The Palmer House Hilton

There's a particular kind of property that travellers keep coming back to in Chicago: The Palmer House Hilton, a four-star in Chicago Loop, fits that bill. What gives the place its edge is the address itself: barely a stroll from the centre of Chicago, a detail that consistently shows up in what guests write…

There's a particular kind of property that travellers keep coming back to in Chicago: The Palmer House Hilton, a four-star in Chicago Loop, fits that bill. What gives the place its edge is the address itself: barely a stroll from the centre of Chicago, a detail that consistently shows up in what guests write afterwards. Rooms feel well-appointed; the touches travellers mention most are reliable wi-fi, an in-house restaurant and a small spa, and the comfort feedback has been consistently flattering. There's a particular atmosphere to the place, neither overdesigned nor neglected. Front-of-house has been attentive without being overbearing, the kind of detail that doesn't show up in the photographs but ends up on the review pages. The numbers behind the reviews tell their own story, around 900 reviews, scoring solid on balance. Reputation has held up across enough stays to mean something. Recent rates have been hovering around €278 a night, which lands as a middle-of-the-road option for the city. The honest read on The Palmer House Hilton is that it deserves a side-by-side look against the bigger Chicago names rather than a headline of its own.