Congress Plaza Hotel

3.5 star property
Hotel near Columbia College Chicago in Chicago

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Photo gallery for Congress Plaza Hotel

Banquet hall
Lobby
Standard Suite, 1 King Bed, Lake View, Lakeside
Junior Suite, City View | Living area
Exterior detail

Reviews

8.0 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
  • Room service
  • Housekeeping
  • Bar
  • 24/7 front desk

Explore the area

View in a map
520 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60605
  • Place, Art Institute of Chicago
    ‪8 min walk‬
  • Place, Millennium Park
    ‪9 min walk‬
  • Place, Grant Park
    ‪16 min walk‬
  • Airport, Chicago, IL (ORD-O'Hare Intl.)
    ‪25 min drive‬

Room options

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Lake View

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

Standard Suite, 1 King Bed, Lake View, Lakeside

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

Family Suite

  • Sleeps 6

Standard Room, 1 King Bed

7.8 out of 10
Good
(531 reviews)
  • 26 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds

7.8 out of 10
Good
(492 reviews)
  • 22 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Lake View

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

Family Suite

7.8 out of 10
Good
(66 reviews)
  • 50 sq m
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed and 2 Double Beds

Accessible Standard Room, 2 Double Beds

7.8 out of 10
Good
(54 reviews)
  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

Queen Room, Interior View

8.2 out of 10
Very good
(142 reviews)
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed

Standard Lakefront Suite

  • Sleeps 2

Accessible Room

  • Sleeps 4

Standard Queen Room

  • Sleeps 2

Standard King Room

  • Sleeps 2

King Room with Lake View

  • Sleeps 2

Standard Two Double Room

  • Sleeps 4

Two Double Room with Lake View

  • Sleeps 4

Junior Suite, City View

  • 1 bedroom
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Deluxe Suite

  • Sleeps 2

Junior Suite With City View

  • Sleeps 2

Suite with City View

  • Sleeps 2

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About the area

Chicago

City center stay.With a stay at this Downtown Chicago hotel, you'll be steps from Auditorium Building and Theatre and Columbia College Chicago. Museum of Contemporary Photography and Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies are also within half a mile (1 km).

What's nearby

  • Auditorium Building and Theatre - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Buckingham Fountain - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Art Institute of Chicago - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Millennium Park - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Grant Park - 16 min walk - 1.4 km

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

  • ‪Epic Burger - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Fontano's Pizza and Subs - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Gazebo Restaurant at Grant Park - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪The Lounge At Congress Hotel - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Kitty O'Sheas - ‬3 min walk

About this property

Congress Plaza Hotel

Hotel near Columbia College Chicago in Chicago
There are 2 restaurants on site, along with a coffee shop/café. You can unwind with a drink at one of the 2 bars/lounges. Business amenities include a business center and meeting rooms.

WiFi and wired Internet are free in public spaces. Event space at this hotel measures 50000 square feet (4645 square meters) and includes conference space. A fitness center, a vending machine, and multilingual staff are also featured at the business-friendly Congress Plaza Hotel. For a fee, parking is available.

This Chicago hotel is smoke free.

  • 870 guestrooms or units
  • 14 levels
  • 3 buildings
  • 2 dining venues
  • 2 bars or lounges
  • Meeting rooms
  • 50000 sq ft of conference space
  • 4645 sq m of conference space
  • Built in 1893
  • Business facilities
  • Conference space
  • Breakfast available (surcharge)
  • Dry cleaning
  • Front desk (24 hours)
  • Express check-out
  • Staff is multilingual
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Front-desk safe
  • Concierge
  • Wedding services available
  • Gift shop
  • Beauty salon
  • ATM
  • Onsite shopping
  • Bellhop
  • Elevator
  • No smoking on site
  • Coffee shop
Congress Plaza Hotel offers 870 accommodations with safes and coffee/tea makers. Accommodations offer separate sitting areas. Premium cable television is provided. Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations with deep soaking bathtubs, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.

This Chicago hotel provides complimentary wired Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones. Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and blackout drapes/curtains. Hypo-allergenic bedding, change of towels, and change of bedsheets can be requested. Housekeeping is provided daily.

