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Congress Plaza Hotel

3.5 star property
Downtown Chicago's iconic landmarks like the Museum of Contemporary Photography await exploration, with convenient dining options to fuel each day's adventures

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for Congress Plaza Hotel

A spacious lobby with a central sofa, multiple seating areas, and a decorative ceiling. - Congress Plaza Hotel (Chicago)
Outdoor seating with yellow umbrellas labeled "Twisted Tea," wicker chairs, and tables. - Congress Plaza Hotel (Chicago)
A grand ballroom with ornate ceiling decorations, multiple chandeliers, and a central table with a white tablecloth. - Congress Plaza Hotel (Chicago)
A cityscape with various buildings, including a prominent skyscraper and a classical building with arched windows. - Congress Plaza Hotel (Chicago)
A spacious bar area with a central bar, multiple seating options including bar stools and tables, and a well-lit ceiling with recessed lighting. - Congress Plaza Hotel (Chicago)
Experience the vibrant energy of Chicago at Congress Plaza Hotel, where shopping and dining meet. Enjoy a meal at one of the two on-site restaurants, unwind with a coffee or cocktail from the coffee shop/cafe or 2 bars, and stay connected with free in-room WiFi. Guests rave about this hotel's central location near Auditorium Building and Theatre.

Reviews

8.0 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Air conditioning
  • Gym
  • Breakfast available
  • Parking available
  • Business services

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 12 of 12 rooms

View all photos for Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Lake View

A hotel room with a bed, a desk, a chair, a window with curtains, and a view of the outdoors.

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Lake View

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(246 reviews)
  • Lake view
  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free wired internet

View all photos for Queen Room

A hotel room with a bed, a desk with a lamp, a chair, and large windows with curtains.

Queen Room

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free wired internet

View all photos for Standard Suite, 1 King Bed, Lake View, Lakeside

A modern living room with a flat-screen TV, two sofas, a coffee table, and a TV stand.

Standard Suite, 1 King Bed, Lake View, Lakeside

8.6 out of 10
Excellent
(23 reviews)
  • Lake view
  • 50 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free wired internet

View all photos for Family Suite

Hypo-allergenic bedding available, in-room safe, desk, laptop workspace

Family Suite

  • Sleeps 6
  • 2 Double Beds and 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Standard Room, 1 King Bed

A bedroom with a bed, nightstands, a painting, and a patterned rug.

Standard Room, 1 King Bed

7.8 out of 10
Good
(597 reviews)
  • 26 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free wired internet

View all photos for Standard Room, 2 Double Beds

A bedroom with two beds, a nightstand, a lamp, and a view of the city through a window.

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds

7.8 out of 10
Good
(518 reviews)
  • 22 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds
  • Free wired internet

View all photos for Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Lake View

A hotel room with two beds, each with a blue quilted bedspread and matching pillows. There is a bedside table with a lamp between the beds.

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Lake View

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(139 reviews)
  • Lake view
  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds
  • Free wired internet

View all photos for Family Suite

A hotel room with two beds, a desk, a chair, and a window with curtains.

Family Suite

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(81 reviews)
  • 50 sq m
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed and 2 Double Beds
  • Free wired internet

View all photos for Accessible Standard Room, 2 Double Beds

A modern hotel room with two beds, a round dining table, and a small seating area.

Accessible Standard Room, 2 Double Beds

7.8 out of 10
Good
(62 reviews)
  • 23 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds
  • Free wired internet

View all photos for Queen Room, Interior View

A hotel room with a bed, two bedside tables, a desk, a chair, and a window with curtains.

Queen Room, Interior View

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free wired internet

View all photos for Queen Room, Interior View

A modern bedroom with a city view, a large bed with blue bedding, a desk with a computer, and a flat-screen TV.

Queen Room, Interior View

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(172 reviews)
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free wired internet

View all photos for Junior Suite, City View

A modern bedroom with a large bed, two bedside tables, a window with curtains, a radiator, and a view of a building.

Junior Suite, City View

  • City view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free wired internet

About the neighborhood

Near a metro station, Congress Plaza Hotel is in Downtown Chicago, a walkable area in Chicago with good shopping. Auditorium Building and Theatre and Museum of Contemporary Photography are cultural highlights, and some of the area's notable landmarks include Fine Arts Building and Mergenthaler Lofts. Columbia College Chicago and Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies are two other places to visit that come recommended. Looking to get your feet wet? Windsurfing and sailing adventures can be found near the property. Guests love the hotel's central location for the sightseeing. It's also convenient to public transportation: Harrison Station is 5 minutes by foot and Harold Washington Library Station is 6 minutes. Visit our Chicago travel guide
Map
520 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60605

