80237travel
Business · November 20254/10
I stayed at the Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel in Chicago. It was my first experience with the Sonesta brand. The only reason I booked here was because I was in town for work and the client uses this hot...I stayed at the Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel in Chicago. It was my first experience with the Sonesta brand. The only reason I booked here was because I was in town for work and the client uses this hotel.
The Allegro was once a four-star Kimpton under IHG, but that affiliation ended a few years ago when Sonesta launched its own brand. Despite continuing to market itself as an upscale, four-star property, the Allegro no longer remotely meets that standard. In fact, the hotel operates at a shockingly low level for a property that claims any semblance of luxury.
For context, I was booked into a suite (one of their better, if not best, rooms) at around $350 per night. Not outrageous for downtown Chicago, but certainly not budget territory.
I arrived around 8 p.m. to find no doorman and no bellman. The entrance is dark, poorly lit, poorly signed, and frankly unwelcoming. Figuring out where to go took effort. After finding an elevator to bypass the stairs, I reached the front desk. The clerk was polite but never greeted me by name, never thanked me for staying, and offered nothing resembling a welcome. There was still no bellman, meaning no luggage assistance of any kind. This is the basic blocking and tackling of hotel operations, and the Allegro simply doesn’t do it.
The suite was spacious and clean. Housekeeping deserves credit. But the maintenance and overall condition were unacceptable. Furniture was extensively scratched, scuffed, and damaged. Wall coverings were stained, scuffed, and scratched. Worst of all, the bathtub/shower had black mold along the tiles and caulking Simply slapping caulk over mold is not remediation. Proper remediation requires removing the old caulking and fixing the underlying issue — something the hotel clearly has not done.
Amenities were similarly substandard. There was no coffeemaker, which you would reasonably expect in a four-star suite. The mini-fridge was entirely empty. No minibar and no service tray with snacks. In the closest were two bathrobes but no slippers. No hotel directory, magazines, or newspapers. In the bathroom, they don’t even provide a bar of soap — just a dispenser of liquid hand wash. Toiletries were dispensers plus a single dental kit, one vanity kit, and one makeup remover wipe. No mouthwash. Nothing that signals an upscale property.
But the most glaring operational failure is the complete absence of a functioning restaurant. There is no restaurant at all from Friday through Sunday. None. You cannot get breakfast. You cannot get lunch. You cannot get dinner. Even a roadside motel manages a basic breakfast service. They don't even do a cold buffet on weekends. At night, the only food option is a pitifully thin bar menu consisting of two items — literally just a caesar salad and a shrimp cocktail. No hot food, no burgers, no sandwiches, nothing remotely substantial. For a hotel claiming four stars, this is simply indefensible.
To make matters worse, the hotel tacks on a hidden $27.26 fee that is not disclosed at booking. The Sonesta website displays rates in a way that suggests the advertised price includes all fees. Only at checkout does the undisclosed fee suddenly appear. This is misleading at best and deceptive at worst. It is almost certainly illegal under state and federal consumer protection laws and regulations.
The property’s one redeeming quality is its location, which is excellent and within walking distance of offices, theaters, and major attractions.
But location alone doesn’t make a four-star hotel.
In reality, the Allegro Royal Sonesta operates at the level of a budget-to-midscale property with some nicer decor. The service level, amenities, food and beverage, and overall upkeep fall far below what any reasonable traveler would consider four-star. Frankly, the hotel would struggle to meet the standards of a well-run Hampton Inn or Holiday Inn Express — and both of those brands at least manage to serve breakfast.Show More