Similar properties

Property amenities

Family friendly

  • In-room refrigerator

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

Things to do

  • Bicycle storage
  • Gym
  • Shopping

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

Room amenities

Entertainment

  • TV with premium cable channels

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding

Bathroom

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

Food and drink

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

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Desk
  • Eco-friendly toiletries
  • 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

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

  • No pets allowed, but service animals are welcome

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Kids stay free! Children 17 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 25.0 per day.

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

Guests will be asked to pay the following charges at the property:

  • Deposit: USD 25.00 per night

We've listed all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • 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)
  • An in-room refrigerator is available for an additional fee
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 25.0 per day

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

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
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. 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 Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, Carte Blanche, debit cards, and cash.
    For guests' safety, the property includes a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit, and window guards in each accommodation.

We should mention

  • Children 17 years old and younger stay free in the same room as the parent or guardian when using existing bedding.
  • Registered guests are the only ones allowed to be in guestrooms.

Property is also known as

Congress Hotel
Congress Hotel Plaza
Congress Plaza
Congress Plaza Chicago
Congress Plaza Hotel
Congress Plaza Hotel Chicago
Hotel Congress Plaza
Plaza Congress Hotel
Congress Hotel Chicago
Congress Plaza Hotel Hotel
Congress Plaza Hotel Chicago
Congress Plaza Hotel Hotel Chicago

Congress Plaza Hotel Reviews

Reviews

8.0

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 4207 out of 9589 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2582 out of 9589 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1471 out of 9589 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 737 out of 9589 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 592 out of 9589 reviews

8.2/10

Cleanliness

8.4/10

Staff & service

7.6/10

Amenities

7.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Christopher, San Diego

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is an older hotel and I think it’s beautiful, but certainly it’s not fancy. But with that location, I don’t need fancy and the view of the lake and the fountain was awesome. From when we entered, and Stephen took care of us, pointed us in the right direction and told us the best place to park… every staff member after that was friendly and looked out for us.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

6/10 Okay

DEBRA, Saint Paul

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

6/10 Okay

DEBRA, Saint Paul

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
The only thing I disliked was the air conditioning. We had it on all the time but the room was always warm.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

6/10 Okay

Walter, NORTH LITTLE ROCK

Travelled with group
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The location is great. The hotel itself needs a facelift. No thermostat. Our room had a 24” tv. Our door had a 1” gap at the bottom and light flooded our room from the hall lights. No internet available in our room. Couldn’t connect to the hotel WiFi.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cynthia

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location!! Came for a Bears game. Lake view room was nice, updated and clean.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Patrick, Anniston

Great service and room
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Gerald

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Would rate higher but two machines in gym weren’t working
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Olan

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Super clean and awesome location. Loved this hotel and the history it has.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Anne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
hotel has a lot of charm but lacks in amenities. Unfortunately that came with one major drawback. You could hear everything going outside your room. The guest next door left the tv on all ight very kid and was if it was on in my room. Same for guest returning home late night. I do not expect people to be quiet but I do expect my room to buffer sounds
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jeremy

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Would stay here again, for any event in the south loop.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Kimberly

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Amy, Racine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

DAVID, Detroit

Big rooms
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Xinwei

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

HEATHER, SCHENECTADY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Duane D

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025

2/10 Terrible

Daniel

Travelled with family
Facilities in room bad
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ryan

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Honestly was better than I even expected. Great location. Staff super nice. It’s an older place, so obviously it will not be as high tech as newer places, but i actually liked that. Tiny TVs with few channels, but again, I didn’t care. Not there to watch tv. I will say I NEVER get any sleep at hotels. This was the first time I felt like I got good sleep. Maybe it was the bed, maybe it wasn’t. All I know is I’d probably definitely make this my go to place to stay for sure.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Theresa

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I knew it was an older hotel and i like the historical aspect of it.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

4/10 Poor

Miriam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The pictures were very different from the rooms we were given. We had to switch rooms because the first one in the area called "Buckingham" was very very old. Service was good, but we just were taken aback from the rooms as the photos online were different.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Matt

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Grady

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Never knew that the hotel was haunted one one side

Minus the parking the stay was fun
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Halil

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was a good experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Tim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025