What's nearby

  • A park with walking paths, trees, and benches. In the background, there are tall buildings, including a prominent skyscraper.
    Grant Park
    1 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • A city skyline with illuminated skyscrapers and a fountain with water jets.
    Buckingham Fountain
    6 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • A cityscape with modern skyscrapers and the Cloud Gate sculpture.
    Millennium Park
    9 min walk - 0.5 miles
  • Auditorium Building and Theatre
    2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Columbia College Chicago
    2 min walk - 0.1 miles

Getting around

  • Chicago Van Buren Street Station
    2 min walk
  • Harrison Station
    5 min walk
  • Chicago O'Hare Intl. Airport (ORD)
    37 min drive

Restaurants

  • Starbucks
    5 min walk
  • South Loop Club
    6 min walk
  • Epic Burger
    4 min walk
  • Dunkin'
    6 min walk
  • Fontano's Pizza and Subs
    3 min walk

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free wired internet
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi and wired internet

Parking and transportation

  • Uncovered self parking on site (USD 62 per night)

Food and drink

  • Weekend full breakfast available 6:30 AM to 11:00 AM for a fee: USD 16 to 23 for adults and USD 12 to 18 for children
  • 2 bars/lounges
  • 2 restaurants
  • A coffee shop/cafe

Restaurants on site

  • Tavern Tap
  • Tavern Tap

Things to do

  • Bicycle storage
  • Gym
  • Shopping

Family friendly

  • In-room refrigerator

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • ATM
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Guidebooks
  • Hair salon
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk
  • Vending machine

Guest services

  • Change of bedsheets (on request)
  • Change of towels on request
  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • 50,000 square feet of conference space
  • Business center
  • Meeting rooms

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Assistive listening devices
  • Elevator
  • Hand-held showerhead
  • Smooth flooring in room
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible business center
  • Wheelchair-accessible gym
  • Wheelchair-accessible lounge
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible public washroom
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant

More

  • 14 floors
  • 3 buildings
  • Banquet hall
  • Built in 1893
  • Smoking not allowed
  • Some LED lighting used

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding

Bathroom

  • Deep soaking bathtub
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • TV with premium cable channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Limited room service
  • Refrigerator
  • Restaurant dining guides

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Eco-friendly toiletries
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laptop workspace
  • LED lighting
  • Phone
  • Recycling
  • Safe
  • Separate sitting area

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Early check-in subject to availability
Early check-in fee: USD 49.00
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before noon
Late check-out subject to availability
Late check-out fee: USD 59.00
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Children up to the age of 17 years can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 25.0 per day

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Deposit: USD 25.00 per night

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Fee for full breakfast: approximately USD 16 to 23 for adults, and USD 12 to 18 for children
  • Uncovered self parking fee: USD 62.00 per night
  • Early check-in fee: USD 49.00 (subject to availability)
  • Late check-out fee: USD 59.00 (subject to availability)
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 25.0 per day

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit, and window guards
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property
This property provides central air conditioning in summer and central heating in the winter. In-room climate control is not available.

We should mention

Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms

Frequently asked questions

Is Congress Plaza Hotel pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

How much is parking?

Self parking is available for USD 62.00 per night.

What time is check-in at Congress Plaza Hotel?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime. Early check-in is available for a fee of USD 49.00 (subject to availability).

What time is check-out at Congress Plaza Hotel?

Check-out is at noon. Late check-out is available for USD 59.00 (subject to availability).

Where is Congress Plaza Hotel located?

Located in Downtown Chicago, this hotel is steps from Columbia College Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Photography, and Auditorium Building and Theatre. Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies and Fine Arts Building are just steps away. Harrison Station and Chicago Van Buren Street Station are within a 5-minute walk.

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Congress Plaza Hotel Reviews

8.0

Very Good

8.2

Cleanliness

7.4

Amenities

8.4

Staff & service

7.2

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 4551 out of 10181 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2654 out of 10181 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1593 out of 10181 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 750 out of 10181 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 633 out of 10181 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

6/10 Okay

Carter

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Great location
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Colin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location with easy parking right behind the hotel. Many activities in walkable distance from the hotel as well.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Allison

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This will always be my go to place to stay in downtown Chicago. Fantastic location, clean and great staff.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Taste of Chicago was going on right outside the hotel. Great location and experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Avah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Door staff were more than accommodating and so helpful I loved them. The bar was also very nice.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Edwin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Convenient location at walking distance to main attractions in downtown. Small but clean room. Hotel parking at public parking locations.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Sharon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very comfortable bed and room. Will stay at this hotel again. Close to many attractions on the Loop.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Alexandra

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice clean room, nice staff, just kind of ugly old building but other than that we had a nice stay
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Nichole

