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Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
333 N Dearborn StChicago, IL 60654
Neighborhood: Near North Side
(312) 245-0333
Announcement
Sax Chicago Dining Package
Package includes: 50% off valet parking and a $50 Food and Beverage credit.
http://bit.ly/zzdH1p
- Nearest Transit:
-
State/lake (Brown Line, Green Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, Purple Line)
Clark/lake (subway) (Blue Line)
Clark/lake (elevated) (Brown Line, Green Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, Purple Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 5:30 am
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
93 reviews for Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel
Review Highlights
"the crimson lounge below is absolutely fly."
(in 12 reviews)
"...iconic Corncob Towers and House of Blues along the River."
(in 16 reviews)
"Stayed at the Sax and got a great deal."
(in 4 reviews)
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93 reviews in English
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Review from Lawrence Y.
Chicago, IL
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I stayed here one night some time ago. Easy walk from Grand/State Red Line. The hotel is quite close to the House of Blues, and is "behind" Bin 36 with hallway access.
Spacious bathroom and the room was as well, but for a fancypants hotel, you'd think their closets wouldn't have curtains. One thing I kept laughing about was the alligator(?) skin accent chair... really.
Anyhow. There isn't much of a view unless you enjoy staring into the Marina City towers. The bed was comfortable for the most part. And, there wasn't too much noise from the bar/club or whatever they had going on downstairs unless you went down into the lobby itself. -
Review from Vanessa B.
Studio City, CA
1/22/2012
My boyfriend and I booked a room here back in July for his birthday weekend. Before even arriving in Chicago, I had connected with @SaxChicago on Twitter and was really impressed by how active and helpful they were via social media. Not only did they recommend bakeries and nice restaurants for his birthday, they even surprised up with a complimentary bottle of champagne in our room upon arrival!
Beyond the awesome customer service, the hotel was beautiful and made my first trip to Chicago memorable :) Can't wait to go back! -
Review from Pattie S.
Itasca, IL
This is a really nice hotel. Sure, it has flaws, but most hotels do.
Me and my sister stayed here Thanksgiving weekend. We got a really great deal on Priceline.
Since we were staying here on Thanksgiving weekend, this was the perfect hotel. It's a short walk from the stores on State St (Macy's, Old navy and more). It's also close to the Red Line, and it was only two or three stops from Chicago Avenue where you can shop on Michigan Avenue, too.
The beds were comfortable and the rooms were clean, so you don't need to worry about that.
My only complain is that the hotel needs updating. The decorations make me feel like the place is haunted.
Also, they have a game lounge. The only reason I knew about the game lounge was because I looked at the reviews of this hotel before we stayed there. If I were an ignorant tourist, and hadn't read the reviews, I would have never known about the game lounge. It would have been nice if the front desk person told us about it, or if they placed signs...or shoot, at least put it in the little book that every room is given.
Overall, a really nice place to stay on the cheap (if you book smart). The location is great, you really can't go wrong. -
Review from Jeff P.
Nashville, TN
2/7/2012
Great VALUE!!! nice staff, great location. HINT... They let me park our company truck in their space below at no extra charge. But we did have 5 rooms at that hotel. I will stay again....
-
Review from Julie H.
Springfield, IL
1/9/2012
Ok, mixed review. The lobby is nice. The rooms when entered in the evening seemed to be fine. Stylish and, as one other reviewer said, sexy. Upon the light of day, errrrr, not so much. It was all superficial stuff that makes me think that. Things like peeling paint on the window wall and an upside down shade on the lamp next to the bed as well as a faucet that would not shut off completely. Additionally, I found the bed to be rather uncomfortable. I got the room for cheap through travelzoo so I'm not going to complain too much but I probably won't stay here again and I certainly wouldn't for anything anywhere near their regular rates.
Oh and one last thing, a coworkers daughter tried to drop a bag off for me to take back home to her mother and the front desk staff would not take the bag from her. She had to make the trek back downtown from her place up north in the morning. Not sure why they wouldn't accept the package, but they didn't. Quite annoying. -
Review from Mariana S.
Brooklyn, NY
12/30/2011
Very Sexy Hotel, My room was hella sexy and spacious!
The bed and pillows were really comfortable, some of the best nights sleeps I have had. Housekeeping also did a good job tiding up. I also loved the soaps and lotions that they offered in the bathroom. Good stuff.
The front desk and the concierge were very helpful in finding things to do in Chicago.
The hotel is located in a great area, right across from the House of Blues and next to the Magnificent Mile. It is close to all the major spots that you would love to visit while in town.
They do not offer free wifi but you can always use the business center which is not to bad. The rooms do have cable tho, but room service is pricey. -
Review from Reina S.
11/16/2011
Loved the staff, the decor, the space of the room. Quentin at the front desk was super nice, his lady counterpart no so much. The bed was comfy.
HATED the fact that the freakin' wifi was not free. Really.
The room service I got for breakfast was pricey but it's room service. What do you expect! Your paying for the convenience of NOT having to leave your room and PJ's.
I would love to stay at another Thompson Hotel, but get w/the program peeps WIFI!! At least in the lobby! -
Review from lizbeth t.
