Kimpton Gray Hotel — Hotel in Chicago

This review is admittedly quite nitpicky - this a good hotel! - but I think it’s worth sharing our experience in case other folks have the same travel hopes as we did. If you get through my gripes, there’s a list of good at the end!

Absolutely excellent service by all staff, across the board. The attention to detail was amazing. But this hotel was overall not a good fit for our purposes/goals. We were hoping to find a hotel great for lounging around the room - a really comfy place to just relax away from home with our pup. Their current marketing towards locals about staycations is part of why we chose the Gray.

But the hotel was pretty evidently originally designed to be an upscale business hotel - a goal I’m certain it meets flawlessly. I think it’s also probably a really great place to stay if you’re a tourist with a busy itinerary and want a comfortable and pleasant hotel to come back to at the end of your sightseeing day. It’s not ideal for just kicking back and enjoying extensive downtime in the room. We booked the one bedroom king suite, and there are a variety of very small reasons we felt this way: 1) the couch is too narrow - it’s not really designed for two people to cuddle up and watch a movie. 2) the TV has no “smart” capabilities. Our options were pay-per-view movies or cable, which certainly isn’t world ending, but we’d hoped to be able to watch our shows together. The TV is also mounted inside a sort of frame on the wall, so we weren’t able to set up any kind of workaround like via HDMI or Chromecast etc. 3) the highlight of our room, and part of what we paid Kimpton prices for, was supposed to be the soaking tub. It’s certainly beautiful and very large, but it’s an uncomfortable tub to lounge in - the sides are almost perfectly vertical, and the lip of the tub, where you’re likely to want to rest your head, is very thin and so quite painful to rest against after only a few minutes. Neither of us took the long, soaking baths we were so excited about.

Though the staff’s attention to detail was phenomenal, the room design/detail was hit or miss. For example, the room phone couldn’t reach the on-site restaurant when we tried to follow directions for ordering room service. The couch is meant to be a pull-out sleeper sofa, but the coffee table in the room was solid marble and therefore extremely heavy and difficult to move to allow the couch to be expanded. There is a mini fridge in the room, but it doesn’t get very cold. I wouldn’t trust it with anything that needs to stay a certain temperature (like meds or pet food). There was lighting/a lamp only at one end of the couch, which became an annoyance in the evening when we both wanted to read but only one area of the room had enough light to do so. An additional annoyance is that only one our room keys seemed to work at a time - if the front desk fixed one, the other would stop working. Finally, two of us were booked into the room, but only one robe was provided at check in.

Here’s what did work: the lobby happy hour was really great - in addition to wine, they were offering spiked hot cider, and it was delicious. The morning coffee in the lobby was lovely, and I appreciate that they offered a non-dairy milk option (almond, when we were staying). Again, the staff were so great. The biggest standout is that we ended up checking out earlier than we planned because our dog was very stressed out by being downtown - the staff waived the penalty fee and gave us a late check out so that we had enough time to get all of our stuff packed up. Additionally, at one point I was chatting with staff at the front desk and was trying to wipe my glasses off while talking to them. They told me to hang tight for a second, went to the back, and re-emerged with lens wipes for me! It was a really lovely, thoughtful moment. Specific shout outs go to Vesna, Mamadou, and Ryan.

Overall, this is a good hotel, elevated especially by its staff. But it didn’t quite meet our needs, mainly through no fault of its own. I hope this review helps you plan your...

