This is probably one of the best hostels I've stayed at in the U.S. I've stayed at this hostel twice now. The first time was in 2015 and the second time this past month for Market Days. Location: The hostel is centrally located in Downtown Chicago/the Loop. It's easily accessible to get to and from O'Hare Airport via the Blue Line which runs 24 hours. The closest CTA station is Jackson Station which also has connections to many other CTA lines. The hostel is also located within walking distance to many other tourist hotspots like Millennium Park, Broadway shows, Lou Malnati's Pizza (10 minutes), etc. There's also a CVS Pharmacy at the corner of the street that sells liquor and other essentials. On the weekday, the area is bustling with downtown workers, but on the weekends, it's like a ghost town. Most restaurants and stores close by 8/9pm. The only place to eat at if you have a late night is Taco Bell which closes at 2am. Another downside is that there are a lot of homeless people that have set up camp in front and around the hostel, so some people may feel unsafe walking around. Security: The property is very secure. There are multiple entry points to get into the hostel with a key card. There's another entry point to get access to the elevator banks that lead to the rooms as well as required card access to go upstairs and into the rooms. There's also a 24-hour front desk. This was a saving grace for me because my flight from New York was delayed that I ended up arriving at 3:30am. Keep in mind, if you plan to arrive after 3am, you should notify/call the front desk and let them know otherwise they'll mark you as a no-show and cancel your reservation. They also have storage lockers/a luggage room for a fee. Facilities/Amenities: My original reservation was for a 4-bed male dormitory, but there was someone sleeping in my assigned bunk. When you arrive, there is a fitted sheet, pillow sheets, a bath towel, and a face towel (no comforter). You are expected to make your bed. Since I arrived so late and my roommates were already asleep, the overnight staff (DJ) was nice enough to put me in an 8-bed dormitory that was unoccupied, so that I didn't wake up anyone. Both rooms were very spacious/high ceilings/massive windows with a lot of space to store luggage and walk around. All the rooms have lockers (bring your own lock or buy one at the front desk). In the 4-bed dorm, there is a common area with a kitchen/bathroom that connects with 2 suites. The 8-bed room is setup where the toilet, shower, and sink are all in separate areas instead of all in one room. The shower area has dispensers for body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. There are also common showers and toilets on every floor. The downside of the dormitory is that you can't control the temperature of the room. Summers in Chicago are hot and humid and the room was kept in the 60s, which I loved. But, my roommates thought it was too cold for them. The WiFi access is very stable and fast. Th
104 Reviews