Sonesta ES Suites Chicago - Lombard — Hotel in Lombard

Terrible customer service from a woman named Heather. I had a reservation for Tuesday Nov 21 but as we were driving 12 hours to get here I knew we would be late checking in. We called the hotel several times to let them know we would be late checking in but no one picked up the phone. So we proceed to the hotel anyway. And when we get to the hotel this morning, we discover that the lobby doors is locked and there is a letter taped to the lobby that says check in is from 9-5.

Keep in mind that none of this is on the website. The website lists check-in to be at 3pm. Anyway, we call the number that is displayed on the letter and speak to someone named Heather who claims she is the property owner. From the start of the conversation, she was rude and had a terrible attitude. She claimed to have worked a 24 hour shift and proceeds to tell us that we just woke her up. Then we explain to her that we are trying to check in, and she tells us because we didn’t check-in yesterday between 9-5 our reservation was canceled.

Keep in mind the day before we called several times (but no one picked up) to let them know that we would be late checking in. So naturally we were confused that our reservation was canceled, confused that check in is supposed to be between 9-5 when the website literally says check-in is at 3pm, and confused on why no one picked up the phone the day before when we were trying to let them know we would be arriving early this morning. Now we tried to explain this to her and she was very irate, and kept telling us that it does have that information on the website (go on the website and tell me where you see this) and that because we didn’t show up between 9 - 5 our reservation was canceled.

Naturally we begin to complain because if this is a policy then it needs to be shared on the website. It’s just good practice as a business and hotel to be upfront and transparent about policies such as the check in needing to take place between 9 - 5 and the fact that if you don’t show up between those hours you will lose your reservation. There also needs to be a call answering service because as I said, no one picked up the phone when we called the day before and we called several times. I’ve never ever dealt with s hotel where there was literally no one at the desk to answer the phone at all hours. But that’s another matter.

But what made this all extremely unpleasant is Heather’s attitude. She hung up on us several times. She threatened to block us and even told me that if we try to rebook at the hotel she will make sure it doesn’t go through. Again this is someone claiming to be the property manager, and she’s been nothing but unprofessional and rude. Oh and in regards to her claim that she worked a 24 hour shift, how Heather?

According to you, the office closes at 5. You didn’t pick up the phone at all yesterday. So if you worked 24 hours, what exactly were you doing because I can tell you what you weren’t: answering the phone.

We are now staying at the Surestay hotel right up the street. It has better reviews, better customer service, and people who are at the desk...

This hotel has great potential if they make certain changes to their policies for entering occupied rooms. The hotel is about a ten minute drive from a Metra station taking you directly into Chicago, also close to stores and restaurants. The rooms are large and get good light. Soundproofing is decent. The hotel is short on kitchen supplies, so whatever is missing from your room you may need to buy yourself. The carpets are very dirty. I brought my own vacuum to clean but they need steam cleaning or replacement - there are brown and yellow stains all over. My internet connection was good 90% of the time. Key only stopped working once (thankfully during the day). Parking is far from some of the rooms and there is an active fire station across the street. I had very pleasant interactions with all but one of the staff and would have left a 4-star review if it weren't for one thing:

I arrived late and early the next morning a man opened my door seconds after knocking. He asked if I needed service. I said no and quickly shut my door back. When I went to the front desk to make sure this person worked there, a woman apologized and explained that there was a problem when I checked in and they didn't know who was in the room and wanted to check. I was okay with that honest answer. A week later, the same man (a maintenance worker) knocked on my door on a Saturday morning. I was in the middle of shaving/showering so I stuck my head out the bathroom door to make sure my deadlock was set and called out I was busy. A minute later I heard another knock so I stepped out to yell again that it wasn't a good time, but I saw a metal wire opening my deadlock. I quickly ran downstairs and grabbed the door handle to keep the door shut but he kept on trying to open it. I explained that I was in the middle of showering and he apologized and left. When I went to the front desk and told them what happened, the lady just stared at me blankly and gave a weird explanation about someone being locked out (were they letting someone else into my room?) and said it was her fault. It did not make sense and she did not apologize, show empathy, or give any indication that it wouldn't happen again. She did not even ask what room I was in.

I have a problem with the fact that maintenance carries around a device to open people's deadbolts - that is the reason for a 1 star review. If the deadbolt is set (its not possible to set it from outside the room) and I put the sticker on the outside to indicate that I am sleeping, what reason is there to come in my room that early in the morning or at all? It shows absolutely no respect for the customer's basic dignity. I was a female solo traveler and the experience left me with shaking hands for hours. It was really not ok that it happened and I wasn't happy with how it was...

I stayed at the Sonesta in Lombard May 7-9. However, before my stay was completed we were asked to leave. A total of 6 people were staying in my loft (all female). Security (Medina and A. Baitz) knocked on the door and accused us of having a party and smelling "weed." No one was smoking weed. I even asked security, as well as your front desk attendant, to check the room and they refused. I was charged $836. Security clearly said we were getting put out because of weed, then said ok, if not for weed then let's say overcapacity. My son and 2 nephews came to have dinner and were leaving. No one stayed overnight but my wife, my daughter, her best friend, and my 2 nieces. Security never previously knocked on our door (liked they said they did). They knocked on the door under us for noise. Security was rude, disrespectful, and argumentative. Every time I asked a question, they got loud, and at some point yelling in my face. Not once did I get loud, use foul language, or any form of profanity. I even went to the front desk, about the condition of the room (which I took pictures of). I have pictures that are dated & time stamped. I specifically asked security for the reason we were being asked to leave, and "weed" was the answer. As soon as I identified myself as a federal employee and that my wife is an attorney, security said, "Ok, well if it's not weed, then it's because you're overcapacity." The front desk said no one was available for me to talk to me at the time, but did provide me with a card to email the manager (which later I discovered is the housekeeping manager Cbergman email). The front desk agent who completed my check-in also advised sending an email & pics about the condition of the room, after I initially inspected the room. I have never felt so harassed by security. They couldn't even provide a valid reason, all the while young people were gathered in the parking lot and definitely smoking weed (and most certainly not connected to our group at all). I checked my credit card this morning to see if the charges changed, they did not. I want a full refund. My entire stay was horrible and I should've left after we saw the conditions of the room. However, I allowed my daughter to decide if she wanted to stay or leave. It was her 21st birthday and now that memory is ruined. What was supposed to be an awesome weekend of shopping, brunch, dinner, and pampering for my daughter's 21st birthday, was...