Great hotel

Wonderful service, from beginning to end. Staff was very professional and helpful. Loved our room. Also great room service. We loved our meal at the Pump Room.

AE is over rated

I can confirm the February past review by Alaska. Hotwire booking of $135 total is about all this place is worth. Only had smoking rooms so I had to sleep with the window open to make it. Auto Valet park is $35/night. Hotel operator is just treading water until the hotel is flipped, coverted or someone else takes on this place for a re do which is severly needed. Jack

A wonderful hotel

I was very surprised at what a nice hotel this was, and the location was fantastic as far as being able to walk downtown to Michigan Ave, or enjoy the bars and restaurants in the "Gold Coast" neighborhood. The hotel room and bathroom was very clean, the staff was very helpful and friendly, and the food at the Pump Room was very good. The hotel definitely has an "old Hollywood" charm about it, since it is older. I am surprised at some of the negative reviews- I have traveled extensively, and the Ambassador East was was one of the nicer hotels I have stayed in. I also liked that is was a short cab ride from Union Station. I would stay here again.

What a DUMP

This hotel is a Dump! I stayed there for St. Patrick's Day weekend. And wasn't expecting anything spectacular given the events but the rooms were moldy, old, stinky, bathroom toilet wouldn't flush.

Wonderful hotel experience!

I was skeptical after reading other reviews on this site; however, I was pleasantly surprised with the Ambassador East. The staff were incredible and friendly as soon as we walked up to the entrance of the hotel. They overbooked our first night and took care of putting us up into a nice hotel for the night. They also paid for all our cab fares along with giving us that first night that we would have stayed with them free. So we received 4 nights for the price of 3. Our room was clean and housekeeping was super nice. I loved the vintage feel and it had a nice, pleasant age smell. I loved everything from the bathroom and hallway fixtures to the comfy beds. Everything was awesome! Excellent, quiet and safe neighborhood. 3 blocks from an L station and a reasonable walk to Michigan Avenue. I would stay at the Ambassador East again without hesistation!

A great hotel and super service from staff.

My husband and I stayed a few nights at this hotel and had a great experience. It isn't a grandiose large hotel but very discreet, warm and inviting. The rooms are clean and larger than a normal standard room with all the usual amenities you want - coffee maker, toiletries, bathrobes etc. The staff are very helpful and hospitable, which is the biggest asset of this hotel. The Pump Room Restaurant is fabulous - we had a meal to celebrate our anniversary and were treated to being sat in the "celebrity" booth and the service was outstanding along with the food.

I would highly recommend a stay at the Ambassador to anyone looking for a clean, pleasant and comfortable hotel in a nice area without paying over the odds.

Ok for a discount price, not a 4-star hotel

We usually stay at budget hotels while travelling preferring to spend our money on other things since we're only using the room to sleep. That said, there is a certain level of luxury that you expect from a 4-star hotel. We booked a room at the Ambassador East through Hotwire for $125 taxes/fees included since we were only staying for one night. So for the money we paid it was ok but I still feel a little ripped off.

The hotel is in a nice quiet, residential neighborhood which we liked. It's about a 3-block walk to the Red Line stop which was easily doable with our minimal amount of luggage. I like old buildings with character but the lobby didn't really impress. We didn't visit the lounge/restaurant so I can't speak to their charm.

I called in advance to request a non-smoking room and was told it wouldn't be a problem. We ended up in a smoking room on the 8th floor which I didn't really notice until the smoke started seeping in from the adjacent room late at night. Everything about the room was worn, faded, stained and needed to be replaced. The blackout curtain didn't cover the window on one side so we didn't get to sleep in which we sorely needed because I was kept awake all night by the TV in the next room blaring through the paper thin walls.

Upon checking out, I was prepared to give the desk staff an honest answer when asked about our stay but was not given the opportunity. The woman simply asked me what room number and then said "you're done" and turned away from me.

Again, we didn't pay that much so it wasn't too bad but I would not pay rack rate to stay here and I certainly won't be coming back.

Not bad; not four-star

Great location for Gold Coast. The hotel is old and a bit tired, although not without charm. Room service was well-presented, although the food was not good. Staff was friendly and the bed was comfortable. Wireless internet is... slow. If you can get a deal on the room rate, this is an OK place to stay. Definitely not a four-star hotel, however.

Oldie but Goodie

We just returned from a one-night stay. We have stayed at numerous "4 star" hotels in Chicago. It was our first time at this hotel and it is now one of our favorites. The location is great. Although the hotel is one of Chicago's "Grande Dame" hotels, it has aged well. Our room was clean, comfortable, and quiet. We waited for members of the Rat Pack to walk in as we were having after dinner drinks in the Pump Room. Overall, while most of the other "4 star" hotels have more modern amenities, they do not have the personality and "vibe" of the Ambassador East.

Just What I Needed

I stayed with a friend at the Ambassador East Chicago for 1 night for shopping/dining/relaxing. It was just what we needed for our stay. The hotel is an older building in a quiet residential area, a 5 block walk to Water Tower Place/Michigan Avenue shopping and the Red Line "L" 2 blocks away provided everything within easy reach. The Hotel staff were gracious and accommodating. We were allowed to check in early without even asking. The room was clean and spacious, the decor and plumbing a bit careworn befitting the hotel's age, all in great working order though. No unexpected or unpleasant surprises. The bedding was delightful. I would gladly stay here again!