Cincinnati, OH
11/6/2011
Just had a great 4 night stay at the Sax. Fantastic location, right on the river, so you're a quick walk from anything in the Loop or River North. I really dug the interior decor....I get really tired of seeing the same terrible motifs in most American hotels, and the quirky wallpapers and furniture in the common areas and guest rooms at the Sax was refreshing.
My room on the 7th floor was comfortably-sized for one or two people. Nothing extravagant, although the bathroom was quite a bit larger than the standard hotel bath.
I did not check out the Crimson Lounge, although you can get a look at it through the lobby and it looked like a better-than-average hotel bar. I did notice that the music in the bar was super loud when I came in at night, and although I could not hear it in my room, I could imagine certain people not enjoying the club-like lobby atmosphere. This hotel is also directly across from the entrance to House of Blues (it used to be the House of Blues hotel), and I could hear the crowds leaving a show there around 11pm one night.
$200-300 per night is about as good as it gets in this part of Chicago, so I was impressed by the Sax.Comment from Christiane T. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 11/14/2011
Thank you very much for your positive review of the Sax! I… More » -
Review from Tiana B.
San Francisco, CA
9/29/2011
I'm sorry to say that this hotel was an absolute and total disappointment.
My boyfriend was at a conference in Chicago and I flew up to meet him as it was coming to a close to spend a few days together in the city. We checked out of the hotel he was staying at (which was definitely a mistake) for a change of scenery, which led us to Hotel Sax.
Let me preface what I'm about to say by noting that I love boutique hotels. I always try to stay in smaller, modern hotels with unique and contemporary decor--so I really appreciated the aesthetic attempt this hotel was making with the interesting furniture and color schemes.
No hotel is perfect--and there are always unhappy customers. The true key to a good hotel is stellar customer service. That is the biggest downfall of Hotel Sax. Their customer service was just non existent.
Upon arrival, my boyfriend requested an upgraded room. The woman he spoke with was very unaccommodating and seemed completely disinterested in helping him at all. If you work in hospitality, at least pretend to be nice, even if you aren't! She then said that nothing was available. After chatting with her and putting the charm on--she begrudgingly upgraded the room. Interesting that an upgrade magically appeared over the course of several minutes.
The upgraded room was nicely decorated and appeared to be very clean on the surface...but in the three nights we slept there--every single night we were tossing and turning because we were so itchy and uncomfortable. After about a day and a half, both of us were covered in red bumps. We Googled the hotel and found that it was listed on the bedbug registry, and that just months prior there had been a review on a travel site in which a customer said they picked up bed bugs from the hotel.
****It has since been confirmed by a dermatologist, that these were in fact bed bug bites--that fit in perfectly with the timeline of our stay at this hotel.
The day we left, my boyfriend went downstairs to the front desk to check out. Whilst checking out, he mentioned that we had been itching the past three nights and that our bodies were covered in bug bites. The person behind the desk--again, gave off an air of just not caring. He said he'd never heard of anything of the sort occurring at this hotel. My boyfriend told the man that he found that strange as there were reports floating around the internet of bed bugs being found at this hotel. Come on! Absolute denial?! I know that the hospitality industry is very conscious of internet reviews...and find it hard to believe that the hotel is totally clueless about the fact that there are multiple complaints circulating regarding the same issue.
The entire time my boyfriend was talking to the man at the front desk--there was another hotel employee standing a few feet away, listening to the entire conversation. No one apologized or said sorry--or offered any consolation. What horrible customer service. Being mauled by bugs at a hotel during what is supposed to be a nice vacation is really upsetting...and the LEAST they could've done was apologize. The fact that they didn't I found to be absolutely abhorrent.
As we were leaving our hotel room, two hotel employees in suits were coming toward our room. They told us they were coming to check out the room. One was the head of housekeeping and the other was a manager of some sort. I found it really shady that they waited until they thought we had left (checked out) to come have a look. One of the men was the man that had been standing and silently listening to my boyfriend complain to the front desk agent. He had consciously sat there during my boyfriend's complaint and not offered any apology or reassurance. He then waited until he thought we had left to go inspect the room. I mean, REALLY?!!!
My boyfriend went into our hotel room with them and they VERY BRIEFLY inspected the room and didn't find anything. Not once did they apologize or offer any consolation. We both left this hotel feeling extremely disheartened and disappointed.
I hate giving one star reviews...and rarely do. But in this instance I think it's well deserved. It's a shame as well, because we appreciate the general aesthetic of Thompson Hotels and would have loved to stay at one of their other properties while visiting Los Angeles or New York. I fully plan on writing to their corporate office to determine whether or not the treatment we received at Hotel Sax is the standard of all Thompson Hotels, or just a major flaw of the management and staff at Sax. Unfortunately, if I don't receive some sort of consolation or email from management or corporate--I will not be staying at one of Thompson Hotels again. There are far too many fabulous boutique hotels to go back to one that offers substandard customer service.
Despite our best attempts, we ended up tracking these bed bugs home with us, and are now looking at estimates for an exterminator. Do yourself a favor--do not stay here.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 10/3/2011
Thanks for your comments. As you are aware I have sent a… More » -
Review from Brittany C.
