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I Hotel & Conference Center
Categories: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Hotels, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
1900 S 1st StChampaign, IL 61820
(217) 819-5000
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
19 reviews for I Hotel & Conference Center
Review Highlights
"super modern feel, yet still very comfortable."
(in 11 reviews)
"The rooms are clean and modern, the staff is excellent."
(in 3 reviews)
"Definitely recommended for anyone visiting the campus."
(in 7 reviews)
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19 reviews in English
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Review from Lisa C.
Los Angeles, CA
8/29/2011
Beautiful hotel! Great art, very zen and an amazing staff! Sit outside in the courtyard and listen to the water fountain. It will soothe your weary spirit. Grab a coffee at the Starbucks in the hotel to recover and surf the internet in the lobby. There's a beautiful space to occupy in every direction. Hooligans, the restaurant attached, was the perfect antidote to my crazy diet restrictions. They kept me fed and happy! All without too much of a sting in the wallet. LOVE THIS PLACE!
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Review from Michael H.
Chicago, IL
11/19/2011
The I has been around for 5 years, but it feels as if it was just opened. The rooms are small, but sleek and modern. Love the IPhone alarm clock especially after forgetting my charger. Having a Houlihan's on premises is a plus. Walking distance to Assembly Hall and Memorial Stadium too. Spent about $225 for one night which is a lot given that we are in central Illinois.
Why not five stars? Because the gym has nothing more than barbells, two treadmills, an elliptical and a stairmaster. Install a universal machine, there is plenty of room. Oh, no pool either which is odd since there is an enormous amount of space dedicated to the conference rooms and lobby. -
Review from Kevin L.
5/4/2011 1 photo
Very modern and sleek. I love this place!
Customer service is excellent. We arrived at around 6pm at night, starving, and after checking in and hauling up our luggage to our spacious room, we went downstairs and the lady at the front desk recommended a nice Italian restaurant right down the street, even printing out a custom version of Google Maps with my name on it. They even greeted me by name when I called front desk to request blankets. Very professional.
The next morning, we rode a complimentary shuttle (but really, it's a tinted black GM Suburban) to the university in the pouring rain to avoid parking meters and when we were ready to head back to the hotel, we gave them a call and waited 5 minutes.
It's relatively inexpensive for what the hotel offers you, especially the service and shuttle service (to/from the school or airport). The rooms are very contemporary, nicely designed, aesthetically pleasing, and comfortable. In the morning, complimentary breakfast from their cafe (just a pastry and beverage) is offered or 50% off each entree from their full-service restaurant.
Definitely recommended for anyone visiting the campus. I was impressed, thank you! -
Review from Linda T.
San Jose, CA
9/20/2010
I love this hotel! I come here 2x a year for recruiting at UIUC.
They provide complimentary shuttle service to and from the Wilard airport.
The hotel is modern & contemporary. It is super clean and chic. The decor is very hip. The hotel rooms are nicely decorated and it is super clean. The staff here is awesome! I have never had a bad experience with them. Their customer service skills are superb and they always go above and beyond. -
Review from Linda N.
7/25/2011
super modern feel, yet still very comfortable. my friend was having her wedding ceremony/reception at this hotel and the front desk was more than willing to accommodate a few of us that were in the wedding party for an early check-in.
the rooms were clean and the beds were super comfortable with the standard hotel amenities. the shower design is a little funny in some of the rooms....there is no door just a glass window that covers half of the shower space. luckily the shower head is one of those waterfall types so you don't have to worry about water getting all over the bathroom.
they have free wi-fi and they also give you vouchers for free coffee and snacks at the cafe downstairs. one thing that would make it better would be 24hr room service. overall it was a fantastic stay. if i ever find myself in champaign again i wouldn't hesitate to stay here. -
Review from T S.
Chicago, IL
10/17/2010
Since graduating from the paradise that is Champaign-Urbana, I have found that the local lodging options have made me prefer hooking up with a freshman and waking up in the Six Pack. Just kidding...or am I?
All kidding/potential seriousness aside, I spent a night last week at the iHotel on a recruiting trip for my company. From the moment I saw the cute sign with the "i" hidden in Hotel, I knew I was going to like the place.
The check-in process was quick and seamless, and I noted the modern, understated styling of the lobby while the friendly agent processed my information.
