Kimpton Gray Hotel by IHG

Our family have stayed at this hotel twice and it is nice enough. The housekeeping staff was exceptional, and the rest of the staff was OK. They have a nice selection of tea in the mornings which I appreciate as someone who doesn't drink coffee. When we stayed in 2022, they had a larger selection of teas and served muffins in the morning and I probably would have given them 5 stars. On this 2025 trip, they no longer served muffins and only had caffeinated tea. It was still a good hotel, but not as good as our previous stay.

This is a pleasant hotel. The location is a bit meh to be honest, especially if you’re actually from or live in Chicago. The rooms are very clean and the amenities offered are quite nice. The restaurant “rooftop” is not a rooftop though so if you’re looking for those vibes it won’t be at your hotel. The hotel is quite honest about this but this is also not the type of hotel you should book if you’re looking for views etc.

Overall, our stay at the hotel was okay, but it fell short in several important areas. First, although every room is supposed to come equipped with an umbrella, ours was missing one. When we asked the front desk for a replacement, we were simply told to go to Walgreens to buy one. This response felt dismissive and not what we would expect from a hotel trying to offer good service, especially since it was raining during our stay. We also had a concerning experience with the elevator. While riding with a group of other guests, the elevator suddenly dropped a floor. It was frightening, and we all chose to get out and not use elevator 4 for the rest of our stay. The rooms themselves could use some updating, particularly with technology. The televisions are not smart TVs, so you’re unable to stream apps, something that would have been especially nice while waiting out the rainy weather. On a positive note, the drinks served at the first-floor bar were excellent. However, drinks on the second floor left much to be desired. In summary, while the hotel is nice in appearance, the service and amenities do not reflect a high-end experience. With a few improvements in guest service, technology, and building maintenance, it could be much better.