Atlanta, GA
11/6/2011
Stayed here during my visit to Chicago. The location is definitely the main perk of this hotel. Walkable to most anything touristy. The front desk was speedy and polite when we checked in around 11 PM on Thursday. The room did smell as though someone had smoked in it, so I opened the windows to let it air out which resolved the problem. The room was small and the wallpaper and decor seemed slightly cheap for a 4 star hotel. The linens were however clean and the bed comfortable which was I really cared about for the weekend.
I booked this hotel as it was the best price for the area, but still felt like it was too much. I would recommend if you found a good deal.Comment from Christiane T. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 11/14/2011
Thank you for your honest and helpful review! Sax Chicago is… More » -
Review from Valerie V.
Boston, MA
9/15/2011
We stayed at Sax recently while in town for a Wedding weekend. Overall it was a really fantastic experience. The location is amazing! If you want to be right downtown, I would totally recommend this hotel or Hotel Palomar (even better!).
The service was very accommodating. For instance, the morning we were leaving town, not only did they hang onto our baggage while we left to have brunch, but they also loaded all of the baggage into the car and had it pulled up and ready on time.
Crimson Lounge is super swanky and was incredibly happening as the night went on.
My only complaints were small but significant. Room service was excessively expensive. Pillows were VERY flat and each bed only had two. No fan in the bathroom. Slow draining shower.
Next time I am in Chicago, I would stay here or at Palomar based on who had a better rate for the specific nights. Both amazing hotels with great locations and hot nightlife inside and nearby.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 9/16/2011
Really appreciate your comments and hearing from you.… More » -
Review from Dane K.
8/3/2011
Over the past 3 years, we've hosted two major events at the Hotel Sax, and I've also attended various events as well.
As a conference venue, they do what I'd consider to be an above average job in setting up, and the facilities themselves are more interesting than your average hotel. The level of branding we were able to pull off at the hotel was quite impressive in every way.
The hotel is a nice size. It's not exactly small and boutique, but it's not large and corporate either. It's very much a full service hotel in terms of facilities, yet maintains a smaller, personal feel.
My real applause goes out to their IT director who goes by simply "O" ... From an IT perspective, three years ago we were not as impressed with the options given. This year, it seems they have gotten a new IT director and he's exceptional. I e-mailed with "O" several times, and he did a better job at project management of the IT services we needed for our event than we did. We ordered some special services from AT&T and not only did he meet them at time of setup, he actually configured the devices, tested them, and put everything together into a Word document and sent it to us. I expected to do that portion but he was done with it before I even knew AT&T was completed. Really fantastic, above and beyond service.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 8/3/2011
We often say that one person can make a difference with our… More » -
Review from Brittany Q.
Antioch, IL
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
This review is based only on attending a conference at the Sax. I did not stay at the hotel so this review does not include the state of the rooms, or service from the hotel staff.
I went to a conference in the Hotel Sax. The location in ideal. It's right next to the house of blues and Marina towers so, if staying here you are right in the heart of downtown. Easy access to just about any part of the city.
The conference room we had was really nice. The decor was very modern. They had tea and coffee service out along with nuts on the table to munch on while the speakers were talking.
Our conference offered a 'walking dinner' including a risotto station that could be topped with fresh herbs, duck, or roasted vegetables. There was also a station that had roast beef sandwiches. The Bar service was fantastic. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 9/19/2011
Regardless of whether you stayed in our guest rooms, you… More » -
Review from Jessica H.
Oakland, CA
9/19/2011
Great location and a friendly, helpful staff, but the rooms themselves look like they've seen better days. I guess I expected more from a $200+ per night hotel room than peeling wallpaper and chipped paint. Our room is a bit shabby: The towel racks are pulling out of the wall in the bathroom, the upholstery is wearing off on the pleather desk chair, the curtains are grimy, and there's this funky set-up in the bathroom where the water glasses are on a shelf right over the toilet. I'm not a total germ freak, but I find that kind of gross.
As I mentioned before, this is a fantastic location and the staff is really nice, but they need to do some serious work on their aesthetics before I would stay here again.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 9/19/2011
Thanks very much for your comments! We truly appreciate… More » -
Review from Stef M.
7/5/2011
$52.00 overnight parking fee/day in addition to your room charge. Parking downtown is expensive but this is the highest I've ever seen.
Hotel desk said there was no gift shop or sundries anywhere in which to purchase food/drink to go, unless you consider the snacks in the mini bar to constitute as food. I do not. The 5 oz. bottle of Grey Goose in mini bar was $300.00.
Another annoying thing? Had an hour to kill before an afternoon engagement, so went to check out the media room. Guess what? Media room was closed until 5 pm. So couldn't even check an email before heading out.
Not venturing back to Hotel Sux.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 7/5/2011
Thanks so very much for your comments. I do understand your… More » -
Review from Melissa F.
Milwaukee, WI
9/5/2011
Not the best hotel I've ever stayed at in Chicago. I've actually stayed in this hotel when it was House of Blues and I liked everything better in it's previous form. The hallways were dark, the decor seemed like it was trying too hard.
