Freehand Chicago
Full view
View all photos (693)693
360
Panoramas (14) 
Room & Suite (340)
View prices for your travel dates
About
#4 of 8 hostels in Chicago
Location
4.7
Cleanliness
4.1
Service
4.1
Value
3.9
Freehand Chicago, located just 2 blocks from Michigan Avenue in the heart of River North, offers comfortable accommodations and great dining all in a building featuring the designs of renowned firm Roman & Williams. Our hotel features queen and king bedded rooms as well as rooms featuring 2 sets of bunk beds (4 twin beds in total), and two Penthouse Suites in a historic building. We have a coffee shop, Café Integral, as well as an award-winning cocktail bar, Broken Shaker.
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Bar / lounge
Business Center with Internet Access
Baggage storage
Non-smoking hotel
24-hour check-in
Wifi
Restaurant
Shared lounge / TV area
24-hour front desk
Laundry service
Self-serve laundry
Show more
Room features
Air conditioning
Room service
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Centrally Located
Languages Spoken
English
Location
19 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611-2707
Freehand Chicago
Getting there
Great for walkers
Grade: 100 out of 100
100
Midway Airport
9.8 mi•
See all flights
O'Hare Intl Airport
15.7 mi•
See all flights
Grand
2 min•Chicago L
Rental Cars
306 Restaurants
within 0.3 miles
961Reviews27Q+A100Room tips
Reviews
Traveler rating
- 368
- 281
- 147
- 69
- 96
Time of year
Traveler type
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Most Recent
My partner and I stayed for three nights at the Freehand Chicago before doing Route 66 in a private room with a queen bed. We knew we wouldn’t be in Chicago for long, so opted for a ‘cheaper’ accommodation. It is is clearly specified online that it is a hostel so we didn’t expect too much. Location is great and the bed was comfortable, bathroom lovely and clean. Most staff that we spoke to were very friendly and helpful. However, we did come across a few issues. The rooms are incredibly dark, even with all lights on. We had a few suitcases between us which was hard to navigate in such a small room but again, expected in a hostel. We found ourselves waiting a long time for the lifts. We were relying on doing a couple of loads of washing while at the Freehand but this was near impossible. If the place had a coin machine, that would be extremely helpful. Overall, I would say this accommodation is reflective of the price that my partner and I booked it for. We definitely could have stayed at a lot worse places for this price.…
Read more
Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Bring quarters if doing washing.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Some of the staff at the reception is very rude. Hiked the prices to astronomical $250 per night for a bed in shared room for days before and after the marathon. No security whatsoever. Random drunk/drugged not even registered guests, shouting, vomiting, breaking things in the middle of the night, police getting involved etc Aggressive psychopath moving in on the second night forcing us to change rooms. Asked for some compensation, the manager promised partial refund but after check-out I am completely ignored! Stay away at all costs!
Read more
Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Traveled solo
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Kevin McMullin, Guest Services / Front Office at Freehand Chicago
Responded 4 weeks ago
Thank you for taking the time to give us feedback on your stay. We always try our best to provide the best experience. It looks like we have failed on this occasion. We are very sorry that your stay was disrupted by other guests. Our security did promptly respond to the situation as soon as we were made aware of it, and they did handle it to the best of their ability. While we wish we were able to ensure that every guest is well-behaved, unfortunately, we can only respond to issues as they happen. I do want to assure you that we did issue the refund that was discussed. We would love for you to give us another chance next time. Your comments have been shared with the team to learn and assess what we can do to prevent this from happening in the future. Freehand Chicago
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
- Conveniently located in downtown Chicago: easily accessible by public transport - Has a small gym, a laundry room, potable water in the basement Overall, a great place if you just need a bed for the night during a short stay in Chicago
