Holiday Inn CHICAGO NORTH-EVANSTON

Very good

It could have been better....

Liked: People at the desk were thoughtful in some areas but I did get a snide remark from the desk clerk because I booked with booking.com. I was given a good parking rate because I am a member even though I hadn't booked with IHG. Maybe that was an apology for being snippy with me.
Disliked: No snide remarks would have been nice.Also, the housekeeper never called me back about possible lost property and two items I definitely left in the shower!!! Even though I was given a recording to leave my message with housekeeping. That's an insult. Now I will have to call IHG and file a complaint!

I would stay here again...

Liked: Didn't eat breakfast at the hotel. Met our daughter instead.
Disliked: Cleanliness wasn't bad, but it can always be improved, especially hallways & stairwells. We were originally assigned to a room that had a connecting door to the room next to us. We could hear every single thing they were saying and doing. Hotel staff was mostly accommodating to get us moved to a different, better room that didn't have a connecting door. Sound was much better then. Could only hear hallway sounds.

Exceptional

If you can afford, stay...

Liked: Very near Northwestern University
Disliked: 6 days 5 nights stay. On Wednesday they didn’t clean the room. When you do some shopping and brought some groceries back to hotel, receptionist will ask if I am doing a delivery.

The IMG experience: Smelly. Misleading....

Liked: The reception person was nice.
Disliked: Bad experience started within 1st hour of my stay.Parking was misleading. Booking alluded to parking being free. It was not. The hotel's entryway at 1501 Sherman Ave. smelled like a rotten skunk upon arrival. Informed the front desk, who said he would report it to the manager. It stunk the next day. And the day I checked out. See photo of the dubious IMG promise of cleanliness. Maybe they are skunk collectors? Once inside my room, the outlet next to the bed did not work, so no light, unable to charge my phone there. The sound of loud TV banging through the shared paper-thin door between me and the humans in the next room. Reception said that the maintenance person had gone home for the day, and said that hotel was already overbooked. See the photo of the vending room. Empty. Called front desk where was ice machines. She didn't know. Booked this hotel because of the online PR that bragged that the hotel had been recently remodeled. Could have fooled me.

Exceptional

Pleasant

Liked: The room was very roomy, and the bed was too. A decent amount of amenities were provided - TV, lights with plugs and USB sockets, mini-fridge, safe and microwave, along with a Keurig machine. The bed was quite soft and decently comfortable, and the linens seemed to be clean. The bathroom included extra toilet paper, and lots of towels, along with soap, shampoo, tissues (facial), and lotion. Breakfast buffet for 10 dollars is a great value for Evanston if you aren't picky with food (just typical offerings).
Disliked: No hairdryer. Bathroom toilet had its valve turned off when I arrived, and the shower doesn't drain properly. Facilities are definitely unrefreshed, but acceptable. The building's elevators are noisy (especially the doors) and the parking structure that it sits on top of showed some concerning spalling on structural columns.

Superb