I think you tell many things about hotels of how clean they keep their bathrooms. This one was a little below average in my opinion. The ceiling had some serious water damage, there was visible mold and mildew in the shower, some dirt and grime on the floor near the toilet. Sink also didn't drain well at all.
Bed was comfortable, nice TV, room was decent. Size of the room was typical of a boutique hotel. Based on what we had, I think if we paid full price, I would have been extremely disappointed.
I loved being between 10 Pin and a Bin 36. I'd happily go back to both any time. Bin 36 saved the whole trip for me. I don't know that we would stay in this hotel again but specific against it except for the bathroom.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 9/6/2011
We always appreciate hearing from our guests and thanks for… More » -
Review from CJ V.
Canton, MI
11/23/2011
The first (and only) time I've stayed at Hotel Sax was back in late 2008, but I got my extended family a room here in August.
When I stayed here in 2008, I thought it was a cute, quirky boutique hotel. I booked the hotel room through Priceline's Name Your Price for $88/night for one night. It's pretty easy to get to Hotel Sax from O'Hare (Blue Line to Clark/Lake, walk north across the river and east one block or so).
I typically just use hotel rooms just as a place to crash at night, but I spent quite a bit of time in my room. The room was a bit smaller than most of the Chicago hotel rooms I've stayed in, but it wasn't so small that I got cabin fever. The view of Goldberg's Marina City (i.e., the corn cob buildings) and Chicago River was nice. The windows opened so I could let in some fresh air, which was refreshing. Not sure if this still applies, but the hotel provided free ethernet access, but you had to pay for wireless access. My room had a mirror wall and the bed was really comfy.
Be sure not to move touch any of the food or drinks in the room. I accidentally moved one of the bottles in the minibar and the hotel charged me. But I pointed out the mistake to the front desk, a cleaning lady came by to check the bar, and the matter was quickly resolved.
This August, I got the room here for my family members through Hotwire for $235/night for two nights. The place was basically the same as I remembered it.
I thought the guys working the hotel valet were awesome. I had a fun time talking to them when I checked my family members in and they remembered me when I came back two days later to pick them up. The listed check-in time is 3PM, but when I showed up at 3PM there was no line. Check-in was a breeze. When I brought them up to their room, I noticed it had a musky smell, but they didn't comment on it so I assume they didn't notice/mind. They didn't have a great view of the river. The two kids loved the game room, so I'm guessing it's a good place to let your kids run wild if they're getting on your nerves.
It cost $55/night for my extended family to park here. Even though I liked the parking attendants, that's kind of steep. The self-parking garage around the corner at Trump is a smidge cheaper at $46/night, but I'm sure there's cheaper parking to be found close by. -
Review from Danny S.
Pasadena, CA
8/9/2011
The Sax kicks ax? Ha.
We took an overnight flight from LA last Wed and The Sax had a room available for us at 8am on Thursday! Check is not 'til 3p...we really appreciated the accommodation. Right when we walked into the hotel, we were greeted with smiles all around.
We went up to our room on the 8th floor and the room was awesome. Great beds, view and bathroom. The decor of the room was fantastic as well...cool wallpapers, lamps, headboards and etc. You can say that The Sax is a cool guy hotel (most thompson's are).
To the valet/hotel attendant in the front, you were awesome. Totally kind and personable to us. Def will come back to The Sax when I'm back in the Chi.
Enjoy.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 8/13/2011
So very happy to hear from you and very pleased as well that… More » -
Review from Nick C.
New York, NY
9/1/2011
Had a wonderful experience here! Staff was super friendly and the location was perfect from all of the restaurants and nightlife. I'm staying here again next time in town!!
PS Sax...give free wifi for $172/night!Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 9/1/2011
Thanks very much for choosing our hotel. So pleased to hear… More » -
Review from Liz L.
Chicago, IL
7/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Love, love, love the Sax. From the convenient downtown Chicago location (close to Wacker, magnificent mile, and great restaurants), the swanky rooms to the sexy lounge/bar.
I stayed here a few months ago and enjoyed everything about this place. As a frequent traveler, I've stayed at many types of hotels and the upbeat charm and sultry decor make this hotel a top choice for me.
The service was friendly during my entire 3 day stay, and the Japanese Pear martini at the lounge was dare I say the BEST fruit-infused martini I've ever had. My room was a good size, though the closet was a bit small, however the iPod/iPhone speakers was a nice touch, as was the martini bar in my room. But really, why would you have a martini in your room when you can have one of the best martinis downstairs?!
If you're in the city and looking for a place to stay that's chic, check out the Sax. You won't be disappointed. I wasn't.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 7/13/2011
Thanks so very much for your comments regarding the hotel.… More » -
Review from Jenna A.
Denver, CO
3/6/2011 6 photos
This was single handedly the coolest hotel I have ever stayed in. The colors, the chairs, the fabrics, the animal prints. I loved it all!
My boyfriend got a room for two nights on http://Priceline.com and it was the perfect place to stay for my birthday weekend.
The people at the front desk were great, it was a central location to all the places we wanted to visit.
On Friday night we stopped in the hotel bar, Crimson Room, I believe it was and had free appetizers and a few cocktails. On Saturday we met my parents down there. They were so jealous they didn't stay in this hotel. Everywhere in the hotel had the richest colors, very cool!
