Le Meridien Essex Chicago

Great staff, great location Great location on Michigan Ave across from Bryant Park with bus stop & train station close by. The hotel was full of convention goers making many demands during the check-in/out process, but the staff were unphased, helping the convention goers collect their stored luggage while also checking us newcomers in quickly and efficiently. Bellhop Jesus had stored over 300 suitcases that day! Remember folks, tip your bellhop! Kiera at the front desk was helpful and attentive (helping Jesus and doing check in/out) and secured me an early check in. Will gladly stay at Essex again when visiting Chicago.

Customer Service Kiera provided excellent customer service! Very pleased the hotel provided bottled water at check-in and throughout our stay, along with a meal credit to their fabulous Bistro located inside of hotel.

Wonderful Unforgettable Family Stay Thanks to an Incredible Team! Our recent stay was elevated by the amazing service provided by Darnell, Brandi, Tony, and James. Traveling with my husband and kids can be a whirlwind, but this hotel made us feel truly taken care of from start to finish. Front Desk Excellence - Darnell & Brandi: Darnell and Brandi were absolutely outstanding! From helping us navigate our reservation to answering all our family’s questions with patience and warmth, they made check-in feel personal and seamless. My kids even commented on how friendly they were and that’s saying something! Welcoming Vibes : Tony & James: Tony and James greeted us with the kind of genuine friendliness that made our kids feel like VIPs. Whether it was helping with luggage or just exchanging laughs in the lobby, they brought such a relaxed and cheerful energy to our stay. Final Thoughts: Family travel can be chaotic, but the hospitality here was next-level. The team didn’t just provide service, they created memories. Huge thankyou to Darnell, Brandi, Tony, and James for turning a simple hotel visit into a heartwarming experience we’ll never forget.

Truly outstanding hospitality in a great part of town! Only glowingly-positive things to say after a fantastic stay at this Le Méridien in South Loop for a birthday trip to Chicago. The staff and level of service here were so exceptional that I have to mention it right off the bat - every single person we spoke to was incredibly accommodating, friendly, and pleasant, at a level that I've rarely seen in my travels in recent years. Special shout-out to James and Tony for being genuinely awesome guys! There is a destination fee charged per night, but it's returned to you in the form of a voucher for the attached restaurant and bar, which was pretty good; the food and drink menus were varied enough to justify a couple of quick stops during our downtime. The facilities are clean, modern, and well-maintained, with no signs of wear or misuse on pretty much anything. The lobby and hotel in general are modestly-sized, to be expected given the property's age, history, and more boutique-like leanings. Rooms also feel similarly fresh and trendy, with good-quality furnishings, efficient space-saving touches, and very comfortable bedding; our room was spotless upon arrival, which was appreciated. Bathroom was much the same, with nice finishes and a mirror that supposedly had a Bluetooth speaker in it - I didn't try it out. The water pressure in the shower was excellent, and the body wash in particular smelled really, really nice. I wish I took note of what the scent was. The only caution here is that the rooms are very, very small - think hotel-room-in-midtown-Manhattan small. We received an upgrade to a deluxe corner room, and even that was almost too cozy for two people with a couple of bags apiece. For solo travelers, it's workable, but even friendly couples may struggle a bit with how tight it can get over longer stays. It worked out well for us, but your mileage may vary. Space concerns aside, this hotel was the anchor for what was a phenomenal first visit to Chicago for me, and it's hard to imagine staying anywhere else given this place's location, cleanliness, value for money, good vibes, and how incredibly nice everyone was. We found South Loop (and other Loop areas in general) to be a super fun place to spend time and explore, so if your travels bring you anywhere near that area of the city, this property should be at the top of your list - if your group is small, that is.

The Place I Go I try to stay here every time I come to Chicago and I'm am always disappointed when it doesn't work out. The rooms here are always clean, comfortable, and quiet. I love the Malin+Goetz body products provided in guest rooms. I love the design. I love the location. The vouchers for the restaurant are something I'm not offered at other hotels (maybe I never chose wisely?). Most importantly, everyone is so nice here. All around, I've never had a bad experience. I was pretty exhausted when I arrived today but the woman at the front desk (whose name I have forgotten and I apologize to her but she was great!) was kind and quick. Upon entering my room and discovering an issue (it happens, I can't imagine a hotel where it doesn't) I returned to the front desk and asked for a new room, which I honestly never do. Darnell and James were very helpful, which I really appreciate. Once again, I was quickly in my new room. When I needed anything else, Darnell was great. The first time I stayed here was 6 years ago and James was working. I don't remember much about that stay or what it was in particular that impressed me about him, because it was a long time ago and I've returned to Chicago a lot since then; but I just remember what an asset James was to the hotel, and good people like him are easy to remember. But before I even saw him on this visit, he saw me and welcomed me back. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that. It's nice to be remembered and to feel welcomed; and whether or not he greeted me in such an individual way, how awesome is it that James is still a part of the great team here!