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69 reviews for Hotel Allegro
One word: classy.
The first thing that sounds out about this place is the decorations. It's decorated like a tripped out Ikea mixed with some urban castle madness. Michael approves.
They charge $45/day for parking. In their defense, this seems to be about the going rate for the nearby garages. Still, Michael does not approve.
I arrived way before check in time and they didn't even mention it and got me into a room right away. Michael approves.
As others have mentioned - they have essentially a free happy hour every day. Michael approves.
I had something mailed there ahead of when I arrived. They didn't think they had gotten it till I harassed them about it (being that tracking showed it delivered) and then they finally found it. Michael definitely does not approve.
They catered to all my bizarre demands (even the one regarding pigs blood and goats), and even turned down a tip when offered. Michael approves.
When you call them - there is no "dial 1 for this, dial 2 for that". A real person picks up. Michael approves so much. So very much.
Free Internets. Approve Michael does.
Comfy beds, comfy rooms. Michael approves.
I expect to return.
The Hotel Allegro should have been a five star experience. I mean, what's not to like about a hotel in downtown Chicago, close to everything, especially the theater district, that offers impeccable service in a contemporary environment? Read on, I say.
It had been a long day and while I rarely stay in the city since I live here- I was treating my team to a little outing and they wanted to stay in the city so who am I to say no?
Due to other commitments, I got to the hotel late and checked in. The lobby is up one level from the street and is decorated in a fun and contemporary way. Know that Kimpton Hotels are pet friendly so I had to maneuver my way around a couple of dogs that had made themselves at home in the front lobby. The desk clerk checked me in quickly and I was in my room moments later.
I loved the room layout. I had a corner room with lots of windows, plush pillows on the bed, and a comfy chair. The bed was turned down, the radio on and as I was unpacking my bag I spied two animal print robes in the closet. Rrrrrrrrrrrr!
I slipped into one and nibbled a bit on the basket of fruit and cheese that had been sent to the room. Wanting to have a glass of wine to go with it- I went over to the mini bar. It was at this point that I noticed that my mini bar key was broken and no amount of "finagling" on my part would open the door. Oh well. I didn't need that wine anyway is what my rational side was saying. My emotional side? Was already whining about no wine!
As I settled in for bed- it seemed like a good idea to use the bathroom before I turned in. Imagine my surprise when I flushed and all the water came up instead of going down. Urrgh! Made me think about who the heck was in the room before me?
I called down to the front desk and they said they would send an engineer up right away. Oh great. Here I am in my cute leopard print robe. That would never do for a "visitor". So I got dressed again to await the man with the steel snake (Trust me. That sounds more interesting than it was!)
Other than those two issues and valet parking that was a third of the cost of the room ($48- can you believe that for one night? $42 if you park it yourself) my stay was perfect. Complimentary coffee brought up in the morning, Aveda toiletries in the bathroom, plush towels, chocolates, free wireless, flat screen TV's, everything that I would expect from a hotel of this caliber.
And the price was right. You can get a negotiated rate of about $150 - $190 per night which is cheap for this part of town.
Would I recommend it? You betcha. Only next time I'm going to flush the toilet BEFORE I put the cute leopard print robe on.
Thank you for giving me the worst room on the planet.
The website for this hotel was so gorgeous that my friends came expecting to be awed...instead what I got was probably the worst room in the entire hotel. It was the size of my college dorm room, the bathroom can be more or less described as an 'efficiency' and my view (way up high on the 10th floor)...brace yourself...was of a parking lot across the street.
What made it worse was that it was 2 steps from the elevator so all I heard during the night were the dings of people going up and down.
Which brings me up to my next point...I had 2 friends over to watch tv for a few hours before going out and management called my room 4 times to complain about the 'noise level'. At one point they said 'we are going to have to ask you to leave if this keeps up' ...not a great thing to say to a guest? especially when that guest has to listen to the elevator all night.
In summary, this hotel should not be considered a 4 star. I've stayed at holiday inns that were much more quiet, considerate and BIGGER. Maybe they just like to yank my chain because I bought it off of priceline but at this price point, I would've been better off putting up an extra 50 to be pampered, not insulted.
I was excited when we booked this Kimpton hotel through Hotwire, especially after having a fun experience earlier this year at Hotel Monaco in Denver. I was expecting more free wine and cheese and hotel full of quirky character. I got all that AND a mirror in front of our bed.
"Why is there a mirror on the wall in front of our bed?"
He looked at me when I asked that question. He's not complaining; he loved it that there was a mirror in front of our bed.
Cheers to Hotel Allegro for keeping it kinky.
P.S. Just valet it if you're staying overnight. $44 for self-park vs. $49 for valet. Yup, that's what we get for staying at a hotel in the Loop.
Hotel Allegro, you've won us back. After our lackluster stay last year, the snob offered us a complimentary two-night stay in a king suite. We obliged.
We arrived on Saturday October 10th. John at the desk was very nice and helpful. He answered a few questions I had about which streets would be closed with the marathon the next day. We headed up to our king suite!
(I would've given five stars, but I had to take one away for the scary elevator experience. I heard others on the elevator say that had happened to them before....)
Our suite was on the 18th floor. I'm not a big fan of elevators so being that high was a bit of an "oh crap" moment for me. Anyhow, we jump in the elevator with a bunch of others and head up. The elevator goes to four. Then three. No doors open. People start to panic. Then it goes back to four. Doors open. I hop right on out. There is no way I'm getting stuck on an elevator with a bunch of people! We truck it up the stairs to about the 12th floor and decide to either die on the stairs or try the elevator again. It's empty. Thank God.
