Pros

  • Right across the street from the bus to downtown Chicago
  • Simple rooms have flat-screen TVs with HBO and mini-fridges
  • Chic salon offering haircuts, manicures, facials, and waxing
  • 24-hour fitness center with modern cardio and weightlifting equipment
  • 24-hour business center with ergonomic chairs and free coffee
  • Cafe serves sandwiches, pastries, and wraps for breakfast and lunch
  • Meeting and event rooms, plus free property-wide Wi-Fi
  • Free on-site parking
  • Free coffee in the lobby
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Cons

  • Isolated south Chicago location
  • Decor feels uninspired
  • No breakfast buffet offered
  • On-site cafe has limited hours
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Bottom Line

This 232-room hotel is far from Chicago's tourist sites, so there's no reason to stay here except to save money or to go to a conference at the nearby McCormick Convention Center. Indeed, this mid-range hotel caters to business travelers with a 24-hour business center, meeting rooms, and free parking. There's also a 24-hour fitness center, an on-site salon, and a small cafe, though it has limited hours and doesn't offer any kind of breakfast buffet. Rooms are spacious and clean with flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, free Wi-Fi, and work desks with ergonomic chairs, though they lack character. Travelers might consider paying a little more for the nearby Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, which is directly attached to the convention center and has more amenities.

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Amenities

  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Spa

Oyster Hotel Review

Chicago South Loop Hotel

Scene

Clean, mid-range business hotel with standard amenities and basic decor

The Chicago South Loop Hotel is situated in a purpose-built building with a white and brown-brick facade. The hotel attracts mainly business travelers, particularly those attending conferences at the nearby McCormick Convention Center. While it's a privately owned property, it still has a somewhat characterless chain-hotel feel, but it's clean and offers up most of the obligatory mid-range amenities. The lobby is nice and roomy with tiled and carpeted floors and warm wood accents. Leathery couches and arm chairs and other sitting areas give guests places to relax or hangout. Here and there, jazz-themed art hangs on the walls to liven things up. This is a satisfactory mid-range option, the biggest benefits here are the spacious rooms and competitive price. Be aware that the nearby railroad tracks can generate some noise. 

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Location

Isolated spot somewhat south of the South Loop

The Chicago South Loop Hotel is removed from the city's main attractions, but it's fairly close to McCormick Convention Center, Chinatown, the Illinois Institute of Technology, and a handful of restaurants or bars. The hotel offers free parking and is directly across the street from the #29 bus, which can take guests to the heart of downtown Chicago in about 20 minutes. 

  • Two-minute drive to Illinois Institute of Technology (16-minute walk)
  • Three-minute drive to McCormick Place (20-minute walk)
  • Three-minute drive to Soldier Field
  • Four-minute drive to U.S. Cellular Field
  • Seven-minute drive to Adler Planetarium
  • Eight-minute drive to Shedd Aquarium
  • Eight-minute drive to Millennium Park
  • Nine-minute drive to Grant Park
  • 10-minute drive to Navy Pier
  • 30-minute drive to Chicago O’Hare International Airport
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Rooms

Spacious, clean rooms with mini-fridges and free Wi-Fi, but decor lacks character

Guest rooms here are fairly standard chain-hotel-style fare -- clean and relatively contemporary, but a bit characterless. Still, rooms are spacious compared to properties in the city center. The hotel has made updates to rooms since their 2008 opening; during our 2016 visit, they had almost finished revamping all units with new furniture, carpeting, and bedding. A typical entry-level Traditional Room might feature brown wall-to-wall carpeting, white and beige walls, and dark brown wood laminate furniture, with a jazz-themed photo decorating the wall. Bathrooms are neutral with beige tiling and white walls, and include deep tubs with showers. 

All rooms are air-conditioned and include desks with ergonomic chairs and armchairs, 32-inch flat-screen TVs with HBO and other channels, mini-fridges, coffee/tea facilities, iron and ironing boards, and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms have hairdryers and toiletries are loaded in wall-mounted dispensers. Higher-category rooms add sitting areas (with sofas, chairs, and coffee tables). Rooms may have one queen, one king, or two queen beds. Light sleepers take note: The hotel overlooks the L train, which can be noisy. 

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Features

Chic salon, plus 24-hour fitness and business center, but cafe is small with limited hours

The hotel has several property features, though most have a pretty standard feel. There's a 24-hour fitness center in a space that looks like a converted conference room, but it's outfitted with modern cardio equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes) and weight-lifting equipment, including free weights. The on-site salon is one of the hotel's most stylish features, with a pretty chic boutique feel. Aside from haircuts, it offers manicures, facials, and waxing. 

