Some people like to call it "old world charm". Some people don't find it so charming. The Homestead is old, but it is also clean and cared for.

With beautiful original windows, old scratched up "antique" furniture, I can see how one could find this to be a charming environment. However, what I look for in a hotel is a place where I can sleep well and be ready and fresh the next morning. This is where the hotel fell short for me. There are doors separating my room from two adjacent rooms, and so I can hear rather clearly, people talking in the next room. I can hear them blowing their noses, moving their luggage, etc... it is not subtle.

The bathroom is clean and well cared for. But again, it is old. So when someone in another unit flushes a toilet, you hear the sound of rushing water through the pipes, from your bed. The shower is tiny... so small, in fact, that were you to drop the soap, you would have to step out of the shower to retrieve it.

The bed is relatively comfortable, though a bit old and sunken. It is, however, very clean.

As with most of these old buildings, the Homestead has radiator heat. So you may go to bed thinking the room is cool and wake up in the middle of the night burning up with a dry throat. Anyone who has lived in such a building knows that you have to find a way to make this work... maybe turn the radiator off at night or open the window slightly. But it takes a couple nights to figure it out, and I only stayed here a couple nights.

I remember staying here a few years ago and it hasn't changed much. There is a continental breakfast, which is passable, with strong enough coffee that you don't need to run out in the morning. But again, more then a couple nights and I might start getting anxious.

The only thing this place had going for it was convenience as we have family close by. We had a problem with noise from the next room, the room above and outside. The bathroom was so tight and poorly configured that it was hard to use. The breakfast is not worth it at all -- you're better off going down the street to Peets. Don't get me wrong, it was not a miserable 2 nights, but I see no reason to stay here again.

It was a pleasant surprise when we walked into our room with a view of Lake Michigan. The Homestead is a long time hotel in downtown Evanston, but on our many visits we had not stayed before. The suite was charming, with a small kitchen, living room and bedroom. Plenty of closets too. The hotel provides a very good continental breakfast, free parking and internet. Furniture is older, almost antique, adding to the charm. The rooms are quiet and comfortable even on the very cold days we were there. One suggestion to the hotel is that they upgrade the beds and bedding.

Pros: great, safe location close to shops, restaurants, Northwestern, and lake. Our huge 2 bd/2 ba suite included an immaculate kitchenette with a chandelier, a huge living area, and a walk-in closet, for less $$ than 2 rooms at the Hilton Garden. Free wi-fi, free continental breakfast (good and fresh), and homey touches (assorted books in the room’s bookshelves). Staff is wonderful. Despite a conference staying there, it was surprisingly quiet. Nice, peaceful breakfast nook area with fireplace doubles as bar at night with good drinks.

Cons: needs updating, starting with the slow, tiny elevator’s stained carpet and scratched walls. Wallpaper in the hallways needs replacing, beds are rather mushy. In our room classic, timeless furniture clashed with other furnishings that are dated/worn beyond salvation, and a faded picture sat in a broken frame. There are no King beds, just Queens & Twins, though there is plenty of space for a roll-away twin or two. One of our 2 showers had no lighting. Hot water ran out one morning. Some windows whistled in the wind. It was tricky regulating the heat in too-warm rooms at night.

Parking is a block away, but validated for free.

The Homestead is for you if you seek a spacious, homey place with some character at a very reasonable cost. If you prefer modern uniformity, not so much. It wouldn’t take much updating to bump the Homestead to 4 or 5 stars easily; it has great bones! Of course, then they could charge boutique prices.

2 nearby places we recommend:
Bennison’s Bakery, 1000 Davis Street is worth a stop. Great cakes, brownies, and much more. About 4.5 blocks West of The Homestead.

Gigio’s Pizzareia, 1001 Davis St. Good, cheap, thin crust pizza by the slice or pie, and tacos. Pizza AND tacos?! My teens were in heaven. Across from Bennison’s Bakery.