We get to the room.....awesome!! It has a huge bed, two rooms, two big tvs, a jucuzzi tub, and my favorite....Aveda bath products!! I changed and we headed back down the scary elevator for the free wine tasting! Yeah, that's right....freeeeee!! The white wine was delish! We had a couple of glasses and headed down to Encore to have an appetizer since we were a few hours early for our dinner reservation. The artichoke mozzarella dip is awesome! I loved it. We had a few drinks, scoped out Dennis Rodman who was also there, and headed out to dinner.
We were really impressed with the staff, the room, and enjoyed our stay this time around! Even the bed-linens are superbly soft. Me likey. I'll be back.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/20/2008
A disappointment to say the least.
I have heard rave after rave about Hotel Allegro and was super… Read more »
It's been a long arse day of traveling and all you wanna do is get into that hotel room for a minute and decompress. I had originally reserved at Hotel Burnham but due to a snafu on their part, they had to send me over to Hotel Allegro. So, into a cab I go for yet another leg of my journey (it was so close I could have walked easily but I didn't argue when cab fare was shoved in my hand.) I was a little annoyed at the change but all that was gone when I walked into the lobby. Hell-o there, gorgeous!
If you've ever stayed in a Kimpton, you can expect business as usual here. Free wine in the evenings, ultra cool, plush, and fashionable digs, the best in technology (iHome, free wireless, HD flat screens), mostly helpful and pleasant staff, and room service orders you regret in the morning. I also really like their pens. They rank up there with Yelpstick as being an all time favorite tschotske.
Highlights:
- lucked out with a crazy huge room, super clean, very comfortable, and quiet
- one bell hop in particular was a ray of sunshine and was supremely helpful with bags and directions
- animal print robes for sassy relaxation times (see photo ;)
Lowlights:
- the other hotel sent over a bottle of wine for their mistake (how'd they know I'm easily placated with alcohol?) and I didn't have the minibar key to access a corkscrew. I called down to have it brought up and it never showed so I eventually had to go down myself.
- valet parking is exorbitant (no self park) and other options in the area are nearly as bad. Best to leave the car out of it or plan for paying that much.
- front desk staff can be a leeetle bit snooty.
I paid $100 (with a lil help from my friend Mr. Shatner) and with taxes it was around $128 for a Friday night stay. I would definitely recommend if you have business in this area of the Loop or just want to stay somewhere with a fair amount of personality and pretty high standards.
You know what? I am a big fan of Hotel Allegro. I'm not in creative writing mode today, so you get a list of why they're great.
1. I think our Hotwire price was about $120, but the regular price is only in the $190-ish range.
2. You are right down in the loop, which is super convenient.
3. You can bring your pet with you for no additional charge.
4. The staff is *really* friendly, and not in the fake, we're-only-nice-because-you-pay-us way.
5. The lobby is decorated in a very eclectic fashion. I'm talkin' hot pink and wavy neon blue velour couches-eclectic.
6. Free wine every day from 5-6pm.
7. Adorable, 1940s-meets-Ikea rooms. They are technically small rooms, yes, but I thought it was very cozy. I mean, do you really NEED an enormous hotel room? Shouldn't you be out enjoying the city or something?
8. Aveda shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizer. Free!
9. Free New York Times.
10. Comfy bed with extremely comfy pillows & linens.
11. iPod dock/alarm clock!
And the best two things:
12. Not only can you get a variety of standard convenience items for free from the front desk, but you can also get "fashion tape." Fashion tape! So you can tape up your cleavage! For free!
13. There is always techno bumping in the elevators. It's like a crazy, eurotrash party at all hours of the day. 11 a.m., 2 pm., 1:30 a.m.....really. Who doesn't like to have dance parties in elevators?
P.S. Not that I'm defending the soggy nachos that another reviewer had, but I'm not sure why they were charged $28. The price listed for nachos was $11. I only noticed this because my fiance had mentioned that someone on Yelp got $28 soggy nachos. So, I'm not really sure what happened there.
My company booked a block of rooms for all of us because this was within walking distance to the office. When I first got there, the doormen was extremely nice, took my bags and had it sent to the room. I thought it was a little odd that instead of walking in and checking into my room, that I had to take the elevator to the lobby and then I was able to check in. The lobby itself is pretty big, with a grand piano, beautiful staircase, and lots of seats, its actually pretty cozy.
The room itself wasn't bad, it was nothing spectacular. The room was big, but the way the room was set up was very odd. Usually the TV is in front of the bed, but mines was way off to the side. The bathroom was tiny! The sink was so small, that you could probably fit like 2 bottles of something and that is all the vanity space you have. Literally if I was on the toilet, I could reach over on the right and wash my hands in the sink or I could take 1 step over to the left and I'd be in the bathtub. Very small bathroom. With all the space in the room, they should really think about making the bathroom just a tad bigger. Bed was a little springy, but it wasn't bad. The comforter was really thin though. Whats with hotels having thin comforters for!?
The hotel uses Aveda products so that's a plus. The fitness room was pretty great too - lots of new machines and clean towels. I didn't like that they didn't have a free business center. $6 bux for 15 mins of Internet usage! That's no good considering the other 2 hotels I stayed in Chicago had free 24 hr business center. But the hotel was clean and nice, staff was friendly, and the location was near work.
The City of Chicago has been notorious in recent years for its foie gras ban (since repealed). Did the same forces try to ban smiles in the Loop? My recent stay at the Allegro makes me wonder. Yes, I know Chicago can be a perfectly friendly place. I've enjoyed dozens of business trips there over a 20-year career and have always found the city welcoming. For some reason, though, that charm was missing at this hotel.