The property has several meeting and event rooms, audiovisual equipment for rental, and a fairly roomy 24-hour business center with computers situated at individual desks with ergonomic chairs, plus a corner with a microwave and free coffee and tea. 

The hotel lacks full dining facilities. There's a small, privately-owned cafe on-site, but it's small, closes in the mid-afternoon, and isn't opened Mondays. Items like breakfast sandwiches and pastries are available here for purchase, but there's no standard hotel buffet breakfast. There is also a small sports bar on-site, but it's not associated with the property.

The hotel has free Wi-Fi, free parking, and free morning coffee. The front desk is open 24 hours and offers some concierge services, like luggage storage, recommendations, and calling taxis. 

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

Chicago South Loop Hotel

Scene

Clean, mid-range business hotel with standard amenities and basic decor

The Chicago South Loop Hotel is situated in a purpose-built building with a white and brown-brick facade. The hotel attracts mainly business travelers, particularly those attending conferences at the nearby McCormick Convention Center. While it's a privately owned property, it still has a somewhat characterless chain-hotel feel, but it's clean and offers up most of the obligatory mid-range amenities. The lobby is nice and roomy with tiled and carpeted floors and warm wood accents. Leathery couches and arm chairs and other sitting areas give guests places to relax or hangout. Here and there, jazz-themed art hangs on the walls to liven things up. This is a satisfactory mid-range option, the biggest benefits here are the spacious rooms and competitive price. Be aware that the nearby railroad tracks can generate some noise. 

See More Scene

Location

Isolated spot somewhat south of the South Loop

The Chicago South Loop Hotel is removed from the city's main attractions, but it's fairly close to McCormick Convention Center, Chinatown, the Illinois Institute of Technology, and a handful of restaurants or bars. The hotel offers free parking and is directly across the street from the #29 bus, which can take guests to the heart of downtown Chicago in about 20 minutes. 

  • Two-minute drive to Illinois Institute of Technology (16-minute walk)
  • Three-minute drive to McCormick Place (20-minute walk)
  • Three-minute drive to Soldier Field
  • Four-minute drive to U.S. Cellular Field
  • Seven-minute drive to Adler Planetarium
  • Eight-minute drive to Shedd Aquarium
  • Eight-minute drive to Millennium Park
  • Nine-minute drive to Grant Park
  • 10-minute drive to Navy Pier
  • 30-minute drive to Chicago O’Hare International Airport
See More Location

Rooms

Spacious, clean rooms with mini-fridges and free Wi-Fi, but decor lacks character

Guest rooms here are fairly standard chain-hotel-style fare -- clean and relatively contemporary, but a bit characterless. Still, rooms are spacious compared to properties in the city center. The hotel has made updates to rooms since their 2008 opening; during our 2016 visit, they had almost finished revamping all units with new furniture, carpeting, and bedding. A typical entry-level Traditional Room might feature brown wall-to-wall carpeting, white and beige walls, and dark brown wood laminate furniture, with a jazz-themed photo decorating the wall. Bathrooms are neutral with beige tiling and white walls, and include deep tubs with showers. 

All rooms are air-conditioned and include desks with ergonomic chairs and armchairs, 32-inch flat-screen TVs with HBO and other channels, mini-fridges, coffee/tea facilities, iron and ironing boards, and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms have hairdryers and toiletries are loaded in wall-mounted dispensers. Higher-category rooms add sitting areas (with sofas, chairs, and coffee tables). Rooms may have one queen, one king, or two queen beds. Light sleepers take note: The hotel overlooks the L train, which can be noisy. 

See More Rooms

Features

Chic salon, plus 24-hour fitness and business center, but cafe is small with limited hours

The hotel has several property features, though most have a pretty standard feel. There's a 24-hour fitness center in a space that looks like a converted conference room, but it's outfitted with modern cardio equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes) and weight-lifting equipment, including free weights. The on-site salon is one of the hotel's most stylish features, with a pretty chic boutique feel. Aside from haircuts, it offers manicures, facials, and waxing. 

The property has several meeting and event rooms, audiovisual equipment for rental, and a fairly roomy 24-hour business center with computers situated at individual desks with ergonomic chairs, plus a corner with a microwave and free coffee and tea. 

The hotel lacks full dining facilities. There's a small, privately-owned cafe on-site, but it's small, closes in the mid-afternoon, and isn't opened Mondays. Items like breakfast sandwiches and pastries are available here for purchase, but there's no standard hotel buffet breakfast. There is also a small sports bar on-site, but it's not associated with the property.

The hotel has free Wi-Fi, free parking, and free morning coffee. The front desk is open 24 hours and offers some concierge services, like luggage storage, recommendations, and calling taxis. 

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Beauty / Hair Salon

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Spa

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.