I stayed at this hotel because it was hosting a conference I had to attend for my doctoral program. When I arrived ,the front desk staff was wonderful! I was exhausted from having been travelling for 10 hours and they made check in an absolute breeze. I even got a room upgrade to a Club Level Junior Suite with a river view because the hotel was sold out on the night I arrived...this was pure luck I know.

The rooms were very well appointed and the beds are comfy and soft though not quite as comfortable as the Hilton, Hyatt or Starwood properties I have stayed at. The view was great and the hotel lobby was beutiful and comfortable just to hang out in. I highly recommend just sitting at the bar and socializing or doing some people watching, even if you don't drink. I don't drink and I still had a great time. This hotel is in the heart of downtown and the bar has one wall that is all windows so you could just sit and take in the views. Directly across the street from the main entrance is the Chicago River Walk so you don't even have to go to far to take in the local sights. Almost all of the biggest down town attractions are within walking distance of this hotel, a major plus!

The concierge desk will also give you a great list of local eateries and pubs if you are interested and they have lots of discount coupons for you as well. If clubbing is your thing, they have lots of VIP passes to local clubs, you just need to ask. On the whole, all of the staff were extremely helpful and friendly.

My only complaint about the entire hotel experience is that they keep the place pretty cold, even after I bumped the temperature in my room up to 75 degrees it still seemed cold. Also on the down side, if you plan to drive in, parking is a whopping $48 per day :- (

All in all, this was a very nice hotel with great staff in an awesome location. I absolutely recommend it.

The Renaissance has changed its image from a standard hotel to what they now call an "urban sanctuary" -- and this label could not be more true. The renovations they have made include a fantastic and comprehensive fitness center, stretch room, and pool area. Additionally, their restaurant and lounge are excellent and the rooms are designed with everything that a guest seeking a "sanctuary" would desire.

The best part of this hotel, however, remains the staff and the service. Everyone at the Renaissance goes above and beyond and truly has the enjoyment of the guest as the top priority.

The only downsides to the Renaissance are that it is difficult to get a cup of coffee before 6 am and they have started spraying this very pungent scent throughout the lobby that caused some problems with my fiancee, who is very sensitive to various odors.

Above all, however, the Renaissance is a fantastic hotel that I would recommend wholeheartedly.

I stayed at the Chicago Renaissance for a conference for work. When I walked in I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the lobby was, and check in was a breeze. However, other than those two, my stay was just ok. Nothing wrong, but not great. The room is pretty spacious for being in a city, and the bed was very comfortable. However, the bathroom, while nicely appointed, had a funny smell. It came and went throughout my stay, as if it was coming from a vent to another room? Also, while the TV was nice, flat, wide-screen, the picture still came in fuzzy, which was weird. Not enough to ask to change, but it was weird. Also, I had to ask a few times to get any packages that came for me (the conference was in the hotel). This is likely a reflection on the banquets department rather than the bellhop.

The good news is that the location was very convenient with quite a few restaurants within a five minute walk, and a cute cafe across the street for a quick breakfast.

Next time I am in Chicago and have a choice of hotels, I wouldn't choose this one. There are just too many other, better choices in the same price range. It was fine, but for the price should have been better.

We stayed two nights at the Renaissance last week. We had stayed here several years ago and had security issues at that time. This time, on the morning of check-out, I happened to notice a small corner of a piece of paper that was 7/8ths outside in the hall. It was our bill, not in an envelope, with our name, address, charges and credit card used all out there for any passer-by to see. The room itself was okay though the toilet was rather sluggish. The bathrobe provided looked like it was ready for the rag bag. There were plenty of clean towels provided and the bed was comfortable. Next time we'll stick to the Swiss or the Talbot.