I can't say that anyone was rude or unhelpful. I received the services I needed when I needed them. Nevertheless, none of the front desk staff ever smiled, none of the front door attendants ever greeted me as I entered the hotel, and no one on the staff really seemed thrilled to be there. Maybe it's the darkness of the living room (aka lobby) and other common areas that drives out the cheer. I don't know why so many boutique hotels insist on recreating Dracula's castle. Is natural light really so uncool?
To be clear, I don't think a hotel should go overboard with fake smiles and forced humor. I experienced enough of that on my flight home via Southwest Airlines. Sometimes companies can try too hard to be happy. Still, a little acknowledgment of guests and the role they play in keeping a hotel in business would go a long way. It would also be helpful not to host private parties in the hotel's lobby. Doing so creates a sort of champagne gauntlet for other guests trying to enter and exit the property.
Pulling myself together and getting over the lack of smiles, there is a lot that the Allegro has going for it. The most obvious point in the hotel's favor is its ultra-convenient location. First, it's incredibly easy to get to. The hotel is two blocks from the CTA Orange Line, which serves Midway, and CTA Blue Line, which serves O'Hare. Travelers who would rather spend money on good lodging and food than cabs can reach the hotel via a single seat ride from either of Chicago's major airports. After arrival, it's then possible to take CTA trains to most points of interest in the City. Of course, trains aren't even necessary for destinations in the Loop or River North districts since the area surrounding the Allegro is highly walkable.
The rooms themselves are well appointed with lively, whimsical decor and good amenities, including a flat-panel television, an alarm clock with a built-in iPod dock, and a sort of charging cluster on the desk that allows half a dozen electronic items to be plugged in at once -- all within arm's reach of the bed. Anyone who has ever relied on a cell phone or iPod to serve as an alarm clock but had to park it across the room overnight to charge can appreciate the better approach used by the Allegro. The only change I'd like to see in the rooms? 1988 called and it wants its minibar back. Please remove these anachronisms and give guests a small fridge in which to store their own beverages.
This was my first stay at Kimpton Hotel after hearing favorable reports from trusted friends and colleagues over the years. Despite my mixed impressions during this visit, I signed up for Kimpton's In Touch loyalty program, so I think I've convinced myself to try another Kimpton property when the opportunity arises. I don't know if my experience at the Allegro was atypical, but just in case, I'll bring some Seinfeld DVDs or watch some favorite SNL moments during my next visit. Sometimes, you have to make your own cheer.
Last week I had my first ever staycation, and this is where we chose to hang it up for the evening.
Price:
Not wanting to spend fifty billion dollars on some hotel room for one night, I started checking out Orbitz prices. I snagged this at a mere $130 (plus all the taxes). And it was well worth the price.
Location:
In the theater district. Awesome if you are having family coming in to see some shows nearby. Plenty of public transit to get around, although we walked from the hotel to the Art Institute in about 15 min, so definitely very walkable.
Decor:
The building was recently renovated so it's super fresh, clean and doesn't have a gross hotel smell. I loved the lobby--modern and hip...kinda looked like a club (esp during the wine happy hour from 5-6)!! Our room was wonderful. It was small but decorated with new furniture, a massive flat screen, fancy mirrors & fixtures. I got the best sleep of my life on their bed that was like sleeping on a cloud.
Room service:
I ordered french toast & it was promptly delivered between 7:45-8am like they promised.
So they got me drunk during the wine happy hour, I slept on a big fluffy cloud, and felt like a princess eating my breakfast in bed. Can I give them 6 stars???
We booked our hotel through Hotwire, and I think the price we ended up paying for our room was a fair one.
First of all, Hotel Allegro was super convenient, just a few blocks away from the blue line stop where our tired, weary feet emerged late the night of our arrival. The neon blue sign for the hotel was never more welcoming at that moment! The staff were also really helpful, friendly, and courteous and gave us some good recommendations of a place that would deliver to the hotel (it was really late and everything closes SO early in Chicago!). It was very convenient and easy to get to other places in the city from it, making excursions easy and convenient.
My first impression of the room was that it was ridiculous. In a good way, mind you, but ridiculous nevertheless. Cream colored wallpaper with bright silver designs, a gigantic distressed glass mirror directly in front of the bed (hmm), which itself was pretty ridiculous with its blue velvet headboard and a large black bureau and minibar, with a huge flatscreen tv. Maybe I'm silly, but I really enjoyed the room. It was just ridiculous enough to be fun, and although all of the furniture took up most of the space, it was decorated loudly enough for a room twice its size. I didn't really mind the smallness of the bathroom either, although if we had been staying longer or for it might have gotten cramped.
The bed was comfy, the thermostat adjusted the temperature of the room in a flash, and I felt like the room and bathroom were well cleaned before we arrived.
The only bad thing was the room service. The guy who brought it up was pleasant and I guess I should have expected it to be expensive but I was NOT prepared to pay $28 for soggy, gross nachos without any salsa. We only ordered it because it was getting late and we were desperate but YIKES. For $28 they could at least make it a decent plate of nachos.
All in all, I'd probably stay again, but I will NEVER use their room service.
The Hotel Allegro and I had a 10 month relationship, from 5/2008 until my wedding day in March 2009. We had our ups and downs, but when we finally parted and settled our bill, I couldn't have asked for a better time together.
Here are the straight up facts - wedding related, and not.
