Review: Best Western River North Hotel in Chicago

 

Last weekend we headed to Chicago for the Midwest Moms: Brands and Bloggers Summit.

Since it was only a 5 hour drive, Heath and Hayden came with me to enjoy the city!

When searching for someplace to stay, I knew that it had to be affordable and family-friendly. I was so happy to find that place in Chicago!

The Best Western River North Hotel in Chicago is both affordable and extremely family-friendly.

 

When we first pulled up to the Best Western, I was thrilled to see it was near so many different places. Right across the street was a huge McDonald’s, a Rainforest Café and the Hard Rock Café. I could also see a Walgreens down the block, which would be so helpful when traveling with a toddler!

We pulled into the parking garage, where the Best Western offers FREE parking. I don’t think I truly appreciated the fact that it had free parking until we arrived. Oh my gosh, I couldn’t believe the prices of parking for other hotels (up to $50 a day!) and attractions! This was a huge expense we saved!

The parking garage has parking spots specifically for Check In/Check Out, so I was able to run inside to check us in.

 

The lobby is bright and sunny, with lots of chairs to sit and relax in. There is a counter that offers free coffee and a desk with a computer so you can check your email and more.

 

 

What I thought was really neat is the Open Bookshelf. You can take a book or leave a book! The Open Bookshelf benefits a local literacy organization and the books are refreshed monthly. When you bring in a book to donate, you also receive 250 bonus Best Western Rewards Points!

 

 

 

 

The staff at the Check-In counter were so nice and helpful! They let us know about a variety of activities that were nearby and also that they offered discounts to attractions like the Navy Pier and Shedd Aquarium!

 

The Best Western River North Hotel is an older building, like many of the hotels in Chicago. The building was actually built in the early 1900’s as a cold storage warehouse!

The elevator is small, but I was surprised at how much we could actually fit in there! Looks can be deceiving!

 

 

 

We were on the 4th floor of the Best Western and I was excited to get to our room. The room was the perfect size for the three of us. There were two full-size beds that Hayden immediately jumped into! The bedding is plush and comfortable with more than enough pillows!

 

 

 

 

The room had plenty of amenities also! There was a large desk with a fun swivel chair that Hayden loved. The Best Western offers FREE Wi-Fi, which is great for the business traveler and blogger!

 

 

 

On the desk, there was a coffee maker, with cups and packets of coffee. Next to the desk, there was a comfy chair with ottoman, that’s perfect to curl up and read a book from the Open Bookshelf!

 

 

The bathroom sink had plenty of space for me to spread out our toiletries and there was a shelf nearby for our luggage. There was also an ironing board and iron and a safe.

 

 

The bathroom featured black and white tile, which I thought was a lot of fun. In the shower there was shampoo, conditioner and body wash to use.

 

 

While I loved our room, the only thing I wished it had was a refrigerator. When traveling with a toddler, we frequently have milk and juice with us and it’s nice to store it in the room. We also had leftovers one night and we had to leave it at the restaurant.

There was a large window with a view of buildings. Heath also pointed out the billboard of Jennifer Aniston, LOL!

 

 

I loved that the Best Western river North Hotel was in such a great location. Heath and Hayden visited the Rainforest Café across the street while I was at the conference. We also walked to Navy Pier from the hotel, which was about a mile away. Nearby, there were lots of stores, a market where I bought some fruit and milk for Hayden and a huge variety of restaurants!

 

 

Speaking of restaurants, the Best Western has it’s very own Pizzeria!

 

 

 

Pizzeria Ora features the famous Chicago-Style pizza, appetizers and more! Heath and Hayden enjoyed pizza there and they said it was so good! Hayden especially liked it!

We also had breakfast at Pizzeria Ora one morning. The restaurant opens at 6am, if you’re an early riser. Heath had french toast, which he said was delicious and I had eggs and toast. The best thing were the prices! Breakfast was $5 a person for us!

The restaurant also provides the room service for the hotel!

 

Sure to be a hit for the whole family is the pool on the top floor of the hotel! It’s an indoor pool, which is great for a rainy day when you can’t walk around Chicago. There is also an outdoor deck, which has a fabulous breeze and view! There are plenty of tables and chairs and it’s a nice, relaxing place! You can also order food from Pizzeria Ora to be brought up!

 

 

 

 

If you’re looking to burn off those calories from the deep dish pizza you just devoured, there is a workout room that looks out to the pool! There is a TV to watch and towels provided!

 

 

 

 

We had a fantastic stay at the Best Western River North Hotel. If you’re in Chicago and looking for a family-friendly and affordable hotel, this is THE place to stay! We can’t wait to come back!

Make sure to check them out on Facebook and Twitter! Their huge involvement in Social Media is what attracted me to the hotel in the first place! They are always having fun contest on their Facebook page!

 

 

Disclosure: Accommodations were provided complimentary of the Best Western River North Chicago. All opinions are my own.