Palmer House - Hilton
17 E. Monroe Street
(between State St & Wabash Ave)
Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 726-7500
- Nearest Transit:
Monroe (Blue, Red)
Madison/Wabash (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Green, Pink)
- Price Range: $$$
50 Reviews for Palmer House - Hilton
The Palmer House really exceeded my expectations - it's one of the best hotels in Chicago I've stayed at.
The lobby exudes old-world elegance...it's very European. The staff was helpful, and the room was large and well decorated.
I was staying in Chicago on business, and the hotel's proximity to everything was excellent. There are a number of great restaurants nearby, and it's only two blocks from Millenium Park - where I was fortunate enough to catch a free outdoor Blues concert.
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Like many tripadvisor.com reviewers said, the walls at the Palmer House are paper-thin. I was awakened by my neighbors' coital activity. Not my idea of a morning call. And I stayed in the renovated room. Aren't things suppose to improve with renovations?
I'm with Jenelle. While the lobby is gorgeous, I'm not resting my head there. I love gawking at hotels, but ultimately, what rates the hotel is its comfort and location. The Palmer House merits its 4 stars with its comfortable bed, tightly-drawn curtains and location. A short walk to Michigan Avenue, Millenium Park, Art Institute and the Theater District.
What more could one ask for, except a little more quiet, unless that wink-wink-nudge-nudge sound system is your kind of thing.
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I stayed here this weekend while apartment hunting in Chicago and was quite impressed. Of course, I'm white trash, so it isn't hard to impress me. The lobby is unbelievable. I felt so out of place that I only walked through it to go to check in. My ten year old niece was astounded and my brother was wearing a shirt with holes in the armpits, so I'm sure we created quite a lovely picture--a loud ten year old saying "OH MY GOSH!" over and over again, while my brother's armpit hair hung out of his shirt. All the while, I'm sheepishly walking behind them, trying not to trip in front of the thirty or so guests staring at the painfully out of place Beverly Hillbilly-esque family. Nice.
Seriously, the hotel is beautiful and the only reason I was able to stay at such a beautiful hotel is because I got a REALLY good deal. Our room was small but the bed was large enough that all three of us were able to sleep on it. FYI--I'm 6'1" and my brother isn't much shorter than me. My niece is also the size of a linebacker. We're large people.
The only reason this hotel doesn't get five stars is because I had to pay $13 for basic internet. Really? I've never stayed in a hotel that charged me for internet, let alone $13 for 24 hours. Boo.
Other than the construction, our visit was wonderful. Of course, I didn't have much luck apartment hunting but what the hell, it was a weekend in Chicago.
This hotel is BEAUTIFUL!
It's a little weird because at street level you have to take an escalator (around the back) to get to the lobby. But once you start going up the escalator, you enter the most amazing lobby I have ever seen. I just kept thinking what a beautiful wedding you could have there! (But, I don't live in Chicago... and I doubt they have weddings in their lobby).
My room is huge - but I heard some of my coworkers complaining about small rooms. Maybe I just lucked out. It also has great decor, and the beds are oh so comfortable. The mirror in the bathroom is lit from the back - so it's excellent for getting ready.
The service has been amazing and the restaurant downstairs is delicious!
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Wow, what an amazingly posh hotel! My parents stayed here over the weekend and I got to spend a fair amount of time here. The height of luxury! Nice large room. Two cushy chairs. Mod furniture. Fairly small bathroom, but how much time are you going to spend in there when you're visiting Chicago? I love that they use CFL bubs in the rooms. Also, they have notes about the sheets and that they try to conserve water by washing them only when requested. Environmentally responsible. If I was a visitor from out of town and in search of a very nice place to stay, this is where I would choose.
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Shhhhwanky.
As I type this review, I am sitting in my room at the Palmer House Hilton. I am in Chicago on business, and found this hotel after checking hhonors because the W (the preferred hotel in Chicago) was sold out.
Overall, the room is very nice, albeit very small (on the 13th floor). The lobby is huge, and reminds me a lot of the Westin St. Francis or the Sir Francis Drake back in SF. It has that "blue hair appeal" that makes a 28 year old feel a bit out of place. If you're into flirting with GILF's or something, this place is a goldmine. The hotel staff are polite and helpful. The bathroom is the size of an iphone, at least the one in my room is. If you stay here, ask for the state/adams side rather than the monroe/wabash side so you don't have to listen to the L trains every few mins. This side is much quieter.
I'd stay here again (especially with the double points hhonors promo), but this definitely isn't my favorite hotel on earth. Its a clean, nice, and moderately opulent hotel suitable for its 250/night price.
