Margarita European Inn, an Ascend Hotel Collection Member

Me and my friend fell in love with this precious hotel! Margarita European contained its beautiful vintage style, but along with the new technology it was smartly thought through with attention to every detail to make its guests feel comfortable and special. Today will be our last night to spent here, but whenever we comeback to visit, Margarita will be the place to stay for us!
I want to say a special thank you to our French Chef, who made us feel so welcomed. The breakfast was outstanding and you can feel everything was made with love and soul.
This place is definitely a charm thats located in the heart of Evanston. Thank you so much for your hospitality and care Margarita European Inn!

We stayed here three nights during the winter.
Cons: no bathtub, drawers for your stuff, or fridge. Now that we have the unpleasantness out of the way, here’s what we loved.
Cheap parking at $ 10/​day. Other comparable hotels charge as much as $ 45/​day for parking in the Evanston area. That was a hell of a deal.
Hotel was super fancy for the price! Marble floors, a unique sitting room for reading your morning paper and enjoying the free breakfast. Also a great place to take pictures of your sweetheart. The rooms are unique and completely renovated. It was cozy and a comfortable temperature, which can be challenging to maintain in a historic/​older building. The bathrooms are gorgeous, and the shower was fantastic. There was even a dark washcloth to use when removing makeup!
Walking distance to Sixth Sense Spa (check out my review there) and Vintage Vinyl, along with tons of restaurants.

We just spent our «mini-​honeymoon» here over the weekend. Hubby and I absolutely love this vintage european style inn nestled in Evanston, IL. We stayed in room 503 (Penthouse suite). This suite has a large king sized bed and oversized 2 person shower with his/​hers sinks. There is a controlled temperature remote which i thought was nice and the VINTAGE ELEVATOR! OMG! It was sooo cool to find an old school Otis elevator with swing gate. This hotel has gone through significant upgrades with modern amenities and has a new outdoor terrace on the 6^th floor.
Check out their collection of Ugly Mugs in their Tea Room where they offer complementary breakfasts. We happily munched on ham and cheese crossant sandwiches, eggs, oatmeal and fresh sweet pastries. Absolutely loved this place and look forward to spending future anniversaries here.

Front entrance is small, so don’t miss it. We arrived after Midnight and had to call to get let in. We checked in and they said we only had a reservation for one night as opposed to 2. I checked back in the morning and they said we only had one night, but it was for the current night. I had confirmation numbers and everything. It was confusing, but everything worked out I guess. Room was small and nice though. Bathroom blinds were cheap and very dirty. Room 409. Bathtub did not drain well, so standing in water while we were showering is what we had to do. Not sure how to use the phone. Hit 0 and nothing happened. Had to call from my cell to get WiFi password. Not sure where/​if they had an ice maker. Wanted it on day 1, but didn’t want it bad enough to walk the hotel or call the front desk peeps. Breakfast on Sunday was great… They had cheese and ham sandwich things and other European type Danishes, but we were very dissapointed when we went down Monday morning and the sandwiches weren’t there. Asked the front desk clerk and she said she doesn’t think they put it out on Monday. You would think she would know that and no I don’t think she was new. If you like antiques, you will like this hotel. Last comment… My wife was changing when the cleaning people decided to walk in on us. No knock or anything. Nice location as the area is nice.

Wonderful. My wife and I went here for a little «night out away from the kids.» It’s in the middle of Evanston, and it is very quaint. Don’t expect a corporate feel. The rooms are smaller than typical chain hotels, and there was no tub (sad for my pregnant wife — only reason I didn’t give 5 stars). But altogether, it is very reminiscent of a similar hotel we used to stay in when we lived in Lincoln Park (the Willows).
Tidy, great staff, and best of all, the breakfast was amazing. Yes, it was totally all sweet french pastries. But oh my god! I love that stuff. The coffee was bold and fresh. And I sat in a rocking chair, reading the newspaper with a fresh breeze through the open doors on the veranda. Doesn’t get better than that.

I’m sitting in bed at the hotel while I write this. The hotel is amazing — romantic, clean, and incredibly friendly staff. I am so happy I ended up here by chance and now I’m going to sleep happy. STAY HERE!!!

Called in August for a room; debbie was nice but told me that due to renovations there are no rooms available until November ;(.

Nice place, good value, and location
Well managed. My wife and I stayed there while looking for a house in Evanston. It was a good experience

I really had to think about my overall star rating for this one because I definitely have good things to say, but also some feedback. So, I went with three to be somewhere in between. Bottom line, though, I’d probably stay here again.
Pros:
Close to public transit, therefore easy access to downtown Chicago
Parking is affordable (in comparison to downtown Chicago)
Friendly staff
Good price and free wifi that worked fine for me
Charming, cozy, quiet atmosphere that sets it apart from the chains
Cons:
Didn’t know I’d be sharing a bathroom, so when you’re booking, pay attention to that. That caught me off guard, but I worked through it
«Air Conditioning unit» in room left much to be desired – there was a trash can attached to it for the leaking water
Small room, so if you’re claustrophobic, it may not work for you… but then again, how much time are you really going to be in your room? There’s so much to do around here!!! No TV in my room, but that really means nothing to me. I hardly ever watch tv.
If you can’t park on the street, you have to park behind the building and there’s no rear access it… this means a little bit of a walk, in addition to getting your luggage up the half flight of stairs before reaching the elevator. As a female traveling alone and sometimes coming in late at night, I also didn’t really like that the parking area was not well-​lit at night.
I should have read through all the other reviews before booking. I would have had a MUCH better idea, but as I stated earlier, I would stay here again and my number one pro is the easy access to public transit.

