Courtyard by Marriott Chicago Downtown Hubbard Street
The Courtyard by Marriott Downtown East Hubbard Street is located near the subway Station “Grand” of the Red Line and therefore easy to
reach by public transportation. Coming from Midway you change trains
at “Roosevelt Station”, if you arrive from O’Hara Airport you change trains at “Lake / State Street” Station best (need of
stored value card or transfer pass for free transfer). From “Grand”
Station you walk two blocks in south direction and the hotel is right at the corner. You see it from the subway station. “Magnificent
Mile” could be reached by food in less than five minutes and the Loop
District is also in walkable distance. So the hotel is a good place if you like to reach both parts of Chicago easily.
The hotel is part of a complex which includs also has a parking garage and an apartment building. It is not built of some extraordinary architecture as one
could expect in Chicago, it is a building which could stand in nearly every city.
You enter the building with its 302 rooms including 35
suites through a covered driveway. The lobby is a little bit dark. Right hand side are meeting rooms and the storage room for the
luggage, there are additional meeting rooms in the basement. Opposite
the entrance is the reception of the hotel, left of the reception
desk is a room where one can get beverage and some salads and snacks from a refrigerator. On the left side it the bar “30 East Bar &
Grill” which is open in the evening and serving snacks. The
Restaurant “30 East Café” is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In
between the bar and the restaurant are the central elevators located. Lounge chairs with table are placed in the lobby. This part is
looking like many Courtyard Hotels.
The “30 East Café” has windows to State Street and is nicely decorated. Nothing special but it is okay. Curtains are at the windows so passing pedestrian could not look inside easily.
On the sixth floor (there are no rooms on the first to fifth floor) is the pool with Jacuzzi and gym. You need your Key card to enter this
part. The Jacuzzi is right when you enter and you have to pass it
before you enter the pool area. Again you need the Key card. There is
a terrace at the pool which is used as sun deck in summer. The pool
is long but small and really cold. Some chairs are standing at the
pool. You must pass this area to reach the gym. The Gym is equipped
with treadmills, steppers, bicycles etc. and not very big. Pool (not
Jacuzzi) and Gym are shared with the residents of the apartment complex and therefore this part could become crowded in the afternoon
when most people return from office. Unfortunately only one changing
room and no locker available, so one has to take his stuff with in
the pool and place in on one of the chairs standing aside the pool.
Stays: 16 January 2006
Visited on New York and Chicago Trip 2006
direct link to hotel: Courtyard Chicago Downtown
Arrival Date: 16th January 2006
Departure Date: 17th January 2006
Room type booked: Superior Room
Rate Plan: Travelzoo Promotion
Room Number: 1429
Room Rate: 79.00 USD (excl.
Taxes)
Status of
MR: Base
Check in was friendly and fast. I was greeted and while the keycard was prepared I was asked if this was my first time in Chicago. I answered
it was and so I got a map of Downtown Chicago and some other information published by Chicago Tourism Board and a map of the shops at Magnificent Mile. If any question left, I should not hesitate to contact front desk I was told. This was really nice and warm welcome by the hotel staff. Later I discovered the inhabitants of Chicago seem to be very proud of their city and the offer help and information without asking. In general, the most people of Chicago (some exceptions are there) are very friendly and helpful.
The rooms are from 6th to 15th floor. The hallways are wide, but one is missing some decorating. You could not say, they are cold, but you feel something’s missing. So the part looks a little bit cold, but not in bad condition. I would say, it is a typical Courtyard interior, as the rooms are decorated in the same Courtyard style with green carpet and red couches and chairs.
Looking of the room’s design, it is a typical hotel room. Right near the entrance door is the bathroom. Like the Holiday-Inn
Midtown in New York, the wash basin is in the corridor in front of the bathroom. The space beside the washbasin was limited, especially as the coffee facilities were placed there. Coffee was available free, but you have to pay 2.00 USD if you use the Starbucks coffee. Opposite washbasin is the closet with ironing board. The bathroom with toilet and bathtub is in good condition, shower head seems to be new as the inner part of the shower curtain was. Only the light could have been brighter. The room was dark,
especially as shower curtain was also dark. I would preferred another spot over the bathtub.
The room was of normal size. The grand-lit was placed at the wall to the bathroom facing the window. A couch was at the right wall. It could used as bet for a third person. A table in front of the couch was a nice addition to the working desk at the other wall. It has a high speed
internet connection and a wall mounted desk lamp. Beside the working desk was a small board with the TV on it. Unfortunately TV was not placed on a rotating plate and if you are lying in the bed TV was difficult to watch. A bottle of water was available for a fee of 4.50 USD.
Turndown service was not offered.
Breakfast was served in the “30 East Café”. American Buffet was offered for 13.95 USD while Continental Buffet was available for 11.95 USD. I took the American Buffet as the 2.00 USD seems
to be worth. In addition to the normal Continental Buffet, which consisted of bagels, muffins, toast, cornflakes, jam, the American Buffet has scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausages and pancakes. If one liked, fried eggs or an omelette were prepared. Staff was friendly, empty table were cleared at once and I got plenty of refills of orange juice and even an additional pot of coffee.
Check out was again friendly. I was asked if everything was okay. Luggage was stored during the day. I will
return to this hotel if no other hotel is available (Marriott is not my favourite chain). The location is good and service is friendly and helpful. The rate I got was very good, but there are many other hotels in Downtown Chicago, so it is possible to get every now and then a good rate at one of this hotels.