1. The wedding coordinator, Kerry, despite her insane schedule, got back to me in a reasonable amount of time. While sometimes I wanted answers ASAP, I had to remember not everyone checks their work email at 6pm Sunday night. Kerry was extremely patient with my now husband and I while we flipped flopped between action stations and a plated meal until the last possible minute. She understood our situation of planning from out of state and only being able to meet in person a couple times before the big day. And throughout the process, Kerry was nice, yet didn't give us any B.S.
2. Free Wine Hour.
3. Food = awesome. Fully surpassed everyone's thoughts on what wedding food usually tastes like. People are still talking about the mashed potato bar, beef wellington puffs (appetizers), and the pasta bar.
4. Rooms. During my 4 night stay, I was in a spacious suite, but even guests and parents who stayed in regular rooms never complained about the size. Everything was comfy, clean, and well decorated. Not to mention the location of the hotel was perfect for out of town guests to see Millennium Park, Daley Plaza, "Marshall Fields", State Street, etc.
5. Decor. I heart the decor. It made for awesome wedding photos!
6. Free Wine.
7. Room Block. Due to the tanking economy, the Allegro kept dropping their rates. We had to renegotiate our block rate a couple times, but in the end, everything worked out okay.
8. Free Wine. Did I say that yet? Because every guest staying at the hotel thoroughly enjoyed it.
After my relationship with the Allegro, part of me doesn't want to stay here ever again. Why? Because I had such an amazing wedding weekend, I don't want anything to mess with my memories and current thoughts!
This is a pretty good hotel for the Loop, but I think I came at the wrong time. It was way too crowded, the elevators took FOREVER, and the gym was packed to the gills. It's understandable that the gym and lobby would be busy with a full hotel, but the elevator problem was a real hassle and very frustrating. I waited maybe 25 minutes to only have the elevator finally come, but so jam-packed that I couldn't get on. (Walking down 19 flights in heels didn't appeal to me that day...)
Apart from that, the hotel is in a good location, the rooms are clean quiet, and the staff is friendly. Housekeeping responded so quickly when I called about my broken iron, and the front desk gave me great advice on finding a yummy pizza restaurant.
Overall, not a bad stay.
I'm a fan. I was looking for a business hotel for one night in central Chicago.
First the location is great. 2 blocks from the Blue Line metro stop which runs straight for the airport. It's close to Millenium Park where I'm going jogging in the morning, and close to the offices of the businesses I'm visiting.
The hotel has been recently remodeled and upgraded. The lobby is plush and comfy; the $109 room I got from http://Kayak.com was clean, modern, although not super big.
Surprisingly this was the 2nd least expensive option available. The cheapest option had abysmal Yelp reviews, everything else for $30 or $40 more didn't have stellar reviews either. Allegro is a good middle of the road choice for the casual business traveler.
What I also liked, and which prompted me to give the 5-start rating, is that they didn't nickle and dime me for things that should be a commodity. I can't stand it when hotels charge me $10+ for 24 hours of wireless access. The Allegro has free wireless if you sign up for their (free) customer loyalty program. That's a fair trade. Same with things like toothbrushes. I'm always annoyed when I stay at a $150+ a night place and they charge me $5 for toothpaste. That's just ridiculous. The Allegro actually has a list posted in the bathroom of the toiletry items that are free (all the most common ones are) and the ones they charge for like nail clippers. And the fee is moderate too.
Tumbs up also for the fluffy duvets and super comfortable bed.
It seems run by conscious people that care about the customer experience. Recommended.
Stayed here Valentines Night and was very pleased.
The rooms are very modern and hip--as is the whole Hotel. We thought the size was just right for a nights stay, or even for a weekend. We loved having the iHome and the huge TV. The bathroom is a bit small, but you aren't sleeping in there, are ya?
One of the best accommodations about this hotel was the complimentary breakfast--it is one of a kind. It is not the typical doughnuts and coffee table. It is a little bar area that a woman controls. Each person gets a juice, coffee or tea, a piece of fruit, and some kind of bakery good. Each item was fresh and delicious. And we loved the spunky seating area.
I am pretty shocked this is a Kimpton hotel. It is sort of like a knock off or half brother of a Kimpton.
The room seems run down (wall paper separating, drawer knobs wobbly, base boards beat up, broken toilet).
Yes, they had the nice Aveda bath products and nice minibar, but the comparison stopped there for sure.
Next Chicago trip, I'll go back to the drake for sure.
I just had my wedding at Hotel Allegro and it was perfect! I cannot say enough good things about Kerry Craig, their wedding coordinator. Kerry was on top of things on day 1. She is organized, professional and so nice to work with. My husband and I could not have done this without her.
The food was really good (every guest said something about it) and I feel like their prices are comparable to others around town. The rooms are a bit small but very nice and the room block rate was amazing. It was a great venue that I would highly recommend to anyone. I would not have changed a thing about my wedding and I definitely thought that the venue was beautifully done.
Let me preface by saying - this hotel may not be for everyone - this is BOUTIQUE hotel, not a chain. They just had a some odd million renovation (which is absolutely gorgeous) but it still has its quirks and I like that.
Came here late on Valentines Day 09 as the last part of a surprise evening from my husband. Upon entering, someone offered to take my bags, we bypassed because we only had a couple. My husband breezed through check-in while I sat in awe of the lobby (if they the movie "Cool World" was redone for this decade - this lobby would be in it).
I'm sure the rooms vary in size, but we got a huge corner one with enough room for me to do if a flip flop ( I would assume if I were a gymnast).
The room had the usual modern updates - iPod clock radio, plasma TV, soft robes, etc, sleek furniture and decor. I felt like a princess as I sat in one of the zebra stripped robes they had in the hall closet while I sat back and sipped on a tiny bottle of Grey Goose from the Minibar.