Truly, the only thing great about this place is the location.
Services are non-​existent for an extended stay (I’ve been here for ~2 and a half months on an internship). If you’re looking for wifi, you must stay within a very confined space, and if you happen to be in on of the very few rooms within that range (close to the floor entry ways), lucky you.
Breakfast is sub-​par, unless you like heavy pastries, those were pretty great. They’ve employed a legitimate, French pastry chef who makes them and, I must admit, they are tasty. If I were on a pastry diet, I’d have little to gruff about here. Otherwise, options are limited. They have packaged oatmeal, horrendously boiled eggs, some alright coffee, toast, and english muffins. They used to serve apples but stopped about a month ago.
It smells pretty decrepit, but I guess I’m not one to be appreciative of the «character» and the associative aromas this place carries.
Room service comes around about twice a week.
Again, the prices definitely do not reflect the quality of the amenities one receives, but rather the location. Evanston is a friendly and fun city with easy access to downtown Chicago.

The first morning we had without heat due to the radiators shutting off in the night. The second evening we had without hot water. While the hotel staff offered to allow us to shower in another room, we had hot water the first night (minus shower knob which fell off in my hand). Then, unbeknownst to us, someone trying to fix it, broke it further… so when we said no to showering on a lower floor, we had no idea we were saying no to hot water! The room and the hotel have not had a single new furnishing in 25 years. It is threadbare. If this were in fact a European pensione, it would have been $ 100 less per night, which would have made it fine. Breakfast was nice enough, however, for $ 25 more a night, I would have enjoyed all the first world charms of the Hilton. Service people were nice. Location was good.

I’m pursuing legal action against this place. They have fashioned a cancellation policy that allows them to take 100% of the first night if you cancel less than two days in advance. I made a reservation one day in advance, thereby making myself susceptible to this charge immediately upon rendering my credit card info, simply for making a reservation – yet they did not inform me of the policy until after it was too late. They’re trying to charge me $ 268 for two rooms at their jacked up weekend rates. Read the fine print before you give them your card info.

We loved this quaint European inn in lovely Evanston, and we will definitely stay here again when we’re in town. They have ACTUAL ROOM KEYS and an old-​fashioned elevator with a pull gate, etc. (Be aware: You have to lug your bags up ½ flight of steps to the lobby to get the elevator.)
We had hoped to get to Evanston around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m., but road construction conspired against us, and we ended up going straight to the restaurant for dinner at 9 p.m. When we arrived at the hotel, we had the impression that it is not open/​staffed all night based on a remark the clerk made about «getting ready to leave» or lock up. So, if you intend to arrive late or think you may, clarify this with the staff when making your reservation.
We had what I think is listed as the most basic room, and it was small, but pretty (in a 20-​years-​ago kind of way) and clean. The bathroom was small but pretty and clean as well. There isn’t much room to set your cosmetics/​toiletries about, so you must be tidy! We slept very comfortably. Check out was efficient and friendly.
One of the reasons we were staying here was that as we passed through Chicago, we wanted to go to a Cubs game at Wrigley, so my husband suggested spending the night in Evanston and taking the El to Wrigleyville to save on hassle, parking, etc. Good call, Hubby! Overnight parking (in lots behind the building) at this hotel is $ 8 per night, and we were able to leave our car there for the entire game and just pick it up afterwards and drive on. What a deal!
This hotel is walking distance to great restaurants, the El and the Metra as well as Evanston shopping, etc. I think some reviews listed the Internet as free, but we couldn’t get it to work. We were there so briefly, we didn’t pursue it, so we may have been omitting an important step.
We’ll be back here again. We felt like we were on our honeymoon in Europe staying here! So charming, friendly and well located!

I stayed here for one night before an interview at Northwestern University, and chose it based on its price and proximity to campus. Given that it was listed as a B&B I had mixed expectations, but the Unilocal community did not lead me astray.
The Margarita Inn was opened in the early 1900’s as a guest house for professional women. These days it is a small hotel/B&B that makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time when you walk through the doors. Everything from the old school front desk, to the motherly managers, to the old fashioned furniture, to the original elevators was a complete throwback.
Even though my room was sparsely appointed and looked rather drab, the bed was extraordinarily comfortable and I slept like a rock. And while not fancy, it was spotless, so that is really all you could ask for. The wifi was spotty at times and the TV only got 4 channels, but if you need all of those business perks you can stay at the HIlton Orrington up the street for twice as much.
All in all, this served my purpose well as it was comfortable, quiet, and just a short walk from the Davis stop on the purple line as well as the Northwestern campus. I hope to have the opportunity to come back some day!

