This hotel was not at all what I thought it would be. I do not think it should be rated as a 3 1/2 star. The bed was rickety ane hard and also had no box spring. The bathroom was not as clean as I would have liked there was hair on the floor that was not mine. The furniture is old and all chipped and scuffed. And the top bedding looked old and dingy! It was a pretty good price though

I booked on travelocity so I got a really good deal on the room rate. The hotel is overall very nice. It is quiet and isolated and it does have an exclusive feel to it when you check in. The room was very comfortable and the bathroom was very pretty. The view from the room was excellent with a combination of city lights and lake (we faced south). However, there were some dissappointments. The TV was ancient and did not work well. The access to the healthclub was an awesome advantange, however, it has extremely limited hours. They close at 9pm weeknights, 6pm on saturday, and they were not open at all on Sunday. The continental breakfast was diaappointing. It basically consisted of a bunch of day old bagels and pastries kept in the refrigerator and set out in the morning. The breakfast was not well stocked and was frequently empty and without coffee. Also, I tend to notice things about hygeine. It was a little concerning that the breakfast is stocked by the housekeepers while they are cleaning the guest rooms. I didnt really see the house keepers wash their hands or use gloves before handling the food on the breakfast bar. Overall, it was a good stay. Its well worth it if you get a steeply discounted price online, but i dont think i would pay the "full rate".

I scheduled a business trip into Chicago unknowingly during the Lollapalooza concert weekend, and was not looking forward to the crowds of kids, the noise and inflated prices that normally pair with such an event.
I am so happy I found this little gem.
The beauty of this hotel is that it is 40 floors above all the negative distractions I knew would hamper my sleep and distract me from my work. The rooms are large and comfortable, the views are spectacular, and the athletic club is top-notch.
Yes, getting to the gym required getting on another elevator. Compared to the garbage I've been through at other hotels and considering how amazing the gym is, two elevators are really not a big deal.
If you are looking for a modern hotel engulfed by crowded bars and too much hubbub, this is simply not your place.
If, however, you enjoy getting your 6+ hours of sleep, want the beautiful views and like walking around the incredibly safe, historic downtown Loop/shopping district, do yourself a favor and book your stay at the Buckingham.

We checked in around 11:30 pm. Bathroom toiletries were not replenished, and there was no bath mat.
When we went to sleep, we took the pillows out of the closet, the cases had been used.
They ran out of magnetic passes. We finally got one the morning we were to leave. This created a constant hassle because the hotel is incased in a security zone.
Parking is expensive. The garage is run separately .The people at the hotel could not tell us the cost. I can tell you now, it is $32/24 hours and there are in and out fees, so if you take your car out, you will be charged more. Both times I left the garage, there was a problem. Once the card could not be read and the other, no receipt from the machine. Both times they had to hand write a receipt for me as I was on business. I'm still not sure I will get reimbursed as the receipts were written on scratch paper.
Beware of the hot buffet breakfast. The complimentary pass only covers one person from the double room.
And I did find all the switching of elevators inconvenient.