The Palmer House in Chicago has a long history of glamour. And it is a perfect location to stay for the Chicago Marathon held yesterday just two blocks away. I’m sorry to report it disappointed in many ways; and we will not go back.
From the registration upon our arrival, it was a hassle. We’d booked a two-bed room in early August, but when we arrived the hotel had us scheduled for a one bed with a rollaway. In our minds, that doesn’t equate to the same thing. We stood firm and were finally booked in a room smaller than we’d paid for. Still there were two beds. But no reduction in cost.
I won’t regale you with long paragraphs about our experience. But in a nutshell, here are some of the issues: no internet for my computer even though I talked with the hotel’s tech support, peeling wallpaper in the bathroom, peeling paint in the entry to the room, location so close to the “L” that we heard it all night, a junk fee of $25 a day to stay at the hotel, $10 non-alcoholic beer and $19 old-fashioneds (We went to a local liquor store to solve this issue.).
And when I’m checking out there is a salesman telling me that next year’s marathon “package” for four days is only $340 per person. It sounds like a great deal, except I have to prepay now to secure that rate. It seems like blatant up-selling to me.
I assume the Palmer House will email a questionnaire asking how our stay was on a scale of 1 to 10. I’d give it a 2 if I even respond at all.
But then, this blog is my response.
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