My room kept with the theme and was very clean and modern and not at all what you'd expect in central Illinois. My stay was complete when I noticed that they had Rusk hair/body products in the bathroom--yay! I even felt comfortable walking on the floor barefoot, something that doesn't even happen in my own home.
After settling in, my coworkers and I assembled at the bar at Houlihan's (conveniently located in the hotel lobby) for a few beers while we decided which campus bar to hit up first. I made a compelling case for Kams and so it was decided. The bartender overhead us and suggested that we ask for a ride at the front desk.
For $15 billed to my room, all five of us were escorted to campus in a pretty sweet black Suburban. We considered driving around in it for the rest of the night poppin' bottles, but 19 year old boys were waiting for me to grace them with my presence so we headed to the bars as planned. When Station closed at 2:00, all I had to do was call the front desk of the hotel and our pimpmobile showed up within 5 minutes to drive us back.
After ordering Pokey Stix (unfortunately it was not two-fer-Tuesday), I laid my weary, drunken head to rest. The king bed and crisp white linens & pillows were incredibly comfortable and made it that much more difficult to get my hungover ass out of bed a mere three hours later.
I look forward to staying here the next time I am on campus! -
Review from Derrick T.
Woodridge, IL
6/4/2010
This place is ridiculous....
The customer service was top notch. As part of a semi-loud wedding party, they came up to let us know there were customer complaints about us being loud on the floor, so he asked if we could move outside and offered to get us cushions for the seats, etc.
Then I guess the same couple could hear us outside, so then he asked if we wouldn't mind coming into the lobby. I don't envy his job, having to balance the needs of different guests, but he was cordial and very accommodating!
Internet is free, and they have a two computers available for use. They have two mini fridges that are consistently refilled with mini Aquafina botles, which are also free. The workout facility, also free. A nice backyard patio that while small, is charming and enjoyable... perfect for some drinks, food, and cigars.
The beds, oh the beds... so comfortable... we slept like no other! The pillows, the mattress top, everything.
The price is definitely a bit high for the area, but you're paying for great customer service, excellent facilities, and a wonderful experience! -
Review from Northshore F.
Highland Park, IL
6/27/2010
Customer Service is Outstanding.
Hotel looks very Nice, has open Sleek look.
Rooms and Hotel are clean. Rooms feel a little cramped though since it's smaller than an average room (no room between second bed & window)
Has nice workout room.
No free breakfast buffet, which I really like. You get a morning Muffin & Coffee or a coupon for a discount at Holihans next door.
Ok - now the problem. Does not have a normal bathroom door!!
Has a cheesy sliding door that does NOT fully close (there's a gap between door & wall) - and does NOT have a lock. It's very uncomfortable since you do not have a full sense of privacy and security. If you are traveling with your spouse, then it's ok - otherwise it is very ackward.
I loved the hotel, thought the service was phenominal, but I probably will not be staying here again. -
Review from Kristen K.
Cincinnati, OH
5/8/2011
A couple of times my friends decided to meet in Champaign for a get together weekend because it is half way between the cities where we live. Once we stayed at the I Hotel, we had to go back.
The customer service is outstanding. The staff are very helpful, and if they aren't able to help or answer a question, they find someone who can.
The hotel has a modern style and is very clean. The rooms have your typical hotel amenities, and they do have free wi-fi. The last time I went they asked me specifically if I wanted a newspaper (they have several to choose from) and a coffee maker--these won't be in the room unless you indicate so. You also receive a card for a free coffee and pastry at the "I Cafe," which is the coffee bar next to the restaurant or you can use it for half off a hot breakfast at Houlihan's.
The gym is okay. There are a few ellipticals, treadmills, and bicycles with televisions and also, free weights. There are free bottles of water in the hallway going to the gym. There is also a computer with internet in that area, if you need it.
Houllihan's is the restaurant/bar downstairs and the food is really good. It's not a "fancy" restaurant, but definitely much better than typical bar food. They have a full bar, and you can even get a martini flight.
The hotel offers a shuttle, which will take you to different places in town and pick you up.
They also offer massages. I've gotten both the swedish and the hot stone and have NO complaints.
I'm a little embarrassed to admit that the last time we went, my friends and I arrived on Friday afternoon and between food, drinks, massages, and movies in the hotel room we actually did not leave the hotel until the relaxing, fun weekend was over on Sunday afternoon. -
Review from Ingrid G.
Chicago, IL
3/6/2009
Green Acres is the place to be! Green Acres is the place for me! Land spreadin' out so far and wide! Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside!