We got room service the next day - I had eggs benedict and my husband the steak and eggs - both were delicious - my limited experiences with room service has been questionable at best so I happy to have warm tasty food that didn't feel like it was just cranked out on a convey er belt (because I mean, it was the morning after Valentine's Day - I'm sure 90% of the hotel was getting room service!)
All in all - I loved it. Not all the Kimpton Hotels have as much character as this one - so if you're going to go the Kimpton route - go for the Allegro.
I fell in love with this sweet boutique hotel the moment we checked in. The staff was helpful and courteous, and the "lounge" serving free wine and beer for happy hour was fantastic- a gorgeous fireplace, modern and funky decor and furniture, and good wine to boot.
And the room!
The room was AMAZING. Perfect pink and gold striped walls (okay sounds tacky, but trust me, it was DIVINE), beautiful crown molding,a fantastic chaise lounge, luscious brown silk headboards, and gorgeous high thread count bedding.
Okay, I have hit my adjective threshold for one review...Suffice to say I was sad to leave after my week stay here.
You can't beat the location, but the striped wallpaper in the long hallways almost gave me a case of vertigo.
The gym equipment is better than most hotels, and you can usually find pretty good rates online.
Check into the Allegro for a change from your typical big-name hotel. It isn't a bad spot for a romantic getaway, and since it's possible to hear your neighbors (and vice-versa) hilarity can ensue depending on how mischievous you are.
Right in Chicago's theater district, you're conveniently near a Metro stop connecting to many lines, including tourist stops and O'Hare International. The location isn't ideal for breakfast as there are too many chain eateries nearby, and the non-chains aren't open early enough.
The lobby and lounge is attractive (dig the eclectic wallpaper), and their happy hour special provides free wine - yes, gratis - to guests from 5 to 6 PM, giving one a chance to mingle, or simply unwind solo. (Besides happy hour vino, we scoured small, pricey bottles of Belvedere from our minibar.) After realizing our dinner plans were a bit unrealistic, a concierge stationed in the lobby (Mark) helpfully found us another place, secured a reservation, and provided us with handy directions.
Loved our room's decent view, modern decor, and amenities, like dreamy soft beds, an iPod charger/alarm clock (perfect for having an impromptu party like we did), and a huge flat screen TV - the bathroom's glam, marble counter topped with Aveda products was a nice touch too. (Didn't think the room was tiny, but I don't spend quality time in my hotel room.)
I loved this hotel- it was worthy of dancin on the bed once I plugged my ipod into the docking station/alarm clock. I gotta get me one of those!
Upon arrival, my first impressions were of the good location, only a few blocks from the river and Millennium Park. Next, the lobby was decorated very chic and modern. The complimentary wine happy hour in the early evening was perfect. We took a few glasses up to our room after checking in with no problems and were pleasantly surprised with the hip decor of the rooms. The bed looked super cozy and proved later to be just that. The room and bathroom were a little on the smallish side but normal for Chicago standards. The concierge later recommended a great pizzeria for dinner and printed out a map for us to give the cab driver. He also suggested a few tourist things for us to do and reserved tickets for us on the Architectural Boat Tour. Very helpful!
Be forewarned, the movies are expensive to rent and watch on the big screen LCD TVs in the room. That's my only complaint!
Ok...so this place isn't for anyone and I hated it when I first walked in. By the time I left, I'd gotten used to the place and even kind of forgot some of the negatives. It was an average stay.
Room size for several rooms is EXTREMELY small. I think they tried to do what they could with what they had. It is, after all, a vintage 1926 building. I was extremely disappointed with the room size, and, at first, put off by the decor. My eyes eventually settled and adjusted though. Also, it seems to make sense with the boutique theme of the hotel.
On the positive, the service was good but uneven at times. "Superbad" at the counter was wonderful and even showed my friend and I a bigger room because we had asked to see one. Other front desk folks were average to below average for a four star place. I never used the concierge. The doormen were friendly and helpful. Location is good. Readily accessible to the Washington/Wells station on the "L". Also several bus lines run nearby. You are literally next door to Chicago City Hall and in the same building as the Cadillac Theatre and a few minutes walk from the iconic Chicago Theatre and the Oriental Theatre. You're about a 10-15 minute walk from the Willis Tower and about two blocks south of the Chicago River.
The free wine is a great amenity nightly, and they bring some nice appetizers over from the 312 Chicago...a restaurant that is co-located in the building. The food was good (had room service breakfast) and the amenities were enjoyable. Beds were nice and comfy. Showers good and powerful. The housekeeping crew was tremendously nice and helpful. The place is brand new and clean having just been renovated last year.
Negatives? The wireless internet was a continuous problem. Two days, it worked fabulously, and two days it just plain was un-usably slow. I had to go down to the lobby. The maintenance crew barged in on me after two quick knocks one day. I get why they did it, but I still don't get the decor for sure. It's such a mismash of things. My bathroom in my room was very small. The sink was very odd, too. It tended to allow water to swash out everywhere.
If you're expecting a run-of-the-mill hotel experience, go to the Holiday Inn. This is a boutique hotel, and it will not appeal to everyone. I appreciate what Kimpton is trying to do with this property. It's definitely a different experience than I've ever had at another hotel. I might take another shot at the Allegro with another room someday. Fun and disappointment mixed together for an average stay.
The newly remodeled Allegro is dead sexy. The small rooms add to its urban feel, and who doesn't like being able to wash her hands WHILE sitting on the toilet. Spacially, it's like an innovatively planned closet you might find in Tokyo or New York, which suits a short stay or romantic romp just fine. Stylistically, it's ultra modern and simple - the new classy. I appreciated the Aveda products and that there WASN'T a $7 bottle of Evian sitting on the night stand. I'm just realizing in reading other reviews now that the walls are thin. I hadn't noticed any noises from other rooms...or the El which was practically next door, but it's probable that, given the booked-to-capacity status of the hotel, I may owe some neighbors an apology...