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Stayed here for three nights. Luckily, I got this room bundled with my flight through United Vacations, so I didn't have to pay the four star prices. The lobby is really nice, with comfy seats perfect for grabbing a drink from the bar.
The room itself, well, it is obvious this used to be an old hotel. Extremely small. With only one bed in the room, one would expect it to be a king, but no, it is just a double. The bathroom was tiny. If you have the bathmat down, you can't open/close the door, since it will catch the bathmat. The sink is horrible. One of those modern giant bowls protruding from the counter and the water sprays everything on the precious little counter space.
The bed is comfortable, though, with the down comforter and duvet. The curtains completely block out the light, which explains us sleeping until noon and one pm. This was not uninterrupted sleep, though, as the sound from the hallway really carries through the door. I could hear the clanging of room service trays and housekeeping staff.
The gym is adequate, but was a hunt to find. There were treadmills, bike, ellipticals, steppers, free weights, cables, a ball and mat. Unfortunately there are no TVs. Signs indicated that there will be some wonderful new gym/spa. But for now, it is located in one of the salons next to conference rooms.
Overall, the location is great. Next to the red line, couple blocks from the blue line connecting to O'hare. If I were to get a decent rate again, I'd stay here, but I wouldn't preferentially chose it.
The hotel is very nicely done up. Exactly what you would expect from a prime location such as this one. The hotel is a blend between old fashioned style and modern ikea furniture. The room was really nice and I loved the fact it was sweepingly large. I had a fantastic time here. I would like to return to this hotel, if they were having another special like they were when I stayed. Otherwise I would imagine this place would be pretty pricey.
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I'm sorry... I don't see the big deal. If my bed were in the lobby I would give this place 6 stars, but it was not so...
Valet: GREAT
Front Desk: GREAT
Cool Furniture: Check
Boutiques: Check
Room: Small and decorated by my grandma
Tub: The best place on Earth!! I took 3 baths in 24 hrs
Bed: Like Sleeping on AIR!
I was going to give this place 3 stars but the tub is Olympic size and carries two of the four stars. Third star goes to the staff and the fourth star actually goes to....... Millers Pub!
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We hesitantly booked through one of those discount hotel websites, boy were we surprised at the outcome. When we arrived we were bumped up to the executive towers, with private express elevators and lounge. The lounge had complimentary hors d'oeuvres each night, non-alcoholic beverages throughout the day, a wonderful breakfast and a private concierge. It has been quite sometime since we have had such an amazing experience at a hotel. The one downside was a pool under renovation.
Three stars for the pretty architecture, lobby and nice staff.
However....I must have stayed in one of the rooms that was waiting to be remodeled...I had no wi-fi, the room was tiny and ugly as hell...
While room service was fast, the food was not good and WAY overpriced.
And I'm pretty sure the sheets here gave me an itchy rash because one suddenly popped up on me and gradually went away after I left.
I hope next time my company makes me stay here, I get a better experience.
I stayed here literally every other week for practically a year before i moved to Chicago permanently in April of 07. Its new renovations reveal the true beauty of this architectural masterpiece. The building has great history and excellent service. kind of a pricey place to stay, but hey when its on the companies charge card, go for it !
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I came to Chicago for the first time with my architecture school classmates. We were all a bit hesitant about spending so much for a hotel (as most college students are) but in hindsight it was a wonderful decision. The staff was very courteous and prompt, especially while dealing with our group of about 45. We had a maintenance problem in our room that was fixed right away. The amenities were great- and well taken care of.
The location was great, with easy access to transportation in the area.
It was a most enjoyable experience... a simply stunning building... and I recommended it to anyone staying in the City.
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Walking into this hotel makes me feel like I'm in 1920s/30s Chicago, when everything was jazz! liquor! hacha! whoopie! Very old-fashioned, but elegant. Great room service as well. Would definitely recommend it to others and stay here again.
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Absolutely stunning hotel. I had a work meeting in the main ballroom. It was huge and beautiful. The staff were very accommodating. A great place for your next event.
We just had a long weekend getaway to Chicago and the Palmer House took good care of us. We prepaid online for a room on the Executive Levels and got a great deal. The room was large, the bed was so comfy, the sheets were very nice. The lounge on the 23rd floor had cookies out in the afternoon, hot hors d'ouevres in the evening (plus a cash bar), light breakfast fare in the morning, and coffee and drinks all day long. This was a really nice bonus to staying there. The lobby is beautiful, the bar closes a bit early though for a city like Chicago. The staff was friendly, the location is near several train lines for zipping around, the nearby restaurants weren't the absolute best but overall I am very glad we chose to stay here.