Read more
Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Shared rooms with multiple beds have a cabinet for each guest. Be sure to carry a small lock to...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Kevin McMullin, Guest Services / Front Office at Freehand Chicago
Responded 4 weeks ago
Thank you for your kind review. We're really glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us, and we hope to see you soon in one of our locations! Freehand Chicago
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The hallways and the carpet stains were really unacceptable and made me instantly wish we had booked a hotel elsewhere. The room was so small there wasn’t anywhere to put anything. Bathroom was clean and the bed was clean and comfortable. The carpet in the room just felt and appeared unclean. It’s really a hostel, not a hotel. We would choose a different place next time without a doubt. It was very expensive for the weekend we were visiting Chicago as well. The lobby and bar area had a very nice vibe.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: It’s worth spending a couple hundred more somewhere else. Trust me.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Kevin McMullin, Guest Services / Front Office at Freehand Chicago
Responded 4 weeks ago
Thank you for taking the time to feedback on your stay with us, Namechan. Our housekeeping team does work hard to make sure everything is looking it's best, I will however pass this on to them to make sure it will improve in the future. Freehand Chicago
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Service slow and apathetic at best and downright rude at the worst from the front desk. Restaurant charged my card, took over an hour to make 2 breakfast sandwiches and didn’t even include one of the items I ordered since their mobile ordering system does not work and includes items they will not make but will charge your card for. Room was tiny, you can’t even open a suitcase in it. Room was also not as advertised on website with broken window shades and the lighting was so dim that you couldn’t tell if it was clean or not. Speaking of, cleaning person knocked loudly on the door despite do not disturb sign, waking us up. Music was loud and obnoxious. Their website states they offer room service, rude front desk woman says they do not offer room service. Elevators were incredibly slow and cramped. At least a 5 minute wait to take an elevator. Parking was fine and the location is great. Noon check out is a plus. Best part was the heat lamps outside. I would not recommend staying here. …
Read more
Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Stay elsewhere.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Kevin McMullin, Guest Services / Front Office at Freehand Chicago
Responded Oct 8, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to give us feedback on your stay. We always try our best to provide the best experience. It looks like we have failed on this occasion. We would love for you to give us another chance next time. Your comments have been shared with the team to learn and assess what we can do to prevent this from happening in the future. Freehand Chicago
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
This hotel was a major letdown. We stayed at other Freehand Hotels and so not doing more research and reading all the other bad reviews before booking this dump was on us: -Incompetent Staff -Old and slow elevators -The entire hotel looks rundown -Room is absolutely tiny and not well maintained, dirty carpets, stained NON working drapes, non charging outlets, don’t look behind the bed!! Disgusting. - Mood-lighting ok but hell was it dark in there - Bathroom super tiny, no space to put anything down -No space for your suitcase, closet is a joke All in all it feels like a rundown hostel at $300 a night. DO NOT STAY HERE
Read more
Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Kevin McMullin, Guest Services / Front Office at Freehand Chicago
Responded Oct 8, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. Your comments have been shared with the team to learn and assess what we can do to prevent this from happening in the future. Freehand Chicago
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
………….HORRIBLE HOTEL…don’t stay here ……….The room was very small and very dim lighten. Only one bed…………………. I went on vacation with my father ….the cleaning woman was very rude …..they didn’t even clean my room……………..was a bad experience…………………..