I told my bff who was on season 3 of So You Think You Can Dance and she actually stayed here with the others when they did a tour. She loved it as well and had rave reviews.
Would love to come back here and stay! I wish I could have that furniture in my house.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 3/7/2011
Thanks for the great comments regarding the Sax Chicago. We… More » -
Review from Caley R.
Chicago, IL
6/8/2011
My friends mom booked us a room here for my friends bachelorette party. It was a pretty classy joint for us ladies. The hotel itself is very nice and modern. Our room had a great view. There were seven of us but we only had two beds so three of us had to sleep on the floor. No biggie, they had no problem bringing up extra blankets and pillows!
Us girls had fun when we realized there was a dark red light in the bathroom. It was a sexy ambiance but we just danced around and talked in there. There was room for six of us to play around - in the bathroom!
The next morning when we had an emergency, one of my friends told me their was a convenient store in the basement. We were a little confused at first but it was easily found. The store was a little odd but they had a selection of a little of everything. I found the super glue I was looking for!
The lounge downstairs is nice, the decor is beautiful!
If I wasn't poor i'd probably come back here again!Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 6/8/2011
Thanks for your comments! I am glad to hear that the girls… More » -
Review from Andrew K.
McHenry, IL
7/8/2011
The hotel was nice, the service was fine, but it was after I checked out that the disappointment set it.
A review was left a while back on here about them falsely charging for some mini bar usage - $20 or so - I didn't think that was a big deal. What I did think was a big deal was the extra charge on my card that was over $290. What was even worse was when I called them to ask about it and they denied the charges existence. Thankfully my credit card company was able to handle everything - maybe I should go leave them a 5 star review somewhere...
Anyway, after being told off by whoever answered the phone, I definitely will not be going back.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 7/12/2011
Wow......I am truly sorry about this. We had a problem with… More » -
Review from Elliott H.
San Jose, CA
7/4/2011
-The room wasn't in good repair, e.g. the door didn't lock unless you pulled it shut hard.
-Got double charged for internet
BUT
-The Crimson Lounge was a cool.
-Room service was good.
-Nice view from the 15th floor
Overall, just wasn't as good as 4 star hotels I've stayed at in other citiesComment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 7/5/2011
Thanks for your constructive comments regarding the hotel.… More » -
Review from stephanie y.
Davenport, IA
12/29/2010
Where to begin?
I have to think that the rooms we were given was based on the fact that we were a Priceline reservation at significantly below market rate. Shame on you Hotel Sax for treating guests that way. You should be happy to have any guests, judging from the activity in the hotel I can say a ghost town comes to mind.
On to my review:
In three nights we changed rooms three times.
Room #1 hadn't been properly turned: there was a bar of soap left in the shower from previous guests. The phone and alarm clock did not work. Also the blinds did not close - in fact the wand to control the blinds was propped up in the corner of the room.
We complained and the front desk was quick to move us to a new room. I expected an upgrade - it did not happen.
Room #2 was like Goldilocks - first was too cold, then too hot. We had two technicians "fix" it, but after sleeping in 80 degree heat we couldn't take it and requested Room #3 and an upgrade. No upgrade was given.
Room #3 was OK. At that point we had just given up. In 26 hours we had unpacked and packed and moved our luggage three different times.
Now - to comments about the hotel overall. All three rooms we stayed in were very small (normal for a boutique hotel) and the furnishings were shabby. I don't believe this hotel was renovated when it changed names. The hotel attempted to be hip, but when you look closely you see dented/dinged furniture, dingy wallpaper etc. The aesthetic was OK - I don't mind shiny wallpaper, but the hotel was not well maintained.
Housekeeping was subpar at best.
On the positive side I can say our complaints didn't fall on deaf ears, BUT the very basics about our rooms were not up to par. And I hold management responsible. Instead of quickly offering to change rooms for guests how about having standards in the first place to avoid the situation.
The staff was nice - particularly the doormen and the engineering staff.
I found the location to be OK. If your destination is Mag Mile be warned you are at the very end of it and you will have to walk - a lot. To that point - I think the Valet parking is way overcharged. If the location had been better I wouldn't have minded being charged the most expensive hotel parking on the strip. Hotel Sax is a good two blocks from Mag Mile and charged what the hotels on the Mag Mile were charging. In fact we found several hotels that were closer to the shopping charging 10 to 15 bucks less a day.
I know I've been long winded, but I think I have given a fair and accurate review.
In conclusion, this is definitely not a four star hotel as rated by Priceline and other travel websites. We had numerous problems that could have been avoided with more attentive management.
ETA - since hotel management seems to read the yelp reviews I wanted to add - you need to really rethink the housekeeping staff. One big petpeeve of mine (besides finding a used bar of soap in my shower!) is clean mirrors. If you are going to have trendy mirrored decor make sure the mirrors are clean. All three rooms that we were in featured nasty mirrors. They were all spattered w/ god only knows what. Thank goodness I did not have my black light with me b/c of the location of some of the spatters made one wonder. -
Review from Heather R.
Chicago, IL
4/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I stay in hotels all over the world, and I love - love - love the Hotel Sax Chicago. I will come back again and again. The decor is unexpected and delightful. The shower amenities are a nice touch.