Not so much.
I tend to expect marginal or generic experiences when I visit our Champaign office. That way, I'm never disappointed. And sometimes--just sometimes--I am pleasantly surprised.
The I Hotel pleasantly surprised me. It is a nice, "typical" boutique style hotel, incongruously set against the rural back drop of the UIUC campus. Yes, the "I" is truly the "champagne" of Champain hotels. And, yes, I did just write that. Oh yes, I did.
There is hardly any parking around the university, so having both a FREE parking lot and FREE (yes, I said free) shuttle service that will take you places and even pick you up is pretty darn amazing. (You do need to reserve the shuttle in advance by calling the front desk.)
The staff seem a little befuddled. Like they are actors playing the role of "Staff At An Upscale Boutique Hotel" and they just can't wait until they get off work to go kick it at the Hooters. But again, I'm not complaining too hard, since when I visit our Champaign office I always feel like I am Eva Gabor in Green Acres.
Yes 4 stars. They are contextual stars because if the I were anywhere else, I'd be all been there done that. -
Review from Kali B.
Minneapolis, MN
10/1/2008
Whoa.
I didn't think it was possible to have a Westin-like hotel in the Chambana area (I mean, seriously, this is the same place that offers barn-dances for fun group nights out), without actually having the Starwood brand move in, but good god Chambana! I'm SO totally impressed!!
A joint project between the University and Fox/Atkins Development, this is SUCH a beautiful hotel- very boutique-like, and the rooms are so plush- modern, with NOVELS as part of the decor! (I spent one night reading King Arthur!)
Located at the northern end of Research Park, it's BANG next to Memorial Stadium and Assembly Hall, and within walking distance of the new ARC (formerly known as IMPE).
It's not the cheapest place (by Chambana standards of course- $132/night including tax), but boy, is it luxurious!! It's comparable to any sort of smaller boutique hotel in a larger city such as the Chi or even NYC.
Bottom line- if you're looking for how Chambana can do upscale, you've come to the right place! -
Review from Franklin A.
Honolulu, HI
5/29/2010
Great hotel with an amazing staff. I stayed there for a conference and somehow I dropped my fancy name tag in the shuttle. When I got home, I realized that I had lost it and I was quite sad (it is a really cool name tag). I emailed and called the hotel and it seemed like the entire staff took a personal interest in locating it for me. The shuttle driver had noticed it, picked it up and was just about to turn it in when the hotel manager asked about it. They packaged it up and sent it back to me asap! Awesome.
It's also got great rooms...nice little fitness center...adjacent to a Houlihans...and has nice conference facilities. -
Review from Eric C.
Emeryville, CA
4/25/2010
The rooms are clean and modern, the staff is excellent. The conference facility even has good food.
I had some business at the University and while researching places to stay, I came across the iHotel. It is right on campus, so I thought I would give it a try. After booking my room, the Director of Sales emailed me to see if there was anything I needed for my stay. When I arrived, the staff upgraded my room configuration.
The hotel is on campus and with-in walking distance of most of campus, it also offers a free shuttle to and from anywhere on campus, and has Zipcar and a shuttle for off-campus excursions. I was able to fly into Chicago, do some business, drive down, check-in and return the rental car at Willard. The shuttle driver then drove me back to the hotel. I didn't have to pay for a rental car I wasn't using; the room rate was even less than the rental car daily rate. I used Zipcar to go visit a friend living in Rantoul. When I left, the free shuttle took me to Willard for my flight.
The only thing that would make the hotel better is if they allowed dogs in some of the rooms. -
Review from Jane M.
San Francisco, CA
8/28/2009
Felt like a nice new moderate hotel rather than a dorm! The food service for meetings is from the university and it's excellent except for the bad coffee. Buy yourself a cup of good coffee from the hotel's coffee bar. Room service is from Houlihan's . . . the bad and good of that.
The surroundings are BEAUTIFUL which didn't quite make up for my room having a view of a messy parking lot . My room had a shower but no bath.
Downside is being in the middle of nowhere . . . if you don't have a car there's nowhere you can walk to other than a very nice campus lawn. -
Review from Garvin C.
Ellicott City, MD
12/18/2010
this hotel is definitely as good as it gets at champaign urbana. Once you enter the hotel, to the left is a cafe and Houlihans restaurant. To the right is a very nicely designed lounging area (modern, sleek and clean) on the first floor. Around the corner is an exercise room (complimentary chilled bottled water!) and a couple of computers with internet for use. All staff was courteous and friendly.
