Doubletree Hotel Chicago - Arlington Heights
75 W. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois, United States 60005
Tel: 1-847-364-7600 Fax: 1-847-427-4298
AAA Hotel Diamond Rating: <>< <> <> Hilton HHonors Reward Category: 3
(25,000 points per night)
Location, location, location - this hotel hasn't any, really. The booking form says it is 5.4 miles from ORD, but to get there you have to go to Rosemont, then head NW on I-90 toward Schaumburg - give yourself 20 minutes from ORD, more if there is a hint of traffic. If this suits you, well, this is written for you. And be aware the shuttle can be unreliable: First, of course, is the ~30 minute response time followwed by a 20-30 minute transit time; second, the hotel hosts the ANA crews, so between 0800 / 9 AM and 1100 / 11 AM, there basically is
no shuttle service. The shuttle is dedicated to ANA crew, so they wil lnot take a "civilian" even if there are emtpy seats - and though they may leave at 9 AM, today the flight was delayed and the shuttle departed at 9 AM, returning at 10 AM. We had booked the 10 AM, so no worries, but I checked about getting out early and - no way! The driver told me it isn't unusual for delays to occur and those affect the airport shuttle - they will endeavor to get you there, or call a taxicab, but that IMO is not much of an answer. (Yes, it seems there is but one shuttle, so those one hour round tirp times can eat up some of your time.)
We had plenty of time with this trip, and decided to check it out for FT. When we recovered our bags, we called and were told the van would be there in 20 minutes - it took 30, and the van rolls only on call, not on schedule, as it does to take you back - you must book, preferably the day before, for van service to ORD.
When you arrive, it seems remote - the only nearby items of note are a Denny's and a Greek restaurant of some size. The hotel also offers shuttle transport to the nearby Woodfield Mall, which may explain the presence of Japanese tour groups here (as well as newsletters and materials in Japanese and Japanese speaking desk staff). The hotel was fairly empty at this time, other than a younger tour group (Japanese) and some families.
The hotel is basically an oblong with six floors, no scenery to speak of, and a strange decor emphasizing browns and darker colors, a rather 1970's look, decidedly old school. Nonetheless, it is clean, very clean, and offers 241 rooms with the usual amenities, large curved-screen CRT televisions, WiFi and ze-net cabled HSIA (did not check any of these), a large indoor pool, a decently set out Precor fitness room with headsets and replaceable ear pads and clean towels, a "snack bar" with machines and microwave for a variety of prepackaged foods, a "Birch River Grill" restaurant that actually - I was surprised! - fairly decent. The Business Center has 3 computer carrels (one is out of order today) and local and PrinterOn printing (from your oom or computer), and it is insufficiently ventilated - warm and humid, stale air.
On arrival (we booked AAA $125.10 + 13.76 tax) we were upgraded to x01, an old school but very spacious, suite. So, I can't report on the standard rooms - but here's the suite stuff.
The entry is to a large living room with a wet bar, microwave and mini-fridge, reclining chair with end table, sofa, coffee table, drum table with two chairs, furniture with another large-screen ancient CRT TV and glasses and ice cooler. It connects to the standard sized King room, and connecting the two is a long bathroom with granite counters, tub, and shower enclosure and toilet in a separate small room. The usual full complement of Neutrogena amenitii are present, extra towels and bath sheets, and a long closet with sliding doors holds the hair blower and ironing set - the bedroom contains a small closet of its own with luggage jack. The bathroom decor is in various shades of browns, even the wallpaper!
The bedroom additionally has end tables, large desk, chest of three drawers plus cabinet space with safe, separate wall a/c (noisy), and its own balcony - this lanai has two wooden chaises plus table, and you can look out onto the parking lot through a pierced steel grill. Uh, no, thank you. (The only semblance to "scenery" here is a stone-surrounded water feature seen from the restaurant.)
The decor is dark beige carpeting, cream/gold textured wallpaper, and deco style furniture in granite or dark brown surfaces, dark brown framing light maple veneers, lots of angles to let you know this is a replica of 1930s furnishings. Lighting is sufficient, and though the suite is adjacent to an elevator / lifts bank, these elevators are hardly ever used - they are at the far end of the hotel main corridor, so the two main elevators are down the lobby from the front desk - and they are tiny, all holding four people with rollaboards quite cosily.
As Diamonds we received a chit good for a free domestic beer or glass of house wine with dinner, and chits good for the breakfast buffet (on the menu at $15, though they also offer a "sunrise platter" with 2 eggs any style, 2 buttermilk pancakes, bacon or sausage, and potatoes for $7.99. The buffet is typical: scrambled eggs with chive and bits of tomato or peppers, bacon, French toast, hot and cold cereals, breads and pastries, cranberry and grapefruit juice, and a Japanese breakfast setup as well. Nothing special, but not bad, either.
All in all, a hotel with a rather eccentric, or at least idiosyncratic, style, a feeling of being out in the middle of nowhere, not highly used (at least today) but quite clean, staffed by friendly people with a surprisingly OK restaurant (for a Doubletree hotel).
Executive summary: If you have the time and patience, and want to save some money, this hotel seems to want the business, is clean and offers a decent dining and lodging experience within 30 minutes of ORD/ Chicago O'Hare airport. But be aware if you are depending on speedy shuttle service that it may not happen.