Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel

Very nice, clean, and great location. The staff members were great

No complaints

The location alone deserves applause—steps away from an impressive lineup of restaurants and just around the corner from the iconic Chicago Theatre, which adds a touch of old-school glamour to the stay. What truly elevates the experience, though, are the views. Waking up to the waterfront feels like the city is showing off just for you—calm, beautiful, and effortlessly photogenic. It’s the kind of view that makes you pause mid-coffee and briefly reconsider your entire schedule for the day. Equally memorable is the staff. Every person we encountered was genuinely wonderful—kind, attentive, and remarkably composed. It’s important to acknowledge how challenging it must be to care for guests, especially during one of the busiest times of the year like New Year’s Eve, when expectations are high and the pace is relentless. Yet the team handled it with grace, warmth, and professionalism that never felt forced. They made a demanding job look easy, which is no small feat. Convenient, vibrant, and visually stunning, this hotel strikes a rare balance between energy and elegance. Whether you’re in town for dining, shows, or simply soaking in the scenery, it places you exactly where you want to be—front and center, with a view, and supported by people who clearly care.

While we genuinely enjoyed many aspects of this hotel—especially its prime location near countless restaurants and the iconic Chicago Theatre, along with the beautiful waterfront views—there were two issues that noticeably took away from our stay. The biggest disappointment was the in-room dining experience. We were traveling with children and, given that it was New Year’s Eve and restaurant options after 8:00 p.m. were not realistic for our family, in-room dining felt like the perfect solution. It was meant to be a special moment: sitting together by the window, enjoying the view, welcoming the festivities as a family. Unfortunately, that vision fell flat. Our meals were delivered in basic takeout boxes—no real plates, no proper cups, no presentation at all. For a hotel of this caliber, especially given the premium pricing, this was surprising and frankly disappointing. The food itself was overpriced and unpleasant, which made the experience feel even more off-brand. One of the small luxuries of in-room dining is the feeling of being cared for; instead, it felt rushed and impersonal. We do appreciate that if a hotel offers in-room dining, it should come with real plates, proper glassware, and thoughtful presentation—this simply missed the mark. The second issue was the temperature control in the room. It was extremely drafty, particularly near the windows. We had to turn the heat up to 80° just to remain comfortable, and even then you could still feel the cold air coming through. It took away from what should have been a cozy, relaxing stay—especially during winter. Overall, the hotel has a lot going for it in terms of location and views, but these two issues—poor in-room dining execution and significant drafts—were hard to overlook. With some attention to comfort and guest experience, this could easily be a standout stay. As it stands, it fell short of expectations in moments that mattered most.

Room with a view of the fireworks to celebrate the new year.

N/A

Great location, friendly staff and clean, comfortable rooms

Location and the small cafe for coffee and snacks

The $30 city tax. But got $15 in coffee each morning, which made it nicer

Pool is great for kids. Location is great. Room service is very fast with all the normal options. Having the bar in the lobby was a nice touch. Also able to check in at noon which was awesome, but probably won’t always be like that

Ok this might be dumb but the milk and OJ in the mornings suck. It’s not fresh, the juice is a tiny little minutemaid bottle and the milk comes in those tiny cardboard boxes we had at school. It’s not even about the money, but paying $9 each for a 25 cent milk carton felt like they were nickel and diming me

Accessibility

Restaurant was expensive but not very good quality

The staff were so helpful and courteous during check-in and with any questions I had.

I feel that WI-FI should just be included at the hotel. They did deduct the charge, but it feels this should be part of your stay instead of being charged.