Arlo Chicago

Arlo Chicago, situated in the vibrant heart of downtown Chicago, generally receives positive feedback from guests, who frequently highlight its prime location and modern comforts. While the user inquired about its status as a "Michelin Key Selected property," current Michelin Key listings for 2024 and 2025 do not include Arlo Chicago.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

Arlo Chicago enjoys a largely positive sentiment among guests, often scoring excellently for its location (9.7/10), cleanliness (9.3/10), comfort (9.3/10), and staff (9.1/10). Many reviewers describe it as an "excellent hotel" and "top quality". However, some recurring criticisms include issues with service, hidden charges, and noise.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently praise several aspects of Arlo Chicago:

• Location: Its "perfect," "unbeatable" location in downtown Chicago, steps away from Millennium Park and Michigan Avenue, is a significant draw.
• Design & Cleanliness: The hotel is often described as clean, very nice, and featuring modern design in both its public areas and rooms. The lobby is noted for its modern, hip environment with dark tones and gold accents.
• Service & Staff: Many guests commend the staff as "friendly," "helpful," "exceptional," and "wonderful".
• Amenities: The comfortable beds, onsite restaurant and bar, and a sizeable fitness center with modern equipment (TRX, Nautilus Cable, Peloton bike) are frequently appreciated. Free Wi-Fi is also a consistent positive.

3. Room Quality

The 218 guest rooms at Arlo Chicago are described as newly remodeled, spacious, and clean. They boast high ceilings, contributing to a comfortable and airy feel, and are noted for effectively blocking out city noise. Key features include:

• Comfort: Very comfortable beds, often with Frette linens.
• Design & Technology: Modern design with smart amenities, 55-inch Smart TVs offering streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, and laptop-compatible safes.
• Conveniences: A SmartFridge nook with a coffee machine and coffee capsules, complimentary water, bathrobes, designer toiletries, and showers with rainfall showerheads. Irons, ironing boards, and blackout drapes are also provided.

4. Dining Experience

The hotel's onsite gastropub, About Last Knife (ALK), offers American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests have generally found the food and drinks to be good, with some describing the restaurant as "exceptional". ALK's ambiance is modern, hip, and urban, with dark wood tones, gold accents, and white marble tables. On some evenings, ALK features a guest DJ, creating a relaxed atmosphere for drinks and dessert. Breakfast items typically range from $10 to $28 and include options like oatmeal, avocado toast, smoked salmon, and a traditional ALK breakfast. The chicken and waffles are specifically mentioned as a well-seasoned and substantial option.

5. Service & Staff

The service at Arlo Chicago generally garners high praise, with many guests commending the staff as "exceptional," "super nice," "friendly," and "very helpful". Guests have reported positive interactions with front desk staff who were helpful and provided good advice. However, some reviews mention instances of "poor service" as a common complaint.

6. Location & Accessibility

Arlo Chicago boasts an excellent and highly-rated location, earning a 10/10 in some guest reviews. Situated at 168 N Michigan Avenue, it places guests in the heart of downtown Chicago, within a 5-minute walk of iconic attractions like Millennium Park and Michigan Avenue. Its accessibility is also a strong point:

• Public Transportation: It's steps away from Randolph-Wabash Station and a 3-minute walk to Lake Station, providing easy access to CTA trains. The Chicago Amtrak Millennium Station is also just a 1-minute walk away.
• Nearby Attractions: Beyond Millennium Park, it's close to the Chicago Riverwalk, Art Institute of Chicago, CIBC Theater, and various shopping and dining options.
• Airport Access: O'Hare International Airport is a 20-30 minute drive, and Midway International Airport is about a 29-minute drive.
• Convenience: The hotel also offers a nice back entrance for easy drop-off and pick-up.

7. Value & Pricing

The value and pricing at Arlo Chicago present a mixed picture for guests. The average room price is approximately $238, which some consider "exceptional value for money" when compared to the average Chicago hotel room price of $227. Rates can start from as low as $81, but prices can fluctuate significantly, with an average weeknight price of $177 and an average weekend night price of $195 over recent weeks. While many find the location and quality justify the cost, some guests have felt the hotel was "overpriced for the amenities offered".

8. Common Complaints

Despite the generally positive feedback, several recurring issues have been noted by guests:

• Noise: Noise from neighboring rooms due to seemingly thin walls has been a frequent criticism.
• Hidden Charges: Some guests have reported "hidden charges".
• Service Inconsistencies: While staff are often praised, "poor service" is occasionally mentioned.
• Parking: Parking can be expensive and somewhat inconvenient.
• Room Amenities: Minor issues like a lack of a mirror over the desk, insufficient coffee pods or sugars in the room, and slow housekeeping for requests (e.g., tissue) have been noted.

Sources

1. socialifechicago.com
2. michelin.com
3. boutiquehotelier.com
4. awardtravel.co
5. booking.com
6. kayak.com
7. agoda.com
8. arlohotels.com
9. priceline.com