The rooms are clean and the actual furniture is fairly high quality. The beds were soft and comfortable, and the pillows were excellent! Usually hotels give really low quality pillows (typically little to no support for your neck), but definitely not here. The showers are really great because they have the waterfall shower heads. Although they have LCD TV's, I wish they were in HD quality (looked like 480 standard def to me).
My only real complaint was that is it near the farms, so it can be very smelly outside the hotel (inside does not smell at all). But that is just part of being on the south end of campus. A small price to pay for being close to campus and having such a cozy and clean place to spend the night. -
Review from Rob L.
Chicago, IL
10/5/2008
If you're a Illini fan you just might want to stay here. This hotel is located about a quarter of a mile away from where they play football and their basketball arena is a mere stones throw away. Granted, if this is during basketball and football season, this closeness might be a good or a bad thing depending on what you are here for, I could see it being a massive traffic nightmare to be honest. It opened in August '08 so it still has that brand new smell when I stayed here this past weekend.
It has some really nice features, flat screens tvs, a very green environmental vibe going on, extremely friendly and over the top helpful customer service. One night when a friend and I went out to a bar and left our cars at the hotel, we asked about getting a cab. The front desk manager informed us it would be fairly expensive and told us he would drive us to the bar. Um.. okay. Always smiling and willing to help. They have cards that you can leave on the bed if you don't want or need your bed linens changed in an effort to save some energy on cleaning them over and over again. I like that. Also their light bulbs are energy efficient. The alarm clock in the rooms have a feature in which you can dock your ipod and wake up to it or play it like speakers. The room was great, comfortable and quiet. Prices were fairly affordable, but then again, I am also slightly comparing to Chicago prices.
There are a few things that can be tweaked though. In their fitness center, perhaps towels or something to wipe down when someone gets sweaty. It would be nice to have some stability balls, and a little more equipment. I am being picky but it was pretty bare bones in there. And I know they want to be a little greener, perhaps having a water fountain in or by they gym. Maybe there was one and I didn't see it. They do provide water bottles of Aquafina, but I think the water fountain would cut down on the use of plastic. Also, some recycling bins around the hotel and gym to recycle those bottles would be great too.
For a first time visit to the town, I definitely would recommend staying here, however, do make sure when you do, check on when the games are being played, the traffic and congestion might interfere with your plans. -
Review from Andrew T.
9/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
I recently had the opportunity to attend a consulting forum here, as a recruiting event, and the event space (I didn't use the hotel) is really pretty nice. We were in a large, modern ballroom type area, that looked as though it could be segmented in to three separate rooms when needed. Good multimedia capabilities with multiple bright, high resolution projectors and good sound made for a pleasant event. There was even a decent catered lunch (even if my lunch box didn't include a napkin). I would certainly think of this if I needed a big place for an event, but the hotel itself is a little far away from campus for my taste - I'd rather be at the Union (ideally) or one of the hotels up on University if I was going to get my walk on, since parking at UIUC is often at a premium.
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Review from Brian M.
O'Fallon, MO
11/18/2010
I am staying in his hotel right now. Great checking, staff, and outstanding room. I have found the hotel i will stay at every time in Champaign!
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Review from Emma C.
Chicago, IL
10/15/2010
WOW. Hotel perfection! IHotel is impressively clean, modern, snazzy and safe. I came from Chicago on business, and look forward to coming back for a weekend with my husband. There were plenty of nice touches that one would hope to take for granted in hotels but really can't: good cable, good shampoo, solid locks, in-room safe, comfy bed, no funny smells, quiet rooms, nice lobby, fast elevators, lots of free bottled water. I had low expectations for the Houlihan's restaurant inside the hotel, but they had a special "small plates" menu that was so tasty, well-prepared and well presented, I chose to eat there for four days and never ran out of delicious choices (the pot roast was so off the hook, I had it twice). Everybody I encountered in the entire hotel was beyond nice, friendly and professional, and seemed poised to go above and beyond at any beckoning. When I accidentally left a CD in my room when I departed, they called promptly and popped it in the mail for me. My room had a shower but it didn't have a tub, so ask if you want one. I have easily been to over a hundred hotels and this was easily one of the most pleasant and relaxing business stays I have ever had. I recommend you make a reservation without reservation!