It may behoove some to know that Allegro is one of many fine establishments you can book on Hotwire for half the price. Not that you can request it, but it's in the pool anyway.
Ah, the Allegro. Filled with pros and cons. The location is pretty decent (although I do hate that pretty much everything in the Loop is closed on weekends. Come on, Lavazza, work with me here!!). The lobby decor is definitely more swank than wank. Apparently there's free wine in the evenings (which I missed, but turns out the glasses are teeny-tiny, so no big loss, I guess). But the rooms. Are SO. SO. TINY. Like, maybe even tinier than the wine glasses. Granted, we crammed four people into a room with two double beds--certainly fun times, but it was like a clown car. Four people, four suitcases, two beds in a tiny room and a minuscule bathroom (but with Aveda products, woot) makes for a very cramped weekend. Once I climbed over everyone and their stuff into bed, though, I very much enjoyed the fluffy pillows and cozy bed linens.
We attended a wedding at the Allegro, so I can also comment on their event capacity. The Walnut Room is a nice space for a smaller ceremony, although very dim (maybe that was just this wedding? I dunno--none of my photos turned out), and the staff is quick to flip the room for dinner and dancing. Plenty of room for tables, a stage for the band and a dance floor. I'm assuming the hotel catered the meal, which was good (although I'd pass on the pasta course or be very clear with the kitchen that the pasta should be al dente). The servers were very inconspicuous and efficient, although maybe too efficient... I'm pretty sure someone swiped my champagne before I had a chance to drink it and I don't think I was being cut off...
My last issue is with the baggage check folks. My husband was given a framed poster as a groomsmen gift which we couldn't haul on the plane home with us. We arranged to have a city-dwelling friend pick up the poster from the baggage check and we'd pick it up the next time we drove up to Chicago. The folks at the Allegro were fine with this arrangement, which was a relief. After Laura B.'s third attempt to retrieve this framed poster from countless clueless baggage check people, Justin had to call the Manager to make sure they still had the item. They did and it was finally handed over to our friend, but not after numerous wasted trips on her part. Boo to the baggage people; five stars for Laura for being a great friend and babysitting the poster for us. :)
There's a certain ridiculousness about this place. The decor is absurd. It's like some sort of satanic Eyes Wide Shut wannabe mixed with Ikea mixed with some Ansel Adams/Norman Rockwell musical-note visual art (no nod to actual MUSIC however, unless you count the date-rape disco being piped into the lobby area).
THE ROOMS ARE TINY!!! I reserved the room online and wondered why it was so cheap for the area, but the web photos looked so nice. Well, because it's like a 10 x 7 ft. room with a dinky washbasin in lieu of a sink, cruise-ship style. FOR GOD'S SAKE DO NOT STAY IN ONE OF THE REGULAR ROOMS WITH MORE THAN ONE PERSON FOR ANY EXTENDED PERIOD! You could go nuts enough to write in a bunch of ALLCAPs at the memory.
I did appreciate the power strip embedded in the side of the desk..
They have a drink at their bar called the "Crimson Cooler" -- it's made with organic hibiscus infused vodka, muddled organic strawberries, organic agave nectar, and thai basil. It's my perfect drink. The bar was closed to the public though for private parties half the time we were there, which was rather disappointing and annoying.
I'll be trying another hotel next time I visit the windy city.
(I feel like such a honkey writing this review.)
I was pleasantly surprised at this hotel. Very cool updated interior design and fixtures. I'm sure this is an old building but you wouldn't know it by the looks. I was super happy to find I could strut around my room in a cheetah, yes CHEETAH robe while my man wore his zebra robe. These are also available for sale along with a set of cheetah PJs (his and hers) and some cozy socks which were in our closet, just in case. The mini bar is extensively stocked with not only beverage and snacks but also things you may need like toothbrushes, razors and even a "love kit", all for purchase if needed. These items were quality brands and eco-friendly in most cases which was nice. The shampoo and lotions were Aveda which also made me happy, they just smell great and have great products. I actually liked their towels, most hotels even some of the better ones have inconsistent and possibly scratchy towels that make you paranoid that you might get stuck with the itchy one. These were consistently plush and didn't reek of bleach.
My only negative would be the lack of counter space in the bathroom. The chic table-top sink on a granite counter just doesn't lend enough space for your toiletries but we managed by shuffling the hotels accessories around and using the back of the toilet.
I must give kudos to the front desk for upgrading our room to a slightly larger room for free, we booked as a package deal on Orbitz. We tried to purchase an upgrade for the jet tub room but they didn't have any available.
Didn't eat there so I can't speak to that, but the area is in the theatre district and close to some good eats. We also had a great corner view room and could see straight down one of the streets (??) and not just at a window of another building which is often your view in a big city.
Great hotel, great service, helpful nice people, elevators were fast. I'd go again!
You cant beat it for the price the quality and the location. I have traveled to chicago a few times and this so far is my favorite little spot. They have wine tastings that make for a good social. The bar is classy and the area of town very safe. I enjoyed my stay and look forward to heading back to chicago.
Here is my pro/con list:
Pro
- Very nice decor
- Free wine hour every evening
- Nice location in the Loop
- LCD TV
- Very nice service staff
- Free paper if you like
Con
- Horrible Internet (come on people, Internet needs to be standard, and I'm taking better than what I can get at home)
- Rooms are small
- They don't use a proper bottom sheet, so the sheets move all over the place (one of my biggest pet peeves)
Trying SO desperately hard to be hip and upscale, but there's only so much you can do with a shoebox, I say.
