The Palmer House Hilton
Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (312) 726-7500
Fax: (312) 917-1707
- Cross Street:
- Wabash Street
- Directions:
- El: Red Line to Monroe; Blue Line to Monroe; Green, Orange or Brown Line to Madison/Wabash
- Best of Citysearch:
- Business Hotel 2006, Hotel Staff 2006, Tourist Hotel 2006
- Hours:
- 24 hours
Editorial Review for The Palmer House Hilton – by Citysearch Editors
A Chicago landmark and downtown mainstay whose elegance remains undimmed after more than a century of operation. The breathtaking lobby ceiling features oil paintings of figures from Greek mythology. It was immortalized as a symbol of urban opulence in the classic musical "Showboat." In the 1,640 guest rooms and 83 suites, the decor is more subdued than in the ornate lobby. The hotel's vintage charm remains, however, in the bathrooms' deep tubs. Standard rooms include fully stocked refreshment mini-bars, while suites have separate sitting and dining areas plus wet bars. Perks for business travelers include audio/visual equipment rental, a business center and in-room ethernet data ports. Other amenities include a pet-friendly policy, a fitness center with steam room and sauna and an indoor pool.
High Marks
"Service was great, location was awesome, staff were friendly and we didn't hear any noise next door..." (rony29, Citysearch user)
"Walking through the elegant lobby reinforces the feeling that you've landed in a great spot in a great city!" (asprun, Citysearch user)
"The rooms here are on the small side, but immaculately furnished and the location is terrific." (peterbehle_citysearch, Citysearch user)
"Conceirge was very helpful, bellmen were gracious, and the front desk was friendly." (sadieruns, Citysearch user)
Low Marks
"...the hallways were narrow and hard to navigate..." (alessandrina, Citysearch user)
"...would have liked the registration staff to have made the check -in process seamlessly tied into the award program." (MariaMcKend, Citysearch user)
"We were unimpressed by the Sunday brunch. Our food was cold and presented poorly on the buffet..." (clane1113, Citysearch user)
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
The ExtrasPets under 85 pounds are welcome free of charge; guests with dogs must use the service elevator and sign an agreement to pay for any damage caused by the canine. Dogs may not be left alone in guest rooms.
Know Before You GoLong the home to Trader Vic's in Chicago, but the hula haunt closed in 2005. Still, numerous dining options are available in the hotel (including Lockwood, serving contemporary American cuisine) and within a 2-block stroll.
ParkingIt's available, but pricey--$45 a day for valet, $35 for self-parking.
User Reviews for The Palmer House Hilton
07/27/2008 Posted by maryjatkinson
Even though Palmer House was undergoing some construction affecting the outside of the building, the spa, and pool, this place was stunning and a wonderful place to stay. The lobby is simply breathtaking, and a fabulous place for cocktails -- even if you're not staying there! The rooms are clean and comfortable, with a vintage feel. Everything is elegantly decorated, the service is wonderful, and the rooms are surprisingly quiet, with great city views! Highly recommended -- and will be even better after the completion of Spa Chakra!
Pros: Beautiful!!! Quiet, elegant, accommodating, and great location!
Cons: Undergoing some construction while we were there.
07/02/2008 Posted by IceMouse
We recently got to stay at the Palmer House for three nights. The hotel itself is beautiful, however they were undergoing a renovation so much of the ground floor was blocked off for construction, and much of the exterior was also boarded off. They did a good job, however, of keeping the construction from getting in your way. The lobby was beautifully decorated with painted ceilings and large mirrors on the balconies overlooking it to give the illusion of a much larger space. The check-in process was smooth and the staff was very friendly. We got to the room with a quick ride up to the 11th floor(The elevator had a trivia Q and A thing which made the rides fun) and down a few hallways lined with pictures of people performing in the Empire Room and we came to our room. The furnishing was beautiful and the art was a wonderful touch, the bathrooms looked very nice as well but they were small. The only bad part of the room was that looking out the window gave you a great view of a concrete wall and the in-aesthetic roof of a building. We had to look at a considerable angle to even see if it was sunny or cloudy out. Also, a minor thing, but the ice/vending machine room looked like it came straight out of a two-star motel. It was a stark contrast to walk from a finely decorated hallway into a white room with pipes coming out of the wall and a crummy vending machine. Other than those two things, the hotel was a joy to stay at. The other amazing part was the area of the hotel. Right in the loop, it was on the same block as two El stations which can get you within walking distance of almost anywhere in the city, two blocks from the blue line which goes to the airport, and within walking distance of a LOT of shopping, parks, and other attractions. This made the trip so easy, daily you could step out of the hotel, pick a street and just walk north or south and find interesting things to do. I'd come back for the location alone, but the rooms were great too!
Pros: Decoration, LOCATION
Cons: View, construction, ice room
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