Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
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Cheaper
Average
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About
4.0
#1 of 2 hotels in Oak Park
Location
4.5
Rooms
3.9
Value
3.8
Cleanliness
4.2
Service
4.0
Sleep Quality
4.0
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The Carleton of Oak Park is an excellent choice for travelers visiting Oak Park, offering a family-friendly environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.
Carleton Hotel offers guests an array of room amenities including a flat screen TV, a kitchenette, and air conditioning, and getting online is possible, as free wifi is available.
The hotel offers room service, to make your visit even more pleasant. The property also features a lounge. Guests arriving by vehicle have access to free parking.
For those interested in checking out popular landmarks while visiting Oak Park, Carleton Hotel is located a short distance from Grace Episcopal Church (0.3 mi) and St. Edmund Parish (0.5 mi).
While in Oak Park be sure to experience local chicken and waffles favorites at Chicago's Home Of Chicken And Waffles II.
Should time allow, Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Ernest Hemingway Birthplace, and Wright Plus Housewalk are some popular attractions that are within walking distance.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This is an older hotel outside Chicago with tons of parking available. The rooms are huge with kitchenettes. It was clean, quiet, affordable and quite lovely. We had a wedding block of rooms for both family and friends. No complaints! Check-in was easy and staff was friendly. It's a quaint area for walking around and lots of restaurant choices nearby, including 2 right on site. The staff helping with the room blocks were very responsive and helpful from beginning to end. The price was so good, we hired a shuttle bus to transport all our guests (45+ people) to and from the wedding in Chicago. It was still less expensive than an inner city hotel.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Ask questions if you have mobility issues. There are steps into lobby and to the elevator. We...
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.
We booked a "Superior 1 King Bed Suite" in the "hotel" for Sat and Sunday, Feb 15th and 16th. Arrived shortly after 4 and the suite was ready. As cheery as the desk person was, I think I would have been annoyed if it had not been ready as 3 pm was listed as arrival time.
This is a REAL suite reminding me that an older establishment knew what a suite is. The bathroom (two sinks one outside of the bath/toilet area) and the bedroom are separate and the bedroom has a door. The bath has a tub/shower combo. I think the bedroom was designed for less than a king as it seemed tight especially with the wood frame. I significantly injured my toe not realizing the rear post of the bed was sharp and not visible. The bed was comfortable a half-notch less than say a full-Marriott bed.
The living area was large; I think it was the size of a hotel room plus there was a small dining table and convenience kitchen with a small frig and microwave. I note there were no towels or paper towels in the kitchen and we picked some up at the store. The sofa and tables were nice, and the executive work desk was excellent, and there was an adequate number of plugs.
There were heating units in each room controlled by individual numbered thermostats; I think they were some type of radiant heating units and they were EXCELLENT and quiet. I noted that there were 3 a/c units in the suite which I suspect would not be as quiet as central cooling, but I felt sure they would be adequate for the humid dog days of the area.
Parking was interesting with 4 small lots within about a block of the hotel entrance. The snow from a recent storm made a few of the spots less than accessible. I was happy the parking was free which for an urban location was a particularly nice surprise. I was surprised there was a valet parking; perhaps it is offered when the weather is bad which would be nice. Street parking is electronically metered.
The location was great for Oak Park. We were minutes from everywhere we needed to be over the three days. Be aware about the metered parking being almost everywhere; I'd get the parking ap if I was spending more time.
Negatives: Perhaps I missed the fine print, but we were astonished that there had been no housekeeping service. We returned to the suite about 9 pm and realized nothing had been touched. At that hour, I decided it didn't matter to me.
I'd stay there again for the price and location to where I want to be. I asked some patrons of the dinner house about their experience and they were pleased as were the patrons of the diner serving breakfast the next morning.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
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.
Located just 2 blocks from the subway, this Oak Park landmark is wonderful. Our room was large and included a small kitchenette and seating area, but the bathroom was just a little too small. However, we found it very comfortable and easily accessible. There are 2 restaurants and a bar on the premises and an agreement with the local YMCA provides access to a full service fitness center and pool. There is also free parking, which is quite a plus.
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Date of stay: December 2019
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.