On a sidenote, I once crafted a Star Wars figure village fashioned out of shoeboxes.
Spent four nights at the Allegro and I really didn't find anything to complain about, save for the peak time rush hours on the three small elevators. I also can't find the words to really rave about any particular aspect of the place, either. It was a solid three-star experience.
My room was small and a bit quirky (two separate closets and only three small drawers to work with), but it was clean, quiet, and the bed was comfy. Huge flat screen TV and iHome were nice touches, but the flat screen is WAY too big for the room
I did not unlock the minibar for fear of setting of some kind of remote alarm and starting WWIII, and then getting a bill for having done so.
The third star is solidly-earned for the 5:00 - 6:00 FREE wine happy hour. A very nice touch.
I attended a conference in the hotel as well, and all of the various fixin's were ok: coffee and pastry in the mornings; cookies, soft pretzels, and chips and guac in the afternoons provided a nice variety of sugar rush fixes.
All in all, a solid hotel, but $289 per night seemed like a stretch. This is the third hotel at which I've spent significant time in Chi-town in the past year, and The James still holds the torch.
Free wine.....goooooood
Tiny Room....baaaaaad
A total steal. In February Kimpton offered $44 off best rate rooms to celebrate the man himself, Obama. Our room totaled $103/night and despite the reviews, I thought it was spacious enough for a weekend with one other person. The bathroom was tiny yes, and you can hear *everything* going on in there from the bedroom but hey, it happens. Aveda Rosemary Mint shampoo and conditioner + bath soup and face bar, beautiful and cozy linens and a very attentive staff as I've come to expect from Kimpton! Great location -- walking distance to Intelligentsia and a few other key spots, and quiet on the higher floors. I'll definitely be back if there's another deal! Otherwise, I'm rather anxious to try the other Kimpton spaces in Chicago.
I'm attaching my review from TripAdvisor.
I love this hotel. I just find it very charming. I love the new decor, and the location is great. Front desk staff is always friendly and helpful. Valet's good too - there was this guy Chuck at the valet when I stayed here a few months ago and he was just the nicest guy. Haven't seen him the last 2 times I stayed here though. Also ordered room service for breakfast once and it was great.
Like others have mentioned, the rooms (and sinks and closets) are definitely smaller, but in my opinion they're enough for 2. I've stayed here with my partner for over a week before and we had everything we needed (although a microwave would have been nice). It just sort of feels like living in New York, you have to be neat and make sure every space is being used.
I've also stayed at the King suite before - nice separate living room space, but you can only sleep 1 comfortably on the sofa bed. My friends opted to lay the pillows on the floor and slept on the floor instead.
I get the feeling that the hotel doesn't have all its processes down yet. Sometimes I make requests (such as pillows or pet bowls) and they take a long time to be fulfilled. Sometimes it takes multiple reminders, and sometimes it takes me to be proactive by going downstairs to the front desk. They certainly seem to be improving everytime I stay here though. and if anything does go wrong, the staff does its best to remediate the issue, an effort which I am appreciative of.
My biggest issue with the hotel is its thin walls. Of my stays here, I've heard neighbors' passionate nights to phone conversations, and I'm not even a light sleeper. My worst experience was when my neighbor decided to wake up to Josh Groban 45 minutes before I wanted to wake up. An unfortunate incident likely resulting from being in an older building, but somehow I still like this hotel a whole lot and keep going back. I now request for quiet rooms in my Kimpton profile, and it seems to have helped in my most recent stay.
I have never been there, but this is what many of my friends say:
Like nothing you've experienced before. Sophisticated, lively accommodations with nine different styles and sizes. Allegro's 483 guestrooms are a modern chorus of color blended with the original Art Deco design.
The Allegro is a contemporary American hotel in Chicago's downtown Loop district. Close to everything music, theatre, galleries, restaurants, tourism and nightlife. In the Midwest it's the most intriguing hotel. You'll find it's an experience worth repeating.
Hotel Allegro offers thirty-one suites with Jacuzzi tubs and showers. On the top floor is a 900-square foot hospitality suite with sweeping views of Chicago's West Side. Hotel Allegro, like no other Chicago hotel; excitement, ambience and superior value. At Hotel Allegro... It's the special touches that make the difference. Experience a luxury hotel where the front desk staff hands out candy with room keys. Where cobalt blue velvet and Chinese red velour sofas paired with goldenrod and forest green striped chairs, And where strong coffee in the morning and fine wine before bed are the standard fare... Chicago's Hotel Allegro lives up to its name: bright, lively, fast-paced, upbeat and entertaining.Your stay includes these complimentary services and amenities:
* Two-line speaker phones with long telephone cords to reach the bed or desk
* Private voicemail
* Modem ports
* High speed Internet access by request
* Fax machine
* Flat screen TV's with remote, on-demand movies and cable including CNN, Headline News and ESPN
* Sony CD boom box stereo
* Non-smoking rooms available
* Aveda Spa bath amenities
* Fully stocked honor bar
* Room service
* Amenities of home: coffee maker and coffee, iron and ironing board, down comforter, hair dryer
* Suites feature terrycloth bathrobes, VCRs (upon request), fax, stereo with compact disk and cassette players, Jacuzzi tub
* Express video check-out
* Complimentary Torrefazione Italia coffee in each room
* A pet-friendly hotel
It also includes these cool features while you're staying there:
* Complimentary evening wine hour served every day in the living room
* Full concierge services
* Corporate services, including printer, fax, overnight delivery, and 24/7 business center with key access
* Wireless Internet access available in our living room and meeting space
* Safety deposit boxes available
* Same day valet and laundry service; shoe shine
* Gift shop and hair salon
* 24-hour valet or self parking parking (Prices vary from $18-$28)
* Complimentary on-site fitness center with 24-hour access to cardio equipment and free weights;
( guests receive reduced rates at nearby health club
with indoor swimming pool)
* A pet-friendly hotel
Well if I do stay there... maybe for Valentines...lol, I will definitely adjust my rating accordingly. Promise.