Unfortunately, this hotel was a massive let down. As you’ve likely read (or should read!) in the previous reviews, there is no housekeeping. None. The hotel representative has responded to the bad reviews saying they would “address the issues directly” but I assure you, they have not been resolved. We did not receive one room cleaning during our entire 3 night stay. When we checked in, we were told that housekeeping was running on a short staff, so we would not receive a daily cleaning, however we were assured that we were scheduled for a cleaning Sunday (which is our last night). Saturday, we called down asking for clean towels and a possible cleaning. We were told (again) we would receive our scheduled cleaning Sunday, but they would bring towels up. When we returned to our room, our fresh linens had been dropped on the hotel floor in front of the door to our room. Gross. We then called down again, asking for more, fresh linens. A bit later, they were delivered to us, and the manager (?) expressed his disappointment in the staff for leaving linens on the ground and reassured us (again!) that we would have a cleaning done Sunday. It’s now Sunday. We returned to a room this evening that had not been touched. When we rang down to the front, we were informed that the one housekeeper didn’t show up to work today so, no one had rooms that were cleaned. While we are empathetic to that, it is simply not our problem as paying guests. We are paying a full price stay at a hotel that isn’t even offering basic services right now. If the prices reflected that this is no longer a full service hotel, our expectations would not have been as high. To be fair, we booked this hotel through a third party who completely misrepresented what this hotel is (or is NOT, rather) offering. We did take that up with the booking site. However, as guests in the hotel, who were promised and reassured by multiple people that we would receive at least one housekeeping service on Sunday, we are disappointed in the hotel itself. We didn’t receive any form of communication from the hotel this morning when the housekeeper didn’t show up. We 100% would have booked a different hotel had we been aware of how serious this issue was.

EDITED TO ADD: after much back and forth and pleading our case to the manager (a total of 6 calls to the hotel and the third party booking agency where each entity blamed each other for misrepresentation.. again, not our problem), we were granted a refund for one nights stay, plus late checkout at no additional charge. We are grateful for that concession.

While I appreciate the staff is clearly stretched incredibly thin, the hotel was aware that we were unhappy, from both calls from us and from the third party booking company, yet, not one manager took it upon themselves to reach out to us directly to see how the concerns could be rectified. The only offer we got was from the night receptionist offering to come empty our trash at 10pm.. that is not her job. Even more frustrating is the manager told the third party company that they offered to clean our room- which is a far cry from the actual offer of emptying the trash. I highly recommend management at least touching base with the guests at the hotel daily, especially in the event of cleanings falling through last minute. Communication is key and can circumvent a lot of dissatisfaction. There is no reality in which anyone wants to pay full price for half price service. We usually love Kimpton properties so we are hoping this one finds a...

From the moment we arrived at the Kimpton Gray Hotel in Chicago, it was clear this property is a cut above the rest. I’ve stayed in many hotels around the country, and few manage to strike the perfect balance between modern luxury, warm hospitality, and seamless service the way the Gray does. Everything about this stay exceeded expectations and made us feel both genuinely welcomed and exceptionally well taken care of.

The standout of our experience began at the front desk with Del. He embodies everything you could hope for in a front desk agent: professional, attentive, personable, and genuinely committed to ensuring guests feel at home. Del greeted us with such warmth and a smile that immediately put us at ease after a long day of travel. He went above and beyond to answer our questions, provide local recommendations, and make sure we had everything we needed for a smooth check-in. His level of attentiveness made it feel less like a transaction and more like a personal welcome into a friend’s home. It’s rare to meet someone who has the ability to make every guest feel like the most important person in the hotel, but Del absolutely does. He turned what could have been just another check-in into a true highlight of our trip.

Another shining star of the Kimpton Gray team was Keanu, who helped us with our food orders throughout our stay. In a city as vibrant as Chicago, we had a lot of choices, and Keanu made sure that whatever we needed was handled quickly, efficiently, and with incredible service. He was proactive in making sure orders were accurate, checked in to confirm timing, and delivered everything with the kind of professionalism and friendliness that instantly brightens your day. It’s clear he takes pride in his role, and that pride shows in the way he ensures every guest is taken care of without a single detail being overlooked.

Beyond the amazing staff, the hotel itself is stunning. The building’s historic architecture blends seamlessly with the stylish, modern interiors that Kimpton is known for. The rooms are thoughtfully designed, beautifully maintained, and very comfortable — perfect for both relaxation and productivity. Every corner of the property feels elegant yet welcoming, and the little touches (from the décor to the amenities) reflect a true attention to detail.

What really sets the Kimpton Gray apart, however, is the way the staff elevate the experience. A beautiful building is important, but it’s people like Del and Keanu who make the stay unforgettable. Their professionalism, kindness, and dedication turn a great hotel into one you’ll rave about and return to.

If you’re visiting Chicago and want a hotel that delivers not just luxury but also genuine hospitality, the Kimpton Gray is the place to stay. Thanks to Del and Keanu, this trip was one we’ll never forget. Five stars...