The Buckingham Hotel

The Buckingham Hotel Overview

First Impressions

Walking into The Buckingham Hotel feels like discovering one of those well-kept secrets that locals don’t really want to share. This three-star property sits right in the heart of the Chicago Loop, and honestly, the location alone makes it worth considering. The lobby has this classic Chicago vibe — not trying too hard to be fancy, but definitely comfortable and welcoming. You know what struck me most? How the staff actually seemed to know what they were doing, which isn’t always a given in busy downtown hotels.

Location & Neighborhood

Being on South Financial Place puts you right where you want to be in Chicago. I mean, you’re literally steps away from the Art Institute, Millennium Park, and all those iconic Loop attractions that everyone talks about. What I really appreciated was how easy it became to just walk everywhere — the lakefront, Michigan Avenue shopping, even catching a show in the Theater District. The couples who stay here seem to get it too, rating the location super highly for romantic getaways. You can actually feel the energy of the city without being overwhelmed by it, if that makes sense.

The Room Experience

Here’s where The Buckingham really surprised me — the beds are genuinely comfortable. Not just “hotel comfortable,” but the kind where you actually sleep well and wake up refreshed. The room itself was clean and functional, with enough space to spread out your stuff without feeling cramped. Sure, it’s not going to win any design awards, but everything worked properly (which is more than I can say for some pricier places I’ve stayed). The windows offered decent views of the bustling Loop below, and the air conditioning was blessedly quiet.

Practical Perks

One thing that’ll save you some headache — they have parking available right at the hotel. Trust me, if you’re driving in downtown Chicago, this is huge. No circling blocks looking for a spot or dealing with sketchy parking garages six blocks away. The whole setup just feels thoughtfully planned, like someone actually considered what travelers need rather than just what looks good in photos. The Wi-Fi worked reliably throughout my stay, and the elevators were surprisingly quick for a building this age.

Why Guests Love It

What really sets this place apart is how it balances location, comfort, and value without any pretense. You’re getting solid three-star accommodations in one of the best spots in Chicago, with genuinely comfortable beds and practical amenities that actually work. The 8.8 rating makes perfect sense once you stay here — it’s not trying to be something it’s not, but what it does, it does really well. For the price point and location, The Buckingham delivers exactly what most travelers actually want: a clean, comfortable base for exploring Chicago that doesn’t break the bank or waste your time with unnecessary frills.

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The Buckingham Hotel Accommodations

Reviews of The Buckingham Hotel

• Komla from United States (9/10)

  The location is awesome, the room is very big, we like it.

• Denise from Australia (9/10)

  Location and room was fabulous with amazing views, could walk to most places.
  All staff were exceptional, friendly and helpful at the hotel, gym and in the building (reception, and engineer).
  We especially appreciated Ron at hotel reception who helped us as much as possible when the hot water in our bathroom just wasn’t hot enough.

• Matt from Canada (9/10)

  Incredible views, sufficient breakfast (oatmeal packs, bread, yogurt, fruit), excellent location close to Grant Park (great for the marathon!), convenient for transit (lots of train and bus stops within a block or two). Highly recommend!

• Christine from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Fantastic views, great location for what we wanted, huge comfortable room, clean, lovely breakfast.

• Dan from Canada (9/10)

  The view is unbelievable. The room was large and comfortable, Having breakfast included was nice. And it is very close to Lasalle station so an easy train to O’Hare.

• Claudia from Chile (8/10)

  Great location and amazing view

• Hanming from United States (9/10)

  Everything, haven't been in a real hotel for a while.

• Oates from Australia (9/10)

  Amazing view of Lake Michigan from the 40th floor of the stock exchange building. Pay extra for a lake view. The hotel is nice enough, but it's all about that view.
  Finding the hotel was a bit tricky, you have to go into the commercial building, they will give you access to the 39th floor where you will transfer to another lift which takes you to the hotel which is only on the 40th floor.
  The Blue Line train goes from O'Hare airport to La Salle right near the hotel, but be aware there are about 23 steps up to the street and no escalator or lift. If you have bags you may be better to get off at Jackson to use the lift and walk the extra blocks.
  The area is very commerical so there's not much open at night but there is a great bar/ restaurant just next to the building.

• Scott from United States (8/10)

  The hotel is on the 40th floor of this huge building. The view was amazing! The room was huge for what it was – one large king-size bed. You have to use two elevators to get up to the hotel. The first elevator goes up to 39 and then you use the elevator next to it to go from 39 to the 40th. It's not too bad. I did a walk around the neighborhood and found some great food options. They are maybe 4-5 blocks away. Not a bad walk. One of the best perks was the very secure and private parking underneath the hotel. An attendant is there 24/7 and it's easy to get in and out of.

• Alyssa from United States (9/10)

  the view was the best.

Facilities