Room Review - Congress Plaza Hotel, Chicago IL

Ever since briefly visiting with Jeff a few years ago, the Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago really captured my interest. It's the strangest mix of past elegance, decent upgrades, and deterioration that I've ever seen in a hotel. The building has a storied past full of crazy tales and rumors, and even has an infamous reputation for being haunted. So when I next visited Chicago, I couldn't help but book a room and check it out in a lot more detail. In case you missed it, here's part 1 - a full exploration of the hotel: • Exploring the Congress...
Here in part 2, we'll check out my room in the south tower.
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[@chriskrohe435]

I love the Congress Plaza Hotel, it's my favorite place to stay when I'm in Chicago. The staff is very friendly and helpful, the restaurants in the hotel and the room service have great food and I am usually in the North tower and my rooms have always been very nice. Love it!

[@chriskrohe435]

And in the winter months their rates are sometimes as low as $71 per night, so awesome.

[@jordandekker6224]

Those "dental kits" are very common in hotels in Asia (exactly the same, right down to the tiny tube of off-brand toothpaste). When I lived in China for a year, I got into the habit of not bringing a toothbrush or toothpaste on trips because I could always count on a few of those dental kits in the room at every hotel . I wonder if Congress Plaza caters to a large number of travelers from Asia who expect that.

[@RossTheGenMan]

If you pause the video you can see intructions on the door indicate there is deadbolt in the lockset if you lift the handle to a vertical position.

[@TheElevatorChannel]

Ross Craig-Browne Yeah, I totally missed that and didn’t notice until right before I checked out. If memory serves correctly, pushing the handle up engaged the deadbolt. Never seen that setup before.

[@americanelevators]

Assa Abloy Timelox. Was a revolutionary system when introduced. Allowed hotels to put expiration dates on their keys, to having multi-use within casinos as your players card. Hell you could even use it for the coffee machine according to an old flyer. These locks are becoming more and more rare as time goes on and everything goes RFID. (more info about the lock here -> www.assaabloy.hu/Local/HU/2300%20english%20indd.pdf)

[@TheElevatorChannel]

@@fullrocky2555 I always try to do my hotel reviews right after check in. Unfortunately that often means shooting a video after a long day of work and travel... in this case past midnight. Things slip past me sometimes but I do my best.

[@robo1p]

@@fullrocky2555 damn you're an ass

[@Brookfieldilrailfan]

The lighting is so much brighter now due to renovations

[@thecarwashelevatorfanatic7433]

Congrats on 30k Subs Jacob! :D

[@FloridianElevators]

Despite the few flaws this place has, I'd still happily stay here!!! This place looks amazing, has a lot or history and I'd spend lots of time exploring it!! That all being said, that carpet has got to go LOL!!!! I find it so strange how they updated the room nicely in everyway, yet the carpet looks like that of a 70s or 80s motel LOL. Also, that towel was disgusting, I'd make sure I have towels with me before staying here!

[@thornmallow1]

They keep it old because of A. The history. B. Several of the ghosts that haunt the building freaks out several of the employees.

[@VintageLiftLad]

My room was far bigger than this, also in the South Tower, 7th floor, double queen room. Had wallpaper with the hotel emblem all over it (slightly tacky yet pretty cool). It was also very clean like this room, can't complain and I just loved the history of the building, they even reckon Al Capone once stayed there

[@Dana_Danarosana]

I LOVE it!! I really do. As a bonus, they provide enough toothpaste to brush your molars. If you'd like to brush all of your teeth, I'm sure they sell more toothpaste downstairs in the gift shop.

[@carselevators930]

Very nice and vintage

[@amtraktraveler9118]

Try Hotel Pennsylvania in NYC. That place is a dump.

[@michelinman8592]

Um, what a bewildering place. Also, could they not figure out a better lighting situation? It's bad enough when somebody's house has mismatched lights, but for a almost $200/night hotel room? Absolutely not. I'll (begrudgingly) give it points for character, anyway.

[@eclipsemoon2b]

That bed is too funny!

[@misterwint]

I like it. Very quirky.

[@jasonrobinson8874]

the Room in this hotel looks better then the ones in the travelodge in downtown Chicago

[@thewildeeper]

Looks worth staying in

[@georgeschierling802]

Did it have many power outlets?

[@isaac24]

Have you had any interactions with ghosts?

[@yamahonkawazuki]

i saw this building from the exterior when you took the cardinal from chicago to dc?

[@DylanR99]

7:20 I can tell the toilet here is a early 1960s Eljer Emblem toilet for all the toilet fans watching this video. I can see the Eljer logo that dates back to the 1940s to early 1960s before the logo change.

[@pony053]

Lots of old hotels have flushmeters....there's no hiding that sound in the wee hours...

[@misterhat5823]

I wonder if that mirror is covering a hole or other damage to the door? Could be a cheap fix. (From the other video) It looks like the entire place is full of them.

[@gradymcclintock6160]

It makes me wonder if a remodel is in the works

[@504RoadTrips]

Seems like these old luxury hotels always have that look of many, many coats of paint. I guess unless they’ve completely gutted the place, that’s unavoidable. I also have noticed that they don’t do a lot with the hallways. Maybe they’re trying to go with the retro look. I would’ve raised hell about that towel. Otherwise, it’s stayable but i think I would have been slightly uncomfortable there.

[@deltastransportadventures4083]

Cool

[@amittankpro]

Room 1409 Tour 0:51

[@gladfan1989]

Ok, you could call this the Cornucopia Hotel. Looks like a mix of everything, some amazing, some good, some just "meh" and some downright disgusting. But overall, if I got a good deal, like you did, I'd stay here just to be closer to everything in Chi-town.

[@johndeereman3119]

Great now when I stay there I can’t lock the room now because lock dosent have a deadbolt

[@jamiedavis8085]

Will be staying 3 nights in November to see if my research will match activity reported by guest's (supernatural). One reason I am going would be for the supernatural, BUT just being in the historical hotel "would be enough to make me happy".

[@southwestcarwashes]

That hotel even looks haunted!

[@thecarwashelevatorfanatic7433]

SouthWest Car Washes It is haunted!😱😱

[@TheJohnDShow1]

I heard this place is the most haunted hotel.

[@dkelevators3723]

Me too!

[@ElevatorAdventure1816]

Your videos are okay

[@yamahonkawazuki]

That door is as old as a buckskin condom. the handle swings up for deadbolt.

[@markusbrandhuber9043]

Towels IN the shower. I don´t really see the point to use wet towels to dry myself...

[@fordlandau]

Looks like a good place for a zombie movie.

[@Sheryl5804]

5/10