voco Chicago Downtown - Riverwalk by IHG — Hotel in Chicago

Overall this was a good experience. I almost canceled my reservation due to mixed reviews. After my stay, I realized the mix reviews more than likely were from guests who are used to staying at luxury 5-star hotels. Who doesn't love a 5-star hotel, but Voco for the price point is very decent and obviously not 5-star.

In summary, as a guest my top 3 priorities are the following - safe area, clean room, comfortable bed. Voco meets each of these. The bed was extremely comfortable, the room was very clean! Filtered water available in the hallways is a fantastic feature! I read the breakfast buffet had some bad reviews, but the area was extremely clean, the food was tasty and HUGE plus OJ and coffee is included in the price of $25 - you CANNOT get any cheaper than that for breakfast around the Chicago Downtown Area for those that complained about the price. Buffet features poached eggs, and fresh fruit. Based on reviews I skipped breakfast the first day, which I regretted since I went to the Blue Bottle Coffee down the plaza only to pay $35 for a coffee and mediocre breakfast sandwich - again folks $25 for full service breakfast is not bad in the comfort of your own hotel. I had the room with skyline views which were absolutely amazing!

Cons: HVAC needs attention/service/repair. Extremely loud when it starts in the room (at least my room), sounds like you are starting an old car whose engine is stalling. Not a deal breaker during the day, but at night it is very unpleasant. There should be a security device added to elevators so a card scanner is needed to access floors. Having to take (2) different elevators to access rooms is annoying but partly because all the elevators are not working correctly.

In summary, if you can bypass the annoying elevators, popcorn ceilings, and loud AC units - this is a great choice for the price point. Again based on some mixed reviews I almost canceled but overall I felt very safe, the hallways at night are very quiet and it was crowed this weekend for Labor Day and the ARC music festival and I was scared I was not going to get sleep, but surprisingly very quiet minus the AC in the room. Very clean, and very comfortable bed, great size TV with great channel selection. Convenient parking right across the hotel, get your ticket validated on your first night and the gates open automatically without having to dig for the QR code for in...

I have no idea why there are so many negative reviews. It seems these are people looking for discounts. This Hotel was nice, set right on the river. I went through a few rooms and nearly all of them have a very good view of the night lights of the city. There isn't any that didn't have a good view. Holiday Inn are the lower floors, which have some blocked views.

The room was fine, typical for any hotel. But the environment of the hotel was FAR BEYOND a cheap hotel. I've stayed in $400-$800/night hotels in Chicago, that were Sooo much worse than this place.

I was surprised that these rooms are anywhere below $300 a night, because they are the SAME as any medium level hotels in the area. The lobby areas and sitting areas are FAR beyond nicer than any low priced hotels. This was beyond expectations. We were only looking for a River View, but got soo much more.

The Staff was nice and fine. Anyone who claims the "staff is the reason for a negative review" are only saying that for a discount. The people who greet you don't affect your mentality of your stay.. You are there to rest and get refreshed for your day.. I'd be more affected by other people staying at the hotels negative interactions than staff.. These people go through a lot and can't expect to always have a smile. But the days we were there, they were completely normal and kind and helped when needed.

As for the WATER Machine... After 30-40 hotel stays a quarter. If I spend less than $350/night. There is no water machine with water choices. This place has them. So you are getting quality for a lower price.

Breakfast was great. Literally great flavor and hot. Everything was perfectly cooked like a 2 to 3 star quality. The reviews that claimed it was all cold, obviously had late breakfast. What you can expect for not having it fresh and ready.

We will always stay at this hotel for now on, while in the city. It beat the 20+ others in the area by far. Price, location, cleanliness, view, food and...

We recently stayed at this hotel and genuinely enjoyed several aspects of our experience. The location is convenient to many attractions in and around the Chicago River North. The room was clean, well-maintained, and offered a stunning view of the Chicago skyline and river—a true highlight. The bed was very comfortable, the air conditioning worked flawlessly, and the bathroom was functional with a reliably hot shower. While the decor may not have been lavish, it was tasteful and added to a pleasant ambiance.

A thoughtful touch we truly appreciated was the water filling stations offering purified water in cold, hot, and even sparkling options—something quite rare and a welcome convenience. The inclusion of a steamer in the room was another unexpected but very useful amenity.

That said, a few aspects could be improved to enhance the overall guest experience. The elevator system is in need of a redesign or upgrade. Having to change elevators just to reach your room adds unnecessary time and inconvenience, especially when occupancy is high. Lines tend to form, and not all elevators were functioning during our stay. High-speed elevators or a direct route from the main entrance to the guest floors would be a welcome and very well received customer experience improvement.

In-room functionality also had some shortcomings. Many USB charging ports were not working. The lack of a master switch for lighting made it cumbersome to go around the room turning on or off individual lamps—a small but annoying inconvenience. The in-room safe was locked upon arrival and could not be used. Cable TV service was noticeably laggy, and the complimentary in-room coffee was not always replenished, with room service proving inconsistent.

Overall, while there are areas that merit attention, the positives—especially the views and select in-room amenities—left a favorable impression. With some thoughtful operational refinements, this hotel has the potential to offer an exceptional...