Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel

Rooms and decor

Picture a vast hotel planted right on State Street in the heart of The Loop, downtown Chicago's core — that's the first piece of Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel's charm, one of the longest continuously operating hotels in America and a Chicago symbol for a very long time. It's large, with more than 1,600 rooms and suites across many types, decorated in a warm classic style with soft tones and good fabrics. Many higher floors open onto views of downtown Chicago's packed skyline, and opening the curtains to a full city view is something plenty of reviews rave about. If you like a hotel with stories and a sense of history while still sitting in the middle of the city, you'll probably fall for this place on night one — especially if you value old-school charm over spotless modern design.

Food and amenities

If anything is the heart of this place, it's the lobby reviews talk about most. Walk in and you crane your neck at a ceiling covered in elaborate fresco paintings, with crystal chandeliers and classic gilding for an old-world luxury you won't easily find in a modern hotel — enough that many visitors to Chicago stop by just to photograph and see this lobby even without staying. The other fun, long-running story is that this is the birthplace of the brownie, so anyone staying can track down an original-recipe one for dessert. On amenities, it has the full set for a big hotel: an indoor pool, fitness, and in-house bars and restaurants to pick from, plus standard Hilton-brand service keeping the stay smooth. The location also links easily to the surrounding dining and shopping, so stepping out for a bite is a short walk. Overall it sells atmosphere and a classic experience with its own charm more than it chases full-on modern polish.

Location and getting there

Location really is the best card here. Palmer House sits on State Street in the heart of The Loop, downtown Chicago's core, with a location score as high as 9.4 — step out the door and you're right in the middle of everything. The best part is that Chicago's top sights are within walking distance: a 5-7 minute walk reaches Millennium Park, the downtown park with the Cloud Gate sculpture everyone calls The Bean, a must-photograph check-in spot, and the renowned Art Institute of Chicago right beside it. Keep walking and you reach the Theatre District, the State Street shopping, and plenty of restaurants. Several elevated L train lines surround the hotel within a few minutes' walk, with Monroe station on the Red Line about a 2-minute walk, so hopping a train to other neighborhoods or out to the airport is very easy. If you want to wake up and walk to sightseeing, shopping and museums and reach everything in the city with barely a ride, this Loop location nails it.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The first thing many notice is that Palmer House is a large, old building, so while the classic charm is the selling point, the rooms come in many types and some keep their original decor — sizes and condition aren't as consistent as a newer hotel. Some reviews felt their room was smaller or looked older than expected, so check the room type and ask for a renovated room or a higher floor when you book. The second is the fairly high downtown add-on costs, between valet parking and assorted fees that some reviews felt added up higher than they'd thought; if you're driving in, check the parking charge ahead of time, and if you want to save on meals there are plenty of places to walk to nearby. Last, because it's a very large hotel and a popular landmark, the lobby and common areas can get busy and lively during high season or conventions, and some reviews felt the check-in line ran longer than usual at peak times. If you prefer small, quiet boutiques, that may feel hectic — but if you value historic atmosphere, location and value, it reads as a plus more than a minus.

Our take

After our team read through hundreds of real reviews, Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel sells the charm of a living legend — the longest continuously operating hotel in America, an elaborate fresco-painted lobby ceiling people stop by just to photograph, the brownie-birthplace story, and a Loop location scoring 9.4 that walks to Millennium Park and Cloud Gate (The Bean), the Art Institute, shopping and restaurants with ease, paired with a large size and a price more reachable than the 5-star hotels nearby. If your trip in your head is waking up to walk to Millennium Park, photograph The Bean, visit the Art Institute, shop State Street, then come back to crane your neck at the legendary fresco lobby, this is a tidy, very good-value pick. But if you expect cutting-edge modern rooms in every square inch, or prefer small, quiet hotels, the old building and very large scale may not be the best fit. Overall we give it 8.3/10 — best for families, couples and travelers who love historic hotels, want to be in the city center within walking reach of everything, and are looking for value.