Lovin' bowling after a night out with friends, superfantastic! The bar off hte lobby has great cocktails, great service and interactive Microsoft surface tables. Great overall ambience....if you're looking at this hotel as a place to stay -- stop looking and book this. You'll love it.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 4/8/2011
Thanks so much for your comments Heather. I am so pleased… More » -
Review from Victor L.
11/9/2010
The After-Party to my previous review was held here.
My boi who hooked-up the whole go-round had already checked-in. The rest of our group ( Brought random Chicks from the Concert to party with us!) made their way to the room.
So we where chilling and my boi noticed that I was constantly looking at the mini bar ( He was like, don't even dare cause they'll charge me for it.)
Huge and elegant room, it must of cost him big money but, like said "He spoils us too much" so that is why we Partied like Rock Stars! -
Review from Patrick G.
Encinitas, CA
12/7/2010
Hotel Sax is very A-Okay, but they just converted me into a FAN.
Friendly courteous staff, great Chicago River/ River North location next door to House of Blues, etc. Funky fresh hip decor.
However, the rooms, while large and hip, are a wee bit dated; nothing truly "dated" (as this former New Yorker could tell you about NYC rooms being dated).
So Sax's rooms are nicely UP-Dated, but they still show some age.
Coupla' things: The room service was delayed, the TV set had rather bad reception (only important because my 7 and 5 year old wanted to watch Nick, Jr. for a few hours at the end of a VERY long trip).
However -- very cool that management saw my initial 3-star review and wanted to know which room I stayed in so they could fix the TV. (and i have to admit, at this trip's end, i was just too exhausted to call down to the front desk to complain during my overnight at Sax).
So NOW::: 4 stars, voila! For excellent management response.
For the right price, you won't be disappointed. I paid $125, which is a very decent deal for what you get... although beware, because as with most downtown Chicago hotels now, lodging your car overnight will cost you $53 in valet. -
Review from Matt F.
New Haven, CT
9/11/2010
Hotel Sax is pretty hip. From the snake skin chair in your room to the floor to ceiling demonic painting in the elevator to the metallic, sheet metal looking hallways - you have to give this place due respect for trying to be unique. Maybe a little too hard. The best example of this is the freakin' check-in and concierge counters; the staff stand/sit behind glass counters that display some sort of jewelry/ornamental collection. This has the effect of causing brief episodes of confusion and panic as you enter the hotel and wonder who the hell you are supposed to approach in order to check in.
True, they have a pretty spacious and chill looking lounge - but the night we were there the place looked more like a dance club, which is fine if you are looking for that scene. A better bet is to head a few blocks down to The Wit for some hot roof-top action.
I am not a big fan of hotel mini-bars - especially the kind that charge you for simply moving an item to another location in the fridge (god forbid you want to make room for some left overs or your medication). As nicely stocked as the mini-bars are here, with everything from bottles of tequila to a $9 Snickers, it's a little overwhelming. Not only was the fridge filled to capacity, but there were two trays on either side of the desk that held items for your consumption (and purchase). That's all fine and good, but both of these trays were hooked up to the power outlets and rigged with pressure sensitive monitors just waiting to tell on you for moving an item. Seriously, it's like a snack/beverage minefield you need to navigate as you move around your room.
Like the other hotels in the area, expect to pay ~$50 to park your car per day and ~$10 for Wifi. That kind of sucks, but it's the norm around here.
The only reason I chose this place was because the other places I wanted to stay were booked up. I wouldn't be opposed to staying here again, the service was excellent and it had a cool feel to it, but I can think of a few other places that I'd rather spend a night. However, if I was in town to catch a show at the House of Blues and only wanted to stumble a few yards back to my snake skin chair, I'd totally choose this place. -
Review from Kelsey C.
12/17/2010
Really nice, modern room with a great big screen TV. We had a great time, but I have a few qualms-
the "lounge" on the 6 floor was never open-- we were hoping to use the laptops and Wiis, but it was closed the 2 times we went in the middle of the day.
The 3 movies we ordered skipped a few times, the first movie we restarted once and had a technician look at but still had problems. They refunded us for the first movie but it still happened (although not as often) as the other 2 movies we watched.
The 'convenience store' is across the plaza (by House of Blues) and underground in Marina City.
Overall thouhg, we had a good time and we got a great deal on the room at priceline-- one room was $70 and normally is $150-$350. -
Review from Sabrina M.
Grapevine, TX
9/3/2010 6 photos
I stayed here about a year ago for a company party in Chicago. The accommodations were chosen and paid for by my place of work, so I can't comment on the price but I fell in love with the hotel's quirky aesthetic. There were a lot of romantic and gothic elements, but with a modern edge. The lobby was small, clean, but elegant. The rooms themselves are filled with funky decor like faux-snakeskin chairs and brocade wallpaper with silhouette stickers. The bathrooms, for the record, are also pretty huge and have heat lamps. I really liked that the hallways were dark, it was almost like exploring a large but quiet manor.