Liked: Staff & service
Generally well located and clean, but so noisy due to being right on Michigan.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Gloria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Iconic hotel located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Friendly staff and fast check in experience. Clean rooms. Loved it for our Soldier Field event.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Julie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
The Congress Hotel is a beautiful older hotel. It unfortunately is in need of maintenance. Is a wonderful hotel of significant historical value.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

nelda

Disliked: Amenities
Great location. Beautiful Lobby. Rooms have some upgrades but minimal need work low water pressure
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Beth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Love the old classic hotels like the Congress, and its one of the best. Great location near a couple of el stops, cafes, and coffee shops. Nice people. Steve in the lobby was especially helpful. Recommended.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Samantha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Walking distance to the Field Museum, the aquarium, Art Institute, and Grant park. Clean rooms. Comfortable beds. Parked at the South Millennium Garage which was an easy walk even with luggage. Very convenient place to stay to enjoy all the touristy spots of Chicago.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful! Perfect location! Great amenities! Classic style! A great experience! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Jennifer

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Neat old building on Michigan Ave and clean room. Convenient location for our college orientation at CCC. Reasonably priced. Biggest complaint was that breakfast in the restaurant downstairs was slow. I’m
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Brad

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful location - we were right across from Buckingham Fountain. From the 11th floor, we had a great view of the lake. Old style elegance. The a/c - heating system is of a different era. I would not book a lake side room during the height of the summer - I don't think the system could keep up.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Rajita

Liked: Staff & service
Bathtub had stains in it, and hey clearly need to refurbish because it looks permanent. The hotel is run down on the inside. Location is nice though.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Shelby

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent location across from the Buckingham fountain in Grant Park and one block from the Metra. Beautiful historic lobby greets you, hallways on the upper floors are dated with old carpet and wallpaper, however the room was very nicely updated with modern finishes. Loved the mixture of historic and new, and our 10th floor room with a park/lake view was wonderful. See Cris at the hotel bar and ask for a Buckingham Old Fashioned, you won't be disappointed.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Eileen

Property was old style, needed up dates. Room ac very noisy and hard to regulate temperature in the room. Water shower pressure weak. Hotel was clean and staff nice.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Joan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was nice to be able to stay in a hotel that was closer to a 24-hour time than any have ever been in before. Checkin at 3:00 and check out at noon worked great for us to make the most of one night stay there. Expedia fail regarding parking options and pricing. However, I called the hotel directly to find out that I should download the Spothero app which I did to find parking close and convenient and at a far lesser price than Expedia was noting. The area felt safe and we easily walked to numerous places including the riverfront which was most enjoyable. There's lots of places to eat and drink in the area. The hotel does provide options but they're a bit pricey. We did enjoy a nightcap though there. The bar area is nice. Staff helpful and friendly.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We are a family of four (2 adults and 2 boys ages 15 and 13) and we stayed 3 nights in the Congress Plaza Hotel in mid July 2026. This was our third stay in the hotel within the past 7 years, so we knew what to expect. The location is awesome, staff is ok, and lobby is amazing. Our room was fine: it was comfortable, clean, and cool (good AC). Wifi was fine, bathroom stuff was fine. Our toilet would run if you didn't jiggle the handle, but it was not a big problem. The overall vibe is that the place is a little dingy and run-down in very insignificant ways, but felt very comfortable and safe for our family. We would gladly stay at the Congress again during a future trip to Chicago. Our visit coincided with some terrible air quality thanks to wildfire smoke blowing down into the city, but our room remained comfortable.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

nicole

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Historic hotel with great historic feel with updated amenities. Right near lots of things (millennium park). Only con: Ordered food to take back to our room in the lounge, and they were running behind so the bartender said he could call up to my room when ready for me to come get. After an hour I attempted to call them (they have no phone I’m told). I went down and found our food was sitting in the counter. Got it up to our room and food was cold. Frustrated that I didn’t get the call or just told to come back down at a certain time. I should have gone back, because it was a large order, but we were exhausted & at that point just wanted some food so we could go to bed. Otherwise the hotel was great
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Dakota

Liked: Staff & service
Was a great view but needs a bit of updating! The stairwell door is annoying! Anytime someone would go thru it would pull on our door and wake us from our sleep! AC barely worked. Couldn't do anything with the TV! NO streaming barely see it! At least get a smart TV!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Antonio

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
It's an old hotel and it shows its age. My room was clean and actually sterile looking but for a room it was clean. When I checked in and went to my room the two complimentary water bottles were empty like someone had drank them and left them in the gift bin on the desk. The window ac unit felt good in a hot day. The bathroom was lit by two weak bulbs and looked dinghy. The checkout counter staff was short and somewhat rude and lacked professionalism. It was like I was dealing with annoyed teenage cashiers at McDonalds. The location is ideal and right in the heart of downtown Chicago and on Michigan Avenue. But it is what it is--an aging hotel that shows it's tired. I'll probably not stay there again because the staff put me off and Im not looking for VIP treatment but don't treat me like I'm inconveniencing you by you doing your job.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026