Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities
WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Business center
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Central location and stunning river views
Friendly, helpful staff (valet, bellmen, front desk often praised)
Clean, spacious and comfortable rooms with good beds
Early check-in and package handling appreciated
Cons:
Parking is complicated/expensive and booking app issues
Perceived poor value in some areas (high restaurant/breakfast prices, price drops after booking)
Occasional room issues (shower problems, cold nights, room size mismatch vs. advertised)
Missing or unexpected amenities (no minibar, no room service in some cases) and some housekeeping timing complaints

Categories

Cleanliness
9.9
Multiple reviews explicitly call the hotel and rooms 'clean' and note tidy rooms and housekeeping (clean rooms, early check-in and packages received without issue).
Service
9.9
Staff repeatedly described as friendly, helpful, and kind (helpful valet, bellmen praised); isolated service problems (parking app confusion, missing vouchers, occasional housekeeping timing) but overall strong service sentiment.
Location
10
Overwhelming praise for central location and river views — described as 'very central', 'amazing location', 'perfect for city exploring' and 'room view of the river was stunning'.
Room Quality
9.9
Many guests praise spacious, comfortable rooms and beds, quiet rooms and large bathrooms; isolated negatives include an incorrectly sized corner room for one guest and a non-functional shower in another room.
Amenities
8.5
Valet and parking available but guests reported parking booking complexity and high cost; some expected amenities missing (no minibar, no room service for some) — generally adequate but with gaps noted.
Value for Money
8.5
Mixed sentiment: guests found the location and rooms excellent but several mentioned high prices, breakfast not included and perceived price drops after booking; some felt loyalty perks (vouchers) were not honoured.
Food and Beverage
8.5
Limited mentions: breakfast not included and restaurant prices described as high; promised drink vouchers not always delivered — no strong positive F&B sentiment in reviews.
Overall Experience
10
Majority of reviews describe a 'fabulous' experience, intent to return, excellent stays for events and sightseeing — overall sentiment is highly positive despite some isolated issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-07-03 08:07

Property Description

Luxurious Accommodations with Stunning Views
Experience the newly renovated Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown at the Riverwalk, just steps away from the vibrant Magnificent Mile. Enjoy breathtaking views of the city or the Chicago River from your room, equipped with modern amenities like a 48-inch flat-screen TV and a coffee maker.

Delicious Dining Options
Indulge in Midwestern-inspired dishes at the modern American tavern, Hoyt's, while taking in the scenic views of the Chicago River. Start your day with a delicious breakfast, grab a leisurely lunch, or enjoy a hearty dinner - all without leaving the hotel.

Convenient Location and Amenities
With a 24-hour fitness centre, on-site dining, and WiFi access, Royal Sonesta Chicago ensures a comfortable stay. Plus, take advantage of the business centre, ballroom, and meeting spaces available for your convenience.

Ready to elevate your Chicago experience? Book your stay at Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown at the Riverwalk today!

Important information:

When booking more than 3 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply and will be communicated by the property.

The Pet Fee is a Non-Refundable $100 per stay fee. A maximum of two dogs per room are permitted.

Please note that breakfast-inclusive rates are for 2-people maximum and do not include tax and tip.

Please note, our garage height measurements are 6‘3“. If your car has cargo storage on top of the hood it cannot exceed 6’3”. Motorcycles are not permitted in the garage. Our valet provider is also unable to provide parking for the following models of cars due to insurance coverage: Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Durango, Dodge Ram and Jeep SRT. Self-parking is available at 60 E. Lake or 111 E. Wacker.

$32 Destination fee per night. Nonrefundable. Authorized at the time of check-in.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: ORD

Property Policies

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Pets

    Pets are allowed. Charges may be applicable.

  • Groups

    No special conditions apply for groups.

  • Parking

    Private parking is possible at a location nearby (reservation is not needed) and costs USD 75 per day.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 17 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    People no matter the age stay for US$30 per person per night when using an available extra bed.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

9.4
Based on 2441 reviews
Cleanliness: 9.9
Service: 9.9
Location: 10
Room Quality: 9.9
Amenities: 8.5
Value for Money: 8.5
Food and Beverage: 8.5
Overall Experience: 10
A
April • couple • us
9
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Housekeeping not cleaning the room everyday.

2026-07-11 • via Nuitee
D
Deanne • family_with_children • us
7
Pros:

Amazing view of the river from our room! Lovely modern hotel room with comfortable beds. Staff were professional.

Cons:

At the 4pm check-in our room wasn’t ready. We had to wait in the crowded foyer for quite a while for an available room, this then meant we were late to our concert 😢. They did end up upgrading our room from a city to a river view which was nice but we would have preferred a seamless and timely check in to avoid being late.