The one thing I'm not sure what to think of is the Crimson Lounge. In one sense, it kind of looks like the Twilight books exploded in there. Red velvet couches with grotesque details, dark lighting and chandeliers, etc... On the other hand, it's a pretty cool and swank place without being an obnoxious hotel night club with trashy neon lights. I also heard a rumor that Samantha Ronson spins there on occasion.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 9/14/2010
Sabrina, Thanks for your comments and I am very pleased to… More » -
Review from Shanna B.
Chicago, IL
5/19/2010 2 photos
I must begin this review with a disclaimer that the night my boyfriend and I spent here in March was free. He won an award for his company and the reception was here, and his company paid for our room. That being said, my rating might be slightly lower if we had shelled out the cash for it. We live in the city on Northside, but it was fun to have a night downtown. The hotel is in a fun location - practically touching the House of Blues. There was a very sleek, upscale vibe. Mini bar was stocked with martini olives and Goose.
Now, the BED....ohhhh the bed...I have stayed in a lottt of hotels in my short 25 years, and let me tell you that this was possibly the most comfortable bed I have literally ever slept in throughout my entire life. Heaven. Like sleeping on a fluffy, feathery cloud of comfort. The pillow-top mattress, the soft sheets, down comforter, and the PILLOW. I'm getting sleepy just thinking about it. Seriously, perfection....ok you get the point.
The room was, however, tiny. I get it - downtown high rise often equals small, yet fancy, rooms. But this is where the rating would probably be lower if we had paid for it. The bar/lounge downstairs was fun for a nightcap. Mellow and dark, but they have a couple of touchscreen table-tops that were fun to "draw" on and play games. Overall a nice experience at Hotel Sax.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 5/26/2010
Appreciate the nice comments. Hope you return soon! More » -
Review from BAT T.
Washington, DC
4/26/2011
Pros:
1. The staff is nice. (Spoiler alert: the staff is nice at most hotels)
Cons:
1. EVERYTHING ELSE. Literally everything. I write this as I am waiting for the "building engineer" to turn on the water to my room. That's right, the WATER. There is no running water in my freaking hotel room. For the past two hours. Currently 7:30AM.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 4/26/2011
I sincerely apologize for this. We had an emergency repair… More » -
Review from stephy s.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2007
"So what do you think of hotel sex?"
This was what I thought my co-worker asked me the other morning as we sat in the lobby waiting for our ride. The answer, "Um, love it!" Oh, you said Hotel Sax. The answer, "Um, love it!!"
Hotel Sax rocks my hotel socks. Maybe not as much as hotel sex, but the two...and especially combined...would make for one hell of a good time! I wasn't so lucky during my 2 day stay in that latter arena, but I did get lucky with a great room.
The decor here is so cool and pretty much defines eclectic. It's like staying in some Urban Outfitters retreat, but with a lot more sass and a lot more frass. (Who even says frass anymore?)
For example, the walls have this really groovy print on them that is complimented by the funky pattern of the drapes. Do they match? No. Does it work? Hell yes. Then there is a snake skin chair (not real snake skin, mind you, but awesomely cool regardless) coupled with a tall classic lamp, but painted this indigo blue color. Finally to top it off there is this awesome headboard that is wrapped in black faux leather with yet another funky design that would be just perfect for grabbing, you know during hotel s...yeah, you get the gist.
The bed was also a dream to sleep on. Sooo comfy and coming from an insomniac on a different time zone, this was like a gift from the sheep jumping Gods!
The only thing I didn't like about my room was the bath tub situation. It's more of a shub (shower+tub) then an actual bathtub. My friend got me on a bath kick recently so now in hotels I wanna unwind in one, so this was a bit of a bummer that is was so teensy tiny.
Other than that though, the room service was good. The staff was friendly and there is a beeeeoooteeful bar downstairs that serves a 25 year old scotch that makes for one tasty good time!
I'd definitely stay here again! -
Review from Caroline A.
Chicago, IL
7/17/2007
I have mixed feelings. I heard the House of Blues hotel was pretty awesome, so I was shocked at how "Vegas-esque" the Sax Hotel was.
The lobby is beautiful. It really does smell like fresh gardenias. Very fragrant, the lobby is brightly lit with flowers and jewelry cases full of rough crystals. The presentation was very pretty, but seemed out of place. Cool lounge music sets the tone and you feel like you're in a nice boutique hotel.
We get into the elevator, look at each other like "what the heck is going on???" The back wall has a portrait of a woman with a skull on her lap. Strange, right??
We get into the room. It is pretty big actually, with nice plush carpeting. I loved the textured wall paper, but the room was poorly decorated. There was just too many mirrors. One took up the whole side of the wall next to the bed (ok, it was 2/3 of the wall). One of the nightstands was made with completely mirrored glass. There was a large mirror in back of the bathroom door and the bathroom mirror was quite large.
The only think I really liked about the decor was the window treatments (a beatiful shade of blue/gray), bed spread (similar color as the window treatment) and the wallpaper in the bathroom (very cool textured green). One of the towels in our bathroom had a stain on it... a yellow stain. I was FLOORED by this. Rusk bath products are ehhhh.... smelled too fruity (I hate fruity bath products). They also give you a bottle of Fiji water in the room for $6.00. What the hell is that??? Oh, and the chandelier painted on the wall has to go.... as well as the faux snake skin chair.