Response from CarletonGM, General Manager at The Carleton of Oak Park
Responded Jan 8, 2020
Dear I8191TErobertm, Thank you for your review! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay and the convenience of the Carleton. We hope to be of service to you again in the near future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We opted for a deluxe room and it was massive! Looking for a couple of nights' accommodation in Chicago, and planning to visit Oak Park to see Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture, we found that the Carleton offered much better rates than downtown hotels. It is clearly an old building, which meant that the access to the reception area was down a few steps whichever way you entered the building - slightly awkward if you have heavy luggage. We imagine it is a popular place for weddings etc, but midweek it was pretty quiet. The beds were comfortable and our large room offered good sitting space with two useful tables. Access to the 'L' and Metra was very easy for trains to the centre of the city, and it was also close to good neighbourhood shops. If you want to visit FLW House and Studio and Unity Temple it is an easy walk.
No breakfast was available on site, and they were short of staff so there was no housekeeping during our stay, which we were warned of and it did not matter to us.
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip 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.
I booked two rooms by phone call for a group of students who were coming for a conference. The person on the phone call sounded annoyed and disinterested. When I asked for a confirmation email, I was told that emails weren't sending correctly, so it might not show up. When I expressed that no confirmation wasn't acceptable, I was told, "There's nothing we can do about it." I did receive an email confirmation for one room. My name was horribly miss-spelled, even though I did spell it out.
Since I was not staying with the group, but I wanted to pay for the rooms, I left a credit card number over the phone. When the group arrived, they were told the room was not paid for and there was no card on file, so they ended up paying on their own. The receipt they were given only listed one of the rooms, but their credit card was eventually charged for both. Three weeks later and I'm still trying to work out reimbursement. So frustrating.
The students said the rooms were nice though.
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Date of stay: October 2022
Service
Trip type: Traveled on business
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.
We reserved a room in the Motor Court because it was about $22/day cheaper. They gave us an upgrade to a room on the forth floor.
When we got to the room there was no heat. We called the front desk and with 15 minutes the room was warm.
People working there are friendly. I only wish they had a restaurant open for breakfast. There is an Italian resturant open for lunch and dinner and a great bar called Poor Phils that we hung out at.
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Date of stay: December 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:No restaurant open for breakfast. Go to the Cozy Corner North of the hotel two blocks away.
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.
Pleasantly surprised with how spacious the hotel room was. Although The Carleton is a quaint, older hotel it did surpass expectations with the parlor-like amenities! Two separate vanities with two sinks (both with huge mirrors) and a bonus full length mirror made for easy prepping and pampering. We enjoyed the wet bar and large sitting area in addition to the comfortable king-size bed with plush bedding! Front desk staff were all professional and courteous. We were a part of the King/Beidatsch wedding room block over Veterans Day weekend and there was a cool vibe to the bustling lobby as several wedding guests occupied the bar, restaurant and various siting areas within the hotel!
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip 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.
Older, but updated, clean and beautiful hotel with free parking. I had a standard room and it was very spacious with a separate area that included a love seat, TV, desk and chair. It also had a small kitchenette that had a microwave, fridge, sink, coffee maker and some dishes/utensils. Close to restaurants and stores. Would definitely stay here again.
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Date of stay: January 2022
Value
Rooms
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.
We stayed at this property for a wedding nearby. The lobby was beautiful and the front desk staff was friendly. This property has 5 small surface lots available for use at no charge, and you can choose either the motel-style exterior rooms or rooms in the tower. We opted for the tower and our room did not disappoint. Clean and comfortable, our stay featured a kitchenette and a dual sink bathroom. Although the adjoining restaurant wasn't open for breakfast, there is a Dunkin Donuts within walking distance. Would stay again if traveling in the area.
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Date of stay: October 2021
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:The tower is more upgraded but more expensive. Worth the upcharge.
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.
A group of us stayed in rooms in the Motor Inn which were very pleasant and comfortable. It was very quiet there, which I appreciated. And the staff were very helpful. I left a sweater in my room when I checked out. I realized it the next morning, so I called the hotel. A friend of mine was still there and getting ready to check out, so the person at the desk quickly got someone to go look in my room, found the sweater and gave it to my friend. I really appreciated that helpfulness.
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Date of stay: May 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled with friends
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.
Thank you for your inquiry with us. We do suggest that you book in advance with a credit card. There are no penalty fees if you cancel with in 24 hour cancellation policy.
We also have free WiFi
Please feel free to contact us with any further questions. We are happy to help!
There are more places to choose from in the Oak Park area.
PRICE RANGE
$151 - $193 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the carleton of oak park hotel oak park, carleton hotel oak park, carleton of oak park
LOCATION
United StatesIllinoisOak Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
154
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Are there any historical sites close to The Carleton of Oak Park?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Garfield Park Conservatory (4.4 miles), Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple (0.4 miles), and Wright Plus Architectural Housewalk (0.5 miles).