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If you're looking to spend a lot of time in your room, you probably won't like the Palmer House. The rooms are fairly small, though certainly clean and well appointed. I stayed in a single room -- which is to say it had one double bed -- and it probably wasn't much bigger than your bedroom at home. Depends on your home, of course. And it's hard to judge, since in addition to the bed, there was a desk with a chair, a no-longer-in-service minibar, a side table, and an armoire with a TV. More furniture than would fit in my bedroom. But I digress. I've seen single rooms with king sized beds that were larger than this, and the double rooms are quite a bit larger.
But if you're staying in downtown Chicago, what are you doing staying in your room? So what if it's small -- it's within walking distance of everything. Get out!
Also, the Palmer House has an honest to goodness lobby, where you can sit and relax and have a drink and even eat, depending on the time of day. And it's a huge and beautiful lobby. So if your room is small, but you don't want to leave the hotel, and you aren't completely afraid of other people, hang out in the lobby. The Palmer House was built at a time when people socialized. They enjoyed it, even! Socialize.
The registration area is surprisingly tiny, and the hotel is undergoing renovations, so only one entrance is available (on Monroe) and some areas are blocked off. The hotel is a destination spot for proms and business meetings/conventions/seminars, so be prepared for some congestion. And elevators are slow. But these are minor quibbles in a grand old hotel. Don't expect the latest Vegas luxury resort, and you'll be fine.
An historical side note: the chef at the Palmer House invented the brownie, more than 100 years ago. The Palmer House still sells their signature brownies. At 10 bucks a pop. I passed.
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Cost: $300 per night - club level room (summer standard rate)
I'm a little torn in the ratings, I think it should be 3.5, but I'm going to put 3 to weigh down the average rating. The Palmer House is very nicely appointed in general. The lobby is nicely done, open, and feels like you're living the good life. Its all good until you get to the room and you feel like you're in a dorm room with nice furniture. The room was so small I had to close one of the TV armoire doors to open the door to the closet. Its a step up in terms of space from the City Center W, but still a bit too cramped for my tastes.
I arrived at the hotel at about 11pm and was a craving a cold one in the privacy of my own room. I walked into my room keenly eyeing the minifridge only to find that I haven't been provided the key. I march back down to the lobby only to get informed that they are in the process of removing all their minibars and mine simply hadn't been removed yet. They direct me to 7-11 around the corner, where I promptly get hit up by 4 bums and get in argument with one of them because I didn't have singles left by the time I got to him. I get to my room a little peeved and decide to check my e-mail, only to find out that the Internet is down all across the hotel, and they didn't have it fixed by the time I left three nights later.
I'd hit up the Westin Chicago River North for a better experience.
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I went to a wedding reception at the Palmer House and the Empire room was the perfect setting. It's old school with black and gold decor and it's just beautiful. Elegant and very fun.
My one complaint was that the food was pretty bland - which I guess is to be expected when you have 200 people eating steak and chicken at the same time. The initial course - butternut squash soup was awesome and it sort of went downhill from there. Don't get me wrong, it was still plated beautifully and it tasted ok, it just wasn't awesome. And the cake was way too rich. But overall, a beautiful setting for a happy event, good service, well thought out and nice presentation.
this is the best service I have ever had at an event.
it is unreal the level of care and joy the servers have for making things enjoyable for you, especially if you have dietary restrictions.
it was really touching, to be honest. :)
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Gorgeous foyer.
Clean rooms.
SMALL rooms.
I prefer River North, except for the proximity to Grant Park and the ArtIC
And there's a FANTASTIC Chop House in the same street (Something Chop House and Wine Bar.... hmmm... When I remember it I'll post it back), but seriously, it's in the same street (perpendicular to the lake, not parallel) and it's got THE BEST stuffed mozzarella appetizers.
I still drool at them.
And evidently they have really good steak. But again, this comment is lost on me...
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After a three day conference at the Palmer House I have to say I will be back for more than attending seminars. This glorious piece of Chicago history is in a renovation period at this time which only means it will be around for many more years for Chicagoans and tourists to enjoy.
I did not stay in the rooms but I do recommend a little chat (with a glass of wine I might add) pre-dinner in the glorious and captivating lobby area. You can order a glass of wine from the lobby area bar and sit back in luxury before you head on for a night of fun.