Really wonderful place to stay. The room is charming, the bathroom was completely up-​to-​date, and the whole building is lovely. There’s a quiet continental breakfast and a roof deck for fresh air. We had breakfast and walked to the lake– it’s centrally located. And there’s a YMCA right around the corner in case you have a membership.
I reserved what I thought was the least expensive room with a private bathroom. When we arrived the cost of the room surprised me– somehow (I think this was my fault) we had been upgraded to a fancier room. I explained that we wanted the less expensive room and the staff quickly worked to correct the issue. They were so friendly and so accommodating.
This place was an incredible value, beautiful, and the staff is fantastic.

I’m reviewing the Afternoon Tea service they have every month. I love it!
It’s in the parlor of the Inn and it feels like I walked in the set of Pride and Prejudice (well maybe because I watched it the night before going here).
For $ 19, you get unlimited tea and desserts, tea sandwiches, scones and attentive service. (Look at my pictures). The tea wasn’t exceptional, but the experience was.
It was very relaxing to be inside by the windows on a beautiful day with your friends. I was surprised that the reservations were all booked.
It’s through the Pensiero Restaurant:

Don’t overlook the Margarita when you book your next stay in Evanston or the Chicago area. I’ll admit I was a little concerned when I booked. I’m thinking, shared bathroom? $ 79 a night? This place is going to be sketchy, right? WRONG! I stayed in one of the European style rooms… just a bed and a TV and the bathroom down the hall. Everything was absolutely immaculate from the room to the bathroom to the common areas. Now I will admit that I was there on a Tuesday night and was the only person staying on my floor so I really had the bathroom to myself. I’m told this is pretty common if you’re not booking for a weekend date.
And then there’s Kathryn. That woman is AMAZING! When I called to book the room she was so friendly. She asked what we were visiting the area for (a concert at the Aragon) and answered all of my crazy questions about Chicago. When I came to check in a month later, she had prepared me point a to point b public transit directions to the Aragon. WHO DOES THAT!!!
I promise to ALWAYS make my reservation with The Margarita European Inn when visiting the Chicago area… unless I get laid over at O’Hare and get too drunk to take public transit that far out. That’s what the Airport Hilton is for.

I loved this place. It is in Evanston, which is a ways a way from downtown Chicago… we stayed here because it was the only place I could find the weekend we wanted to stay. In fact, Evanston is quite charming and had a lot of nice little businesses.
Our room was $ 79 with a bathroom in the hall, which was clean and which I ended up always having to myself. There is a lovely Grand Parlor where you can read and enjoy breakfast… I thought breakfast was quite good. somebody else had mentioned it wasn’t enough for them but I thought was fine with hard boiled eggs, fresh fruit, juice, breakfast breads, etc. There is also a roof deck and a beautiful library which are open 24. On our floor there was also a lovely parlor. Our room was small, but décor throughout was lovely and charmingly old school.
In addition, the staff were awesomely helpful… Kathryn in particular went out of her to make us feel welcome and gave us maps and another woman helped us get a cab to the airport in the wee hours. They definitely gave us four star services at one to two star prices. Close to Davis CTA and downtown Evanston. Can highly recommend it.

$ 79 for a room? Hoo Hah!
Last night, I stayed at the Maragrita Inn for the first time in several years (I used to be a regular). I am happy to report that the Inn has lost none of its elegant, quirky appeal.
When I made my reservation, all the rooms were taken except one of the pricier rooms with a private bath. When I arrived, though, I was informed that a $ 79 shared bath room had opened up if I still wanted it. I was impressed with the Inn’s willingness to accommodate me even when it cost them a few bucks.
By the way, «shared bath» here means a gender-​specific dorm style bathroom down the hall – a couple of showers, three sinks, a few stalls. But to be honest, in all my times here I have never actually «shared» a bath – I always have it all to myself. Nonetheless, if you are bothered by the prospect of running down the hall in a bathrobe, spend the extra cash for a room with a private bath.
I love breakfast time at Margarita. The breakfast room is an elegant sun room with 30s décor. Guests are sipping coffee and munching sweet rolls while reading the Tribune; there are no televisions blasting inane cable news in the background – just the rustle of newspaper, quiet conversations, and the occasional rattle of the antique elevator out the lobby. My only complaint is that this time the breakfast room’s radio was turned to a station other than WFMT. Let’s go back to classical please.

Wonderfully quirky little hotel right in downtown Evanston.
Talk about personality! This place has it in spades. The Margarita Inn is my favorite little place to stay when I’m in Evanston. I love the history — professional women’s residence house. I love the fun features, including the wood paneled library and the ancient elevator. I love the price — a winter special of $ 99 for a small room with private bath.
The beds/​sheets are a little less than perfect — the sheets are itchy and the mattress isn’t a posturepedic. But, that’s really all that I can find wrong with this place. So, if you don’t like the boring, beigeness that is a typical chain hotel, the Margarita Inn will make you smile.