Dowdy rooms but very good service. Good location but there are nearby hotels also with excellent service for much less money. I can't get over how the rooms are rather blah compared to other four and five star hotels.

I swear, this is the best hotel in Chicago. Nowhere else will you be treated with such kindness and respect.
The attention to detail is superb. My husband and I stayed here over the 4th of July weekend in 2005 and it was awesome.
I had breakfast in bed the next morning while my husband went swimming. It was sooooo good.
This is definitely worth the price and it is a treat to stay here. They will go out of their way to make your stay as comfortable for you as they can. And they do everything for you. . .
We were in awe when they asked us what newspaper we would like in the morning. . .
=)

My ten-year-old and I recently returned from the Peninsula. When making my reservation the hotel inquired if they should note a special occasion for our trip. I told them we were celebrating a child's birthday.

Much fuss was made of this. A Peninsula Bear, gummy bears, chocolate chip cookies, and special bath treats were delivered to our room. My child felt very special for all the attention while the surprises lent a festive air to the day.

We enjoyed the pool frequently. The lanes made for perfect lap swim while children enjoyed themselves in another corner of the pool. Coffee, tea, ice water and fresh fruit are there for guests to enjoy.

Check-in and check-out were swift. Our room was ready when we arrived before noon. Concierges Gary and Robert went out of their way to help us secure reservations and make recommendations.

The property is beautiful. Our Grand Deluxe room was well-designed, while common areas are luxurious and comfortable(just right for the two of us, but would have been crowded for a family of four). Room service comes at a price at any hotel. Here it was speedy with quality food and a lovely table. Like so many things at this hotel, room service was attended to in great detail. It felt like a treat rather than just a convenience. Where else would I be asked if I prefer milk for my coffee to be warmed or served cold?

The tariff is dear, no getting around that. I felt that for a special occassion such as ours, the value was there in the grandness of the hotel, the superior service, and the staff who were friendly and helpful. The Peninsula staff is hardworking, but they always appear to be cheerful. It makes for a pleasant atmosphere.

Thank you to all Tripadvisors who reviewed this property, for good or not-so-great. These and other Chicago reviews helped me to select a property.

It took 45 minutes to check in -- not fun with our two children. Then they told us that the room we booked was not available. We had written confirmation of our reservation, and showed it to them. First they said it was a computer error, then they changed the story to something else. They said that in any event they didn't have any rooms available except a small single room with one king bed -- certainly not sufficient for the 4 of us! We spoke with the manager, and then that person's manager, and they wouldn't do anything except see if they could squeeze in a cot in the small room, admitting that at best it would be a tight fit. I explained that I've stayed at many nice hotels, and that if this happened at, for example, a Mariott then they would give us an upgrade. He pretended to type something into the computer, and then told me that no upgraded rooms were available. I then had a friend call and reserve a small suite for the same night. Lo and behold, my friend was able to get us into the suite that he paid for. Unbelievable.