Ambassador, part of JdV by Hyatt Hotel

Surrounding environment: The golden coast area is quiet and comfortable, close to Lake Michigan, suitable for morning and evening walks
Transportation: It is about 12 minutes walk from the nearest subway station, which is a little distance
Hotel environment: Clean, atmospheric and quiet, a good choice away from the downtown
Breakfast: There are not many varieties, but the food quality is good, but it is the same every day, which is a little disappointing
Complaint: The taxes paid at the store are really incomprehensible! Be sure to communicate clearly with the platform before booking

Good location to stay,20 mins walk to riverwalk

I chose this hotel because of its walking proximity to a business-related destination. It is ideally situated in the beautiful Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago.

Other reviews have cited bait-and-switch hidden fees. These seemed to involve third-party vendors, and at checkout I witnessed other guests’ upset as they contested their bills. The hotel’s website is more transparent on fees — if you read the fine print. The bar and breakfast vouchers are not freebies but are included in the fees. Both were good values for what was offered.

A glitch in the system resulted in my receiving email and text confirmations multiple times a day, and even after check-in. I tried calling the hotel about that, and about other questions I had, but despite persistent efforts I was unable to reach the front desk using the hotel’s direct number. A toll-free number took me to an outsourced service contractor who couldn’t get through to the hotel desk either, and read back what I’d already seen on the website. Finally I used their AI assistant and got the information I needed.

Parking tip: Download a Chicago parking app. I used SpotAngels and we found free street parking a block from the hotel. There are numerous parking garages near the hotel, with much cheaper rates than the hotel’s valet, but they don’t accommodate larger vehicles like ours, and they don’t have unlimited in-and-out privileges.

Now to the hotel itself. It is in a lovely old building with beautiful historical touches, a nice bar and breakfast area, and celebrity photos on display throughout the main and lower levels. After we unpacked, we took a long nighttime walk around the neighborhood, which is charming and architecturally significant and felt completely safe. We couldn’t have asked for a better location that made even an overnight business trip feel like a vacation.

Our room did not live up to the rest of building and its surroundings. Consistent with other reviewers, we found it basic and drab, with a combination of dated saggy furniture and tacky plastic updates. I wouldn’t have wanted to hang out there all day, but we weren’t there for that. The bed (though very low) was comfortable enough, the room (though too bright at dawn because the curtains weren’t room-darkening) was quiet enough, and the breakfast bar was ample and tasty enough to nourish us through the day.

On balance — and having benefited from other reviewers’ reports and my own homework to know what and what not to expect — I’m very satisfied with our experience and would gladly stay here again.

I love it