straight from the prime house down stairs. The first night we ordered an eggs Benedict, I liked it but not the ham they used. It was tough and rubbery, jerky like. The second night we ordered a beef tip omelette and that was delicious! I was able to use the gym and it was clean and had all the equipment that most gym have. Complimentary towels, and water Infused oranges. In the hotel room you also get complimentary water jugs. I would definitely stay at the James again but take advantage of the things they offer like bikes and rides to certain places. Read the manual that comes in your room. They offer you a lot of cool things. I yeah the movie theaters is right next door and shake shack right behind the building.

This hotel is very swanky! Love the real .375ml bottle in your room. Love that they’re not overpriced! Love the neat party bed in one corner and the actual bed in the other.
4 stars because the party bed only had a dvd player with a projection TV and no DVDs to choose.
Restaurant has great breakfast too!

Gord and I have been in Chicago since Monday afternoon … our home away from home was The James. It was just a couple blocks from the Grand subway station.
The staff were really friendly. WIFI was complementary … it was okay most of the time. There was a safe in the closet where we could store our passports. There was a mini-​fridge which was stocked with liquor. There isn’t an ice machine on the floors (because of the noise) but you can get ice from the front desk. It was really really hot outside and the a/​c in the room was excellent. The bed was comfy. The shower products were very nice.
There is a Trader Joe’s across the street, which is a grocery store where you can also get liquor. There are lots of restaurants within walking distance, as is the Magnificent Mile (shopping), Navy Pier, etc.
It wasn’t conducive to business travel as there wasn’t a desk. Gord and I had to uncomfortably use our laptops on the low coffee table.

Disclaimer time: I have never been inside the James. I have not checked in. I have not visited the bar. I have not gotten a room.
Yet, it’s one of my favorite hotels in Chicago.
Why, you might ask? In that area, there is no shortage of lux hotels. You can throw a stone and hit a trendy bar with well decorated rooms above. But the James has one thing I haven’t seen at any other hotels in the area.
The James has a dog friendly area.
Right by the front entrance, there is a little mat which has a big can of dog treats and a bowl of always fresh water. My dog loves it there so much that she will take over when we get near to ensure we don’t accidentally miss the hotel. She LOVES it there. This is no doubt due in part to one of the men who works there, who is incredibly lovely. When we get there he immediately comes out, gets on his hands and knees, and starts getting my stubborn dog to do tricks, which he rewards with treats. He is so sweet and kind, and always treats her like the special girl she is.
This place is clearly really special. Dog lovers, this is the perfect hotel for you.

Great steak house NYC chief the Strip
!!!

Just finished a very pleasant two night stay at this urban chic hotel. I would not only recommend it but also plan to return during my next trip to Chicago.
Pros:
1) location! Perfect in the middle of everything. Walking distance to millennium park, lots of restaurants and bars. Felt very safe.
2) comfortable beds. Great nights sleep.
3) hotel bar. Every hotel should have a hotel bar but they don’t. Thank goodness this one did! Upon check in we grabbed some glasses of wine and brought them up to the room. Perfect way to start the weekend and unpack. It had a steakhouse too, but we didn’t get a chance to eat at it.
4) value. Chanced it and did name own price on Priceline. Without knowing what I would get, I was very pleased and saved some serious money!
5) late check out 2pm. Bummer didn’t know this until we checked out at 11am.
Cons: (only one)
1) no queen beds only doubles, could have upgraded to a studio which had a king but I was too cheap. Lol.
Other pluses included they had bikes but we didn’t use them, friendly staff and not a lot of kids! It was a great stay for our first time in Chicago.

I booked a promo rate on TripAdvisor — 3 nights for the price of 2 — for my first time trip to Chicago last week. I absolutely loved The James! Every aspect of my stay exceeded my expectations.
Room 310. Plenty of space and spotless. Huge Smart TV. Full sized mirror. Free water refilled daily. The sliding door bathroom was decked out with awesome Intelligent Nutrients shampoo, conditioner and lotion. Water pressure in the shower was very strong — perfect (It will kill your back if you’re sunburnt though). Towels were extra large and extra fluffy. The faucet in the sink was a little low and impractical but minor complaint.
Our luggage was stored for us with no problem on arrival and departure day. Very convenient. Hot coffee and newspapers available by front desk in morning. Citrus and mint infused water served during day. Awesome. We were greeted warmly by staff each and every time we headed in or out, day and night. Wow.
Location? Can’t be beat. So many amazing restaurants in the area! The James is 2 blocks from Magnificent Mile and also 2 blocks from Red line Grand/​State station. In the immediate vicinity — Trader Joes, TJ Maxx and Marshalls across the street. AMC theatre and Shake Shack behind hotel.
As for awesome amenities that we didn’t get a chance to take advantage of? Complimentary bikes. Complimentary use of hotel car within the area. ²⁴⁄₇ gym of your dreams.
The James Chicago will get a repeat stay from me if I find myself in the Windy City again.

Really a great hotel. The staff goes above and beyond, and the location is great. Our room had a little cave-​like cut-​out in the corner for your in-​room office which was so great. It was nice to not feel cluttered by the work we had to do and to have a separate space for everything. The bathrooms are spacious and the overall everything is very clean. There are even free bikes to rent downstairs.
Minus one star for loud children in the hallway early in the morning — not very soundproof doors.