What a great hotel. The staff could not do enough to make your stay comfortable in every way. They're a 10 minute walk from the el and they want to drive you there! We walked there everyday and even picked up munchies and other necessities at the stores and restaurants that are right near the hotel but, again, they'll drive you. The continental breakfast was filling enough so you didn't even need lunch. Free wi-fi that worked perfectly with no muss or fuss. I highly recommend staying here when you travel to Chicago.

My wife and I were to transfer planes in Chicago but were diverted due to weather and by the time we got to Chicago all connecting flights were either gone or filled. So Southwest provided a discount voucher if we booked lodging through a certain 800 number. They listened to our requirements and offered a wide choice. The Carlton Inn was near by, reasonably priced and promised good accommodations.
Well the Inn's shuttle driver was especially informative and reassuring about the local, nearby restaurants and features of the Inn including their signature dog, "Buddy". Our room decor and amenities were way beyond our expectations but what really stood out was the friendliness and helpfulness of the various staff. There was nothing they couldn't help with. We had a great dinner at Giordano's and the next morning the Inn had a substantial selection of vittles on their unadvertised, complimentary breakfast. They turned a frustrating trip into a delightful, surprising stop-over in Chicago .

This review will take three minutes to read and may change how you see Chicago. Stay at the Carleton Inn Midway.

We were shopping for inexpensive accommodations for a three day weekend in Chicago. Staying at the Carlton Inn Midway we got way more than we expected. What a surprise! Here's why.

The Carlton is owned by a very smart business person. He realized that in this crowded marketplace, you stand out through great customer service, not steel and glass. Places to stay are a dime-a-dozen - true customer service is rare. We called the Midway from the CTA metro stop and they were there to pick us up within 5 minutes. How different is that from your 30 minute wait time?!

Other examples of great customer service - First, they greet you and tell you that you are important to them. Every detail is looked after. A list of local restaurants is provided. Do you need to go somewhere? .... We will take you there. What are you here to see? ... we can make some suggestions. Finally, "Here is a card with our phone number on it if you should need to get in touch with us. Call any time".

The rooms are clean and spacious. Towels are all cotton and large enough to actually dry yourself after a shower. Beds were comfortable and the motel was quiet. WiFi is available and easy to access. Heating controls effective and easy to operate. In short, everything you could want in a motel. Let's be clear ... this was not our final destination, only a place to stay while we visited.

Now the show stopper. We chose to eat close to the hotel so we took them up on the offer to drive us there. Steve, our driver, suggested a place called Portillo's. It was fantastic food - representing Chicago's best. Chicago style hot dogs, beef sandwiches and ribs were all on the menu and excellent. We had such a great time we lost track of time. Two hours later in walks our driver, Steve, saying, "I got worried about you guys, so I came to see if you were OK!". So, with no phone call from us, Steve takes the initiative to come find us. If you want to talk about customer service, this was the height of service.

Finally, the complimentary morning buffet. This one was very nice indeed. They offered hot breakfast sandwiches (my wife had these and really liked these), bagels, fruit, pastries, fresh juices and cereal. Coffee and tea were also served. In short, it had everything you needed to get you off to a flying start. A very nice buffet included in the price of the room.

I recommend the Carlton Inn Midway if you are looking for that perfect place to stay while seeing Chicago. The customer service really makes it stand out compared to all the other places to stay. I am making it my ONLY place to stay while in Chicago.

This place exceeded all of our expectations. Everyone was very accommodating as well as friendly and helpful. Easily accessible from the Pulaski stop-Orange Line. We gave the location a "very good" in that it was located a ways away from the central city BUT know that they will pick you up at the local train depot as well as take you to and from some of the best local fares we've ever experienced around Chicago. Rooms were comfortable, continental breakfasts very good and housekeeping staff efficient.

Ask Steve for his restaurant advice...and say hi to Buddy!