I stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago recently for a convention I was attending. This was my first trip to Chicago and I had no idea what to expect and this hotel came recommended by a colleague so I had high expectations. Check-in took a bit longer than I would have liked as they were experiencing computer problems and the staff at the front desk had to call their main reservation line to confirm reservations. Once I did get into my room, there was a strong cigarette odor in spite of the fact that it was a non-smoking room. I went down to the front desk and requested a room change. Given their computer problems, that took almost an hour and the staff was quite surly and didn't have the "positive attitude in spite of any difficulty" I'd expect from such a high profile establishment. The new room was not a suite as I had originally booked but it was significantly fresher smelling. When I hooked up my laptop, I was dismayed to discover that there was no wi-fi service. I had made my reservation online to take advantage of their free wi-fi for online ressies, but as part of their computer problems, the wi-fi service was down. Fortunately, there was a Starbucks up the street with available wi-fi. Granted, I couldn't lounge at the Starbucks in my jammies like I could in my hotel room, but connectivity for work is necessary so we make sacrifices. I was determined not to let computer problems color my opinion of the hotel as it's not something that is necessarily under the control of local management. However, the hair in the bathroom sink and the wet washcloth that was on the floor behind the toilet are definitely under the control of local management. A quick call to housekeeping got a promise to give the room a once over while I was down the street at Starbucks. They did as promised and when I arrived back at the room there were no stray bits of previous customer's DNA and the dust bunny population had been eradicated. Once I had a chance to relax in the room, there were a few minor details that stood out. The carpet was starting to get worn in places, the edges on some of the furniture was dinged, and my personal pet peeve... the inside of the drawers were rough, unfinished wood which I dislike as the little splinters can cause runs in my clothes. I would have expected higher quality furniture for such a hotel. But, all things considered, my stay was tolerable. Water pressure was good and it was quiet enough at night to get decent sleep. The wi-fi was still down in the morning so I checked out early and spent my time enjoying a latte and free wi-fi at Starbucks.