I also took a bit of time to visit the Downtown Bar for a leisurely afternoon salad. While the wine by the glass list is not that large, they do serve the wine in very nice glasses with a smart style. They give you a personal carafe and only pour about 1/3 into your glass and leave the carafe with you to pour at your own leisure. Being in the wine business I love this concept so that I can properly swirl my wine and enjoy at my own pace.
When entertaining out-of-towners (which we do often) this will be a new stop on my tour for afternoon cocktails in a luxurious and historical setting.
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The Palmer House is indeed a 5-star hotel. I stayed overnight while attending a conference for the last 2 years. I just love that hotel. The rooms are so beautiful and comfortable. The service is excellent. I travel a lot and stay at many hotels. The Palmer House is top-notch!
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I attended a wedding here last weekend, and it was gorgeous! The room was beautiful and the sauteed garlic shrimp appetizer was to die for. Seriously, that was probably the best thing I've ever eaten at a wedding. I want to go back for more! It was a pretty big wedding of over 300 people, but I dont think that is an excuse for nothing but exceptional service. Our corner table was forgotten a few times, and I even had to get up to ask someone to deliver our pasta dish. All in all, the food was good even if the service wasn't. Plus, I loved the room the wedding was in. I'd definitely recommend checking it out for your wedding.
I think the Palmer House was once a nice hotel. The main level is gorgeous and the hotel is capable of having top-notch formal events.
As a place to stay however, I found it lacking. The place just looks extremely tired. The decor is straight out of the 80's and I think the appointments haven't been updated since.
The hotel also does not offer free Wi-Fi, which for the price (this hotel is no bargain), is not acceptable.
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Everything but the room was great.
I didn't like the room because it was very small. I guess it's because this hotel is old so the rooms have not been refreshed in quite sometime. But lobby and the services the hotel provides are great.
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EDIT: Looks like they did some renovations.. rooms are awesome now.. Definitely a good place.. i upgrade my starts on this
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Fancy hotel. However, it's being remodeled. Hence the great deal I got on Hotwire. It'll probably be great in 2008, when it's slated to be completed. Our room was spacious and clean. Walls are a little thin, though. Not only did I hear the headboard being jackhammered by our neighbor, but the walls were thin enough to hear how much the female was enjoying her jackhammering.
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I went to a friend's weekend wedding reception/event there (& stayed there for that reason). The lobby is actually on the 2nd floor, but it is very ornate & beautiful! (It's an old historic hotel). I initially had a hard time figuring out how to get up there from the 1st floor...stairs/escalators aren't in really obvious places.
The first night, the reception was also in a beautiful room with a short staircase entrance just off one end of the lobby. The 2nd night (yes, there were 2 nights of festivities, which were fun), there was another dinner reception in another room, & apparently, there was another wedding reception going on then in the room next door. Was kind of tempting to go crash the other one out of curiosity.
Our room was quite big...we even had 2 bathrooms and 2 closets. It must've originally been 2 rooms they converted into 1. Great decor.
Only minus I noticed was that the hallway we had to walk down to get to the elevator from our room had an area where the wallpaper was peeling off. I guess none of the managerial types had walked down this way while we were there that weekend because it remained that way the whole time we were there.
There's an multiple hotel serving shuttle to & from Midway (that's where I ended up flying in & out of). Pretty convenient. Luckily, I didn't run into any problems when I was leaving, as the Chicago Marathon was that day, but I think it was pretty much over by the time I had to go to the airport.
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I Pricelined a hotel in the loop and ended up with the Palmer House for a last minute trip to Chicago on June 2 - June 6. Thanks to reviews I read on TripAdvisor I knew to request a room with 2 double beds and 2 bathrooms - I was able to get one on the 20th floor at no extra charge. The room was huge and very comfortable. We didn't have a view but that didn't matter much to me.
What a great location! Walkable to Millennium Park and The Art Institute of Chicago. The hotel is also right by major bus lines and the CTA red and blue lines. We took the blue line from O'Hare and only had to walk about 2 blocks to get to the hotel (trip was about 45 minutes). There are 3 hotel entrances so you can enter/exit on Monroe, Wabash, or State streets - very convenient. Just be aware that the Wabash and State street entrances close after a certain time in the evening, probably around 11pm. Also be advised that lots of eating establishments in the area close early - you'll be out of luck if you're hungry at 9 or 10pm!
The hotel has about 12 elevators but they only service certain floors so we only had access to 3 and they were VERY slow. On a side note, I have Cingular and I had very spotty reception in the room. Lots of dropped calls.
