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
amy • couple • us
9
Great location and comfortable stay
Pros:

Convenient location, large rooms, comfortable beds

Cons:

Ice machine on my floor didn’t work, bathroom smelled a little mildewy.

2026-07-25 • via Nuitee
S
Sean • couple • gb
10
First rate
Pros:

The location and views from the room were unbelievable.

2026-07-25 • via Nuitee
T
Tony • couple • us
8
2026-07-24 • via Nuitee
B
Beril • family_with_children • it
10
2026-07-23 • via Nuitee
G
Gustavo • solo_traveller • mx
8
Pros:

Ubicacion

Cons:

Las cortinas del cuarto no cerraban completamente y entraba mucha luz en la noche.

2026-07-22 • via Nuitee
Y
Yolima • family_with_children • co
10
Pros:

La habitación del hotel era muy amplia y con una gran vista, todo fue perfecto y muy comodo.

2026-07-22 • via Nuitee
T
Trevell • couple • us
10
Hotel was great great location great service everything great
Pros:

Everything close to everything perfect

Cons:

Nothing

2026-07-21 • via Nuitee
S
Scott • couple • us
8
Clean and comfortable!
Pros:

Perfect location!

2026-07-20 • via Nuitee
A
Aleasia • solo_traveller • us
9
2026-07-19 • via Nuitee
P
Paola • solo_traveller • jp
10
Great view and location
Pros:

The city/river view was awesome. Thank you!
Bed very comfortable and the bathroom was big and clean.

2026-07-17 • via Nuitee
S
Shari • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-07-15 • via Nuitee
G
Greisha L • couple • us
7
2026-07-14 • via Nuitee
A
Alexandra • extended_group • us
10
Pros:

Son emplacement, son personnel !

Cons:

Rien

2026-07-14 • via Nuitee
L
Lilit • solo_traveller • ca
8
Amazing for tourists!
Pros:

- big rooms w/ comfy beds and great views
- location, location, location

Cons:

- breakfast was a difficult experience; sometimes we weren‘t being sat at tables although they were open, and service was very slow (though very nice)

2026-07-13 • via Nuitee
T
Taylor • couple • us
5
Good area, good building, not so good staff.
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Staff had Incredible lack of social skills

2026-07-13 • via Nuitee
C
Connie • couple • us
2
My god
Pros:

The location

Cons:

Shower was broken no clean sheets since the day we checked in.

2026-07-13 • via Nuitee
H
Heran • couple • us
10
2026-07-13 • via Nuitee
C
Calapucha • solo_traveller • us
10
Que buen servicio
Pros:

Hermosa vista y el ambiente muy acogedor

2026-07-13 • via Nuitee
P
Paul • family_with_children • gb
1
Hotel overcharged for services that didn’t exist. Avoid.
Pros:

The propert was fine until we were charged over $300 dollars in hidden fees. We were accused of drinking water and eating snacks and purchasing from the marketplace. We didn’t do any of the above and there wasn’t even a “marketplace” on site. We were also charged $240 dollars for valet parking when we didn’t even have a car!

Cons:

The propert was fine until we were charged over $300 dollars in hidden fees. We were accused of drinking water and eating snacks and purchasing from the marketplace. We didn’t do any of the above and there wasn’t even a “marketplace” on site. We were also charged $240 dollars for valet parking when we didn’t even have a car!

2026-07-12 • via Nuitee
E
Emily • solo_traveller • us
7
River walk location
Pros:

Location was amazing!
Clean

Cons:

My husband and I were there for our anniversary. I booked a king room with views and we got a basic double queen. When we asked they said they upgraded us to that room. Because it was a higher floor. But the room didnt really seem like a upgrade when thats not what we wanted at all. They said the house keepers had left so couldn't switch us. On top of that the room was very warm.

2026-07-12 • via Nuitee