The design and over-all look to the place is fun and refreshing from your standard generic hotel fare -- sure to attract many a hipster. But it seemed like it was mostly old ladies in town to see Tommy Tune in Dr. Dolittle or some other show, as this place is smack dab in the theater district. The price is right, and the staff are actually pretty helpful. We had a tub that wouldn't drain and by the time we got back from breakfast it was fixed. Not bad.
The TV is the sadly the same 2001 fakey flat screen Toshiba that I have at home -- and it had a bad hissing problem until I figured out the volume settings were all wonky. But still, not bad. The wifi was working and the Chivas in the wet bar was only 5 bucks so I was happy.
Then came Monday morning. 9 am. It sounded like a guy was having a wrestling match with his vacuum cleaner outside our door. Tried as a might to sleep through it, I just couldn't. The guy was yelling, banging around, vacuuming up a storm, seemingly in the same square foot of carpet right next to our door for at least a half hour. And right as I'd given up all hope of not having to get out of bed and calling someone -- he moved on. Not the way you'd want to be woken up after a long night.
But aside from that incident and the small nit-picky things, it was a good place to stay. It was too bad we weren't around for the free wine services -- that seemed like a nice bonus. I can't say anything about the restaurant or the bar that are next door, they looked a bit over-priced and well, not the kind of places I'd go to. But those places probably have their own yelp pages.
Stayed here on my birthday one year after seeing Aida at Cadillac Palace. Two seconds into the room I turned around and headed back to the front desk. Being located directly outside of the El was not on my agenda, and I live only 30 minutes away so for that price I would have drove home.
They upgraded us to a 4 room suite. Large at least 10 person tub, elegant sitting room, wonderful robes and slippers - and one of the most comfortable beds ever. The room service was ok - I liked ordering from on screen, but the food itself was so-so. Again being a vegan I was limited to a bagel, fruit, and juice.
Very friendly and accomodating staff, I would not stay in anything less than a suite here though, the regular rack rooms are tiny and not worth the price being so close to the El
If you ask the online travel gurus, this is a three-star boutique hotel, but as far as I'm concerned, it's a four star, thanks to all the thoughtful little details.
The Allegro is a Kimpton hotel, which means:
1. Free wine reception every evening for guests.
2. Your darling pussies and pooches are as welcome as you are
3. Tootsie rolls are free free free
4. Decor is zany, but tasteful
There are themed suites at the Allegro, including a Lion King suite and Second City suite, if you're into that sort of thing.
Staff is very friendly. The rooms are great. They can be a bit small, but the comfy beds make up for it. And the bar makes a mean roster of 'tinis.
Really good place for girls weekends, bridal parties, etc. Not as romantic as some other hotels in town, but still very cool.
Location! Location! Location!
Finding a hotel in Chicago for labor day weekend was easy...finding a decent and convenient four star spot under $120 was somewhat of a challenge until we discovered Hotel Allegro. It's located in the perfect area in Chicago's Downtown Loop/Theater District-a block away from the CTA subway station, walkable to Millennium Park/Grant Park and a quick stroll to the Magnificent Mile. It's a cute hotel with it's own unique charm.
The staff was GREAT! They were nice enough to let us check-in early and not leave us stranded....just 8 hours early at 7:00am! And even more helpful at 3:00am when we were in search of some late night grub- deep dish pizza delivered to our hotel room. Although the room/bathroom was only average and could use another renovation, it was fine for the weekend. They made up for it with their daily complimentary wine hour at 5pm, free in-room Wi-Fi, goose down comforters, fitness center (cardio equipment with TVs) and endless Aveda toiletries!
It's been a few years since I stayed here. But I recommend it frequently to friends and associates based on the positive experience I had.
I prefer the small boutique hotels in general because they tend to be more accommodating and offer cool extras. Like the wine reception, or how they sometimes have a DJ spinning in the lobby in the evening.
I will say the decor is a little funky and the stripes in the hallway made me feel like I was Alice in Wonderland in that hall that seems to go on forever getting smaller and smaller *lol*.
But considering how great the location is and what the median rates are in the city, they're actually quite affordable. You can (usually) get a room around $199 and considering the Hampton Inn charges more than $200 and doesn't have half the style or amenities I much rather choose the Allegro if it was available.
I didn't stay long enough to get find out how everything was, but honestly how can you screw up a one night stay? Well I'm sure there are ways. But overall I had a good stay. The decor was that of a Kimpton - eccentric and themed. They wanted you to feel like a rock star so the decor reflected that. The bathrobes in the closet were leopard print and zebra print. There was Mr. Bubbles bubble bath for the bath. My favorite amenity was the Aveda products. I also had a end suite which had a separate sitting room area complete with an oversized round stool in the entry way.
I ordered room service for breakfast and that was probably a mistake. The coffee was terrible, tasted pretty water down so I didn't finish it. It was also pretty spendy but room service usually is. Don't order fruit yogurt, they take plain yogurt and add strawberry jam to it - or at least that's what it looked like.