All in all we had a great experience at the Palmer House. I would definitely recommend it if you are able to get a good price on Priceline.
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I didn't stay here, but I love this hotel. I can only imagine, based on the common and conference spaces I've been in over the last two days, what the rooms are like.
The lobby is beautiful. Look at the ceiling and fixtures. Breathe it in. Sit a spell.
And the conference areas are solid. The catered food is good, and the coffee strong. And the wifi? Provided by the conference organizers, sure, but the signal has been strong in almost every single room I've been in, even the breakout session rooms with awkward pillar-dominated designs.
Minus one star because the traffic flow for stairs and escalators isn't always clear. Outside of using the elevators, the floors don't connect well, and it can be hard to find your way around.
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I had to walk a dog in this hotel once. Not only is parking down town impossible but they make worse. I had to go to this place 3 times on a weekend, (sat & sun) They wouldnt allow me to park in front. I ended up haveing to spend money for a parking garage. NO parking down town ever of course
but when i got inside the staff at the front desks were rude. Like i was impossing on them.
I was walking a dog for a wedding in their hotel you would think they would be more polite. But they werent
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Tiny rooms, an impersonal and rude staff, extremely slow service among other flawed characteristics of this hotel make it almost entirely avoidable. The only plus was that it was two blocks from the office from which I was working when I was traveling to Chicago. This hotel is so massive that one could lose ones way in its cramped and labyrinthine halls that span across three wings. The bathrooms were claustrophobic, the TVs had poor reception and the room service food was less than mediocre, thanks to the average 1-1.5 hour delivery time, I'm sure. Oh, and the air conditioning was so affective that I had to wear a sweatshirt in my room in the middle of the summer. They seem to cater well to their conventions and conferences than individual guests, probably because these conferences/conventions bring in a lot of money, but it is not a legitimate justification for the lack of appropriate attention towards the rest of their clientele. It is the hospitality industry after all, one has to have some basic standards and principles, which this hotel certainly lacks. STAY AWAY if you can help it.
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If you are going to stay here know that you are staying in an awesome Chicago landmark. I love the lobby here. I love the rooms and the service is always super friendly. There are some great books about the history of this place too.
I have stayed at the PH for about 10 years to attend an annual conference here. It's always been a good hotel. Great location, Rooms are usually fairly nice, though they do seem worn out. Well, they're working on that now. RIGHT now. I flew in last night from California, did not get to bed until very late. This morning at 7:00 (Note: that's 5 a.m. Pacific time, where I am coming from), I wake up to the sounds of hammering and what sounds like a router drill on the other side of the wall at the head of my bed. No chance of sleep. I called the front desk. They were apologetic, but the hotel's full, they can't change my room until later. So be warned: this hotel's under construction, and if you value SLEEP, you should ask for a room as far from the construction as possible.
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Gorgeous hotel! Very classy. I went there this past New Years Eve for their annual bash and had a great time. It's a bit south of the action but I think it's so beautiful and "old" looking, that it's a place to see.
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The Palmer House is a large, old, but still grand hotel in Chicago's Loop. Although it has been surpassed by newer and brighter properties with larger rooms and shinier amenities, this place has one of the finer hotel lobbies in Chicago. Take a look at the ornate details on the walls and ceilings of the second floor lobby, perhaps on your way to get a drink or use the public bathrooms. The guest rooms are rather standard in size, and those along the "L" tracks can be a bit noisy.
The Palmer House is wonderful, majestic, and historical. From the moment you enter through the doors, you almost feel as if you walked into a different era. It is beautifully decorated and even the smallest details in the decor, show what an elegant hotel it is. It is one of the oldest hotels in the city, but it truely captures Old Chicago essence.
I went to a wedding here three years ago and everything was simply timeless elegant. It's very beautiful in a classic way and everything was set up nicely and the staff was a treat.
This is a gorgeous old hotel. The rooms are somewhat drafty in the winter, and a little less modern and large compared to buildings put up more recently, but you can feel the tradition. The rooms are also a bit smaller, but I think they're fine. The lower floors have some of the standard amenities, pool, hot tub, etc., and good dining. The decor is beautiful.
I guess it comes down to the choice between memorable, world-renown, elegant and classic, versus modern and slightly more comfortable.
If the rooms in this hotel matched the style and substance of the lobby, boy would this place be something. As it is, most of the rooms I've stayed in are indistinguishable from a Holiday Inn. The bars in the hotel are decent, but the concierge staff doesn't do so good - rely too much on recommending the restaurants right next to the hotel, which are less than good.
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