2026-07-11 • via Nuitee
L
Layla • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-07-11 • via Nuitee
L
Lashawn • couple • us
9
2026-07-10 • via Nuitee
G
Gonzalo • couple • uy
7
2026-07-10 • via Nuitee
F
Flora • couple • us
10
2026-07-10 • via Nuitee
B
B700OOkathyk • Family • Peoria, Arizona
10
Great breakfast at Hoyt's
Pros:

Had a delicious breakfast this morning. The cinnamon roll waffle was tasty. The bagel, perfectly toasted. Also, good coffee. Service was pleasant and attentive thanks to Joseph and Charles B!

2026-07-09 • via Tripadvisor
6
642sasha • Family • Chicago, Illinois
10
Location, Friendly Staff & Beautiful Hotel
Pros:

I absolutely love this hotel!! When I arrived at the hotel, a beautiful scent hit my nose that was MESMERIZING! It smells like a fresh garden of flowers. Check in was quick and easy..I reserved the city view and was placed on the 35th floor. The room was Spotless!! The views was just ok...but its what I paid for. We had a refrigerator in our room, complimentary water & coffee which was a pleasant surprise. This hotel is located in the heart of Chicago. The river walk is steps away from the hotel. The Big Bus is directly across the street and you can walk to Navy Pier from the hotel. Michigan Ave, Starbucks, plenty of restaurants, Theatre district, Drunk Shakespeare are within walking distance. The staff was friendly and helpful. The cons: Vallet Parking was $80 a night, if this is a issue use Spot Hero which will save you $50 or more. I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Chicago

2026-07-07 • via Tripadvisor
1
104astridam • Family • Miami Beach, Florida
10
Fantastic stay, great service & staff, , great river view suite, centrally located!
Pros:

We are so happy and so impressed by Royal Sonesta! They truly made our 6 days there (06/17-06/22) very special!!

From the minute our taxi dropped us off, Arturo was there in a flash to help us with our heavy baggage up the curb and then the 5 steps up to the entrance and on to our room. He showed us where to go and took us to the check-in desk. He said to never hesitate to ask him for help during our stay and we did not hesitate for 6 days. He was always there for us and when he saw us get out of the elevator, he hurried to help us by calling an Uber or taxi, whichever was the quickest for us. Arturo was simply amazing the whole time and was very appreciated by us the entire time.

At the check-in desk, we were helped by Jesse, another outstanding employee at RS! He found the best room for us on the 28th floor and we will always be grateful to him for how beautiful it was and what a fantastic view it had. It was actually a suite with a view of the Chicago River and the Riverwalk. The giant King bed was so comfortable as were the pillows. The bathroom was spacious and clean. There was a microwave and a small fridge in the room. Spacious and very clean!! They are also located near Millennium Park where the Bean is. Jesse made our vacation a dream come true!

Some of the highlights about this wonderful hotel are that pets are allowed, there is a 24-hour fitness facility, parking, wifi, a breakfast restaurant/lounge downstairs: Hoyts, and is centrally located to all the best tourist spots. We couldn't believe our luck. And their rates are very reasonable for what you receive. Believe me, I compared. I could go on and on about the amenities here but I'll let you find out for yourself.

2026-07-07 • via Tripadvisor
P
Phyllis • extended_group • us
10
Pros:

Didn't eat breakfast

2026-07-07 • via Nuitee
J
Jagan • family_with_children • us
7
2026-07-07 • via Nuitee
J
Jayden • couple • us
7
2026-07-07 • via Nuitee
M
Melissa • couple • us
10
10 out of 10 amazing
Pros:

Everything!

Cons:

Nothing

2026-07-07 • via Nuitee
M
Michael • solo_traveller • us
10
Pros:

For our anniversary, they upgraded us to a suite and made our Stat unforgettable

Cons:

everything

2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
D
Dietrich • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
R
Rishayla • extended_group • us
9
2026-07-05 • via Nuitee
T
Tondricka • solo_traveller • us
10
Pros:

The hotel is in a prime location. The views are amazing. The staff was very accommodating and professional. I absolutely enjoyed my stay here and would definitely book again.

2026-07-05 • via Nuitee
T
THEEP • couple • sa
10
Pros:

فندق جميل ونظيف في وسط السنتر على نهر شيكاغو

Cons:

لا شي

2026-07-05 • via Nuitee
D
davidbC8996OX • Family
10
Our vacation in Downtown Chicago
Pros:

We had the best experience and everyone was very helpful and friendly to us the entire time. We particularly appreciated the assistance and recommendations we received from Lucas, starting from the day we arrived to the day we left. The location is perfect because the area is so walkable. We walked practically everywhere and will definitely book our next stay at the Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown.

2026-07-04 • via Tripadvisor
B
britneyk610 • Couples
10
Go to Hoyts and see Michael!
Pros:

Did not stay here but ate at Hoyt’s for breakfast and sat at the bar. Michael was awesome! Kind, on it with the drinks and gave us great recs for to dos around Chicago.

2026-07-04 • via Tripadvisor