The bed was too soft, as were the pillows.
After a rough rough night, I was in rare form Sunday morning. So we ordered room service. We both had the eggs benedict. It was ok. The english muffin must have been stale because it was hard to cut and slightly burned. But I was in such bad shape that I could have eaten anything.
Location wise, I love. We were a flew blocks away from Fox & Obel, about a mile away from the lakefront and just down the street from Blue Water (love their Challah french toast!).
If there aren't any hotels available in the area, check out the Hotel Sax. But if there are others to choose from, you're better off elsewhere.
UGH... the Peninsula has spoiled me for any other hotel in the city!Listed in: Chicago Hospitality
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Review from Kelly S.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 10/21/2009
Found out what the scent is! And it's not the candles.
The nice girl at the front desk was nice enough to tell me. She even gave me a print out that describes it.
It is a scent story that is piped in through the vents and made just for this hotel. Pretty cool concept. I'm guessing the won't bottle it for me. Darn!Listed in: Staycation Hotels
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/8/2009
I really really like the modern baroque style of this hotel. I don't know what it looked like when… Read more »
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Review from Carol K.
12/21/2009
While I have stayed at Hotel Sax several times for overnight meetings, my most recent interaction had me at a function in it's banquet and reception area.
Hotel Sax is a contemporary hotel with all the amenities that you would expect. There is free wi-fi throughout the entire hotel (there are even 3 computers in the lobby where you can print your boarding passes or check on sports scores). A great convenience for the business traveler.
I also love the smell of this hotel. Crazy, I know, right? But there is some smell that permeates this hotel that gives the illusion that candles are burning everywhere. I can't put my finger on the scent but trust me- it's lovely.
The rooms are spacious and come with all the amenities that you could want, fluffy towels, soft linens and upscale toiletries in the bathrooms. The obligatory flat screen TV is also in all the rooms.
As for the function space- it was great. Right off the elevator is the pre-function area complete with a bar and ample room for mingling. While meeting rooms are just that, meeting rooms, if you can figure out how to have your entire reception in the pre function area- you will be pleased. The curved walls, modern feel and easy flow of this space is perfect for an upscale cocktail party.
The hotel is adjacent to so many great restaurants and touristy things that it makes it's location ideal for the business or leisure traveler. We got a room rate of around $150 which is great for the area on a weeknight.
I have stayed at Thompson Hotels in New York and LA and come to expect a high level of service and amenities from them. And their Chicago venue, Hotel Sax, delivers on just that!Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 6/29/2010
Thanks Carol! Come back often!! More » -
Review from Tori T.
9/16/2009
Hotel Sax is one of the nicest hotels I've stayed in in a big city. The location is superb, right next to the iconic Corncob Towers and House of Blues along the River. You can easily jump on an architectural boat tour, walk over to the magnificent mile to throw down some scrilla, and only a short walk to the nearest subway and some great grub!
The design is trendy leaning towards modern without being sparse or too shi-shi. I think this explains the low lighting, but it's no problem if you just throw back the huge curtains or bring people home from the bar you don't want seeing you in the AM. (This is a joke.)
The beds are luxurious! The most comfortable hotel bed I've ever slept in or jumped on (sorry neighbors!) An ipod docking station would have been nice next to the bed. There was a nice flat screen TV which I never once turned on. And mirrors were ample (especially important if you were going with a group of girlfriends!) The size of the room was bigger than I would have ever imagined, as well as, the bathroom space. Toiletries provided were good quality. And I did notice an ironing board in the closest for those folks worried about wrinkles.
The hotel bar, Crimson, was hip and had parties most nights we were there. The hotel is attached to 10 Pin bowling and Bin 36 wine restaurant. So if you run out of things to do in the Windy City there's always bowling and wine!
I reserve my 5 stars for things that are mind blowing, but Hotel Sax gets 4 easily! -
Review from Ema S.
Culver City, CA
11/29/2008
Thanks to my Friend Katrina we stayed here for a weekend stay for free!
I seriously didn't think it was gonna be that nice though...being a free weekend stay courtesy of Jet Blue.
The Hotel is very clean and a little on the Gothic side. The Walls are Dark red and brown with Paintings of Naked woman. They have Free Internet...YAY I can Yelp! and of course a lounge that is pretty cool.
They had a Microsoft Room which is like a game room. They had Rock Band which we tore up!!!
Now for the Service:
Who orders A large plate of Fries and Hot Tea like 5 during the night.....Yeah we do! Ha They staff was really nice and informative. They delivered our food even after the ordering hours.
Overall one of the best Hotels i have stayed at! -
Review from Ferdinand H.
Cleveland, OH
7/13/2010
Broken door handle, missing 5 dollars, unfolded/replaced towels, uneven, lumpy mattress.
Plusses?
Trendy/swanky. Club/lounge downstairs. Connected to trendy restaurants.
I personally find the decor a little kitchy, but that may float others boats.
Barring an amazing reduced price, I will never return.Comment from Michael C. of Sax Chicago, A Thompson Hotel 7/27/2010
Thanks for the feedback. We always appreciate hearing from… More »