Read more
Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Kevin McMullin, Guest Services / Front Office at Freehand Chicago
Responded Oct 1, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to give us feedback on your stay. We always try our best to provide the best experience. It looks like we have failed on this occasion. We would love for you to give us another chance next time. Your comments have been shared with the team to learn and assess what we can do to prevent this from happening in the future.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The location is perfect to do tourism in Chicago, the price and excellent for low budget trips but the information provide are not sufficient and the risk of theft are high. I booked for the room 909 from the 27 to the 30 of August 2023. I had a backpack and one big suitcase, my backpack was stored with a lock in the room and the suitcase was near my bed. Somebody from the room took it from me while I was outside. The lobby team did not provide a successful feedback and after a while they just ignore me. I could trace the behavior of the team to two different moments: - Before the assault, the could have suggest/insist that larger suitcase should be leave at the “luggage room” while we are away and not in the share chambers if they don’t fit in lockers. - After the assault, the team could have help me to find the right police department instead of ignoring me, make me wait for hours and minimizing my distress. All I can say is that I was attack twice at the Freehand Chicago, first by the offender who stole my luggage (nothing to do about) and then by the indifference of the staff to my situation. Sadly today I still recovering from the situation with the reception.…
Read more
Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Traveled solo
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: take locks with you, be aware of your things, and always ask to repeat to the reception, they...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Kevin McMullin, Guest Services / Front Office at Freehand Chicago
Responded Oct 1, 2023
Hi Jose, Thank you for taking the time to give us feedback on your stay. We always try our best to provide the best experience. It looks like we have failed on this occasion. We would love for you to give us another chance next time. Your comments have been shared with the team to learn and assess what we can do to prevent this from happening in the future. Freehand Chicago
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Full transparency, we didn’t actually stay here. We spent 10 min in the room desperately searching for another hotel, and we’re just writing this hoping no one else will be tricked by the photos they’ve put online. We got a private queen room for $160/night. Everywhere is super dim, and look, I get it, they’re going for a certain vibe and lighting or lack of can do that for them. Here’s the problem… when the bathroom and bedrooms also have that super dim lighting/cool vibe, it becomes a little obvious you’re hiding some sh**. And quite literally— filth. This place is disgusting. Our room smelled like a sweaty gym sock. There wasn’t a thing I touched what wasn’t covered in dust. Only two outlets in the room worked. Drapes were COVERED in stains. It’s also not an efficient use of space, small hotel rooms are fine, but make use of the space so guests can actually move, get dressed, have a spot for their suitcase, etc. Honestly, the list goes on. It’s simply gross. Don’t fall for the photos. …
Read more
Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Kevin McMullin, Guest Services / Front Office at Freehand Chicago
Responded Sep 29, 2023
Thank you very much for your candid review of your recent stay at our hotel. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us, as we strive to improve with each and every stay. I greatly appreciate your comments about aspects of the room that need updating. In taking great care of our property, our main priority is to be able to offer a very well-maintained and comfortable atmosphere. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us as it helps us improve our standards everyday. Freehand Chicago
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Great location, cool vibes, small but comfortable rooms. One of the receptionists was quite rude which was a let down. The rooms are a bit shabby (eg smoke detector hanging off the wall, power point not working) but are a good price. Overall would definitely stay again. Try Goddess and the Baker around the corner for a great breakfast.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Kevin McMullin, Guest Services / Front Office at Freehand Chicago
Responded Sep 1, 2023
Thank you for your review. I am sorry and extremely disappointed to hear that you had an issue with our staff. I have taken your comments very seriously and I can assure you that this will be investigated further. Our team are the first and last impression a guest may have of our property and it is important that they support our values. I have also shared your comments about things in the room which need improvement with our maintenance team to be addressed. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me directly should you wish to share any further information. Freehand Chicago
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Not the right property for you?
There are more places to choose from in the Chicago area.
PRICE RANGE
$58 - $142 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United StatesIllinoisChicagoCentral / Near North Side
NUMBER OF ROOMS
217
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your ListingFREEHAND CHICAGO $89 ($̶4̶0̶4̶) - Updated 2023 Prices & Hostel Reviews - IL
Frequently Asked Questions about Freehand Chicago
Which popular attractions are close to Freehand Chicago?
Nearby attractions include The Magnificent Mile (0.2 miles), The Escape Game Chicago (0.08 miles), and Richard H. Driehaus Museum (0.1 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Freehand Chicago?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Freehand Chicago?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant and a lounge during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Freehand Chicago?
Conveniently located restaurants include The Capital Grille, Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken - Streeterville, and Eddie V's Prime Seafood.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Freehand Chicago?
Yes, guests have access to a fitness center during their stay.
Is Freehand Chicago located near the city center?
Yes, it is 1.0 miles away from the center of Chicago.
Are any cleaning services offered at Freehand Chicago?
Yes, laundry service and self serve laundry are offered to guests.
Are there any historical sites close to Freehand Chicago?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Garfield Park Conservatory (4.7 miles), The Rookery Building (0.9 miles), and Macy's on State Street (0.6 miles).
Is Freehand Chicago accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.