Vacation Rentals by Owner

Fabulous Accommodations

Guest: LikesToTravel (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 04/20/12 Review Submitted: 05/04/12

This was a lovely apartment right on a bus line to downtown Chicago. Very nice neighborhood. Walking distance to Wrigley Field. Highly recommended.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful Apartment

Guest: Susan (Midwest)
Date of Stay: 08/08/11 Review Submitted: 08/19/11

This attractive apartment is in a well-maintained, quiet, and secure building with a bus stop right out front and easy access to many attractions, including the beautiful Lake Michigan. We thought it was very comfortable, clean, and well stocked with everything we needed. The bed and bedding were fabulous! The only drawback might be that there is no tub to soak those aching muscles. But the shower and bathroom are quite generous and luxurious. And our landlady was very pleasant and accessible. We liked it and hope to return.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Emily[Stillwater, Ok]
Date of Stay: 07/15/11 Review Submitted: 07/18/11

Incredible! This property has all the features one could want in a vacation home. It is close to downtown Chicago, walking distance to Wrigley Field, and across the street from the lake. It is exceptionally well-kept and very comfortable. I would recommend it to anyone.

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Très confortable

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/27/11 Review Submitted: 06/12/11

Accueil chaleureux . Appartement très confortable et luxueux. Très bien situé, près des transports en commun du lac Michigan et du centre ville. Quartier très sécuritaire. Nous recommandons fortement cet appartement.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Spring time visit

Guest: PPP (Long Beach, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/01/11 Review Submitted: 05/22/11

A clean rental, a secure building, and our host was very helpful.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Second stay was more enjoyable than the first

Guest: C. Mitchell (Detroit, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 09/10/10 Review Submitted: 06/11/11

My fiance and I have stayed twice and will be back whenever we return. A clean, well-appointed, apartment in an upscale area with extremely reasonable on-site parking fees. Bus Stop right outside the door and walking distance to eclectic neighborhoods with shopping and restaurants. We consider ourselves lucky to have found this gem and rave to anyone planning a visit that this is where they need to stay.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Sensational!

Guest: Danie (Australia)
Date of Stay: 07/20/10 Review Submitted: 08/21/10

This apartment is sensational, fantastic location and everything about the apartment is first-class. Elena is a great host who can help with any information you need about Chicago. The neighbourhood is safe and welcoming with a huge range of eating, drinking and shopping available. The kitchen had every imaginable appliance if you wish to self-cater and there are a number of supermarkets within walking distance (I recommend Whole Foods). Public transport options are nearby - do yourself a favour and take the "slow" bus downtown, you will pass through a number of interesting neighbourhoods. I'll definitely be returning.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

The BEST for your Chicago vacation!

Guest: Czarina (Anchorage, AK / USA)
Date of Stay: 05/17/10 Review Submitted: 12/16/11

My sister and I spent a week here and it couldn't have been better! The location is fabulous! We skipped the car rental and bought the 7-day CTA pass instead ($23; unlimited rides), for all our bus and train transport - it was perfect! Elena was a most excellent hostess and we wanted for nothing. She turned us on to The Raw Bar & Grill (say "Hi" to Tanya and her family!), where we ended every evening, for dinner, dessert or a nightcap. This unit is so near to everything or the means to get there. We were able to easily do all the tourist stuff: The Sears Tower, The Hancock Building, Broadway play, Architectural Boat Tour, Chicago White Sox and Cubs games, Millennium Park, pizza, The Magnificent Mile...what an awesome trip! I highly recommend staying here!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Tanya
Date of Stay: 04/12/10 Review Submitted: 04/25/10

I just wanted to write and say that I thoroughly enjoyed my stay last week. I cried on the way home because it was nice to feel like my true self again.

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Excellent Choice

Guest: JRN 2010 (Amsterdam)
Date of Stay: 04/07/10 Review Submitted: 04/20/10

Fabulous Apartment Easy to catch the bus downtown or walk through Lakeview. Interior is stylish and gives you the sense of upmarket Chicago living. I would stay here again.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Top vlue at an affordable price

Guest: from Montreal.qc.ca (Montreal)
Date of Stay: 04/01/10 Review Submitted: 04/20/10

Quiet location, with very easy access to public transportation, the apartment is larger than it seems in the photos and furnished with style and taste. The building and the apartment are very well maintained and equipped. We had a very nice Easter vacation there and would recommend it to any couple for a short or long stay. Top value for the price, one of the best locations we had, out of many in several countries.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Fred K. (Driftwood, TX, USA)
Date of Stay: 01/12/10 Review Submitted: 01/12/10

My wife and I stayed in this lovely apartment for three nights in early December '09 and had a great stay. The location is perfect- right across from the lake, with a bus stop literally just outside the front door and with two El train stations within easy walking distance. There are plenty of dining options close by in the (very safe) neighborhood. The apartment itself is fantastic- exactly as described if not better- modern, spacious and very, very comfortable. The owner, Elena, was great as well- very helpful, informative and accomodating. This is a wonderful place- we would certainly come back and highly recommend it as an excellent alternative to a boring hotel.

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Guest: Bill & Janice (Scotland)
Date of Stay: 10/25/09 Review Submitted: 10/25/09

Thank you for being such a perfect host and meeting our many requests. We had a wonderful time and your appartment could not be bettered.

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Guest: John & Julie in CA (Santa Ynez Valley, Central CA Coast, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/25/09 Review Submitted: 08/25/09

Elena, the owner, was out of the country when my wife & I arrived, yet she sent us a detailed message explaining everything we needed to know about her amazing apartment. We were provided the phone number of her mother and this very friendly and charming lady met us as we pulled up and made us feel at home immediately. She was great! When we entered the apartment our mouths dropped open and eyes widened. What a fantastically, clean, elegant and well-appointed place to call home for a week while visiting our son! The attention to detail is amazing. When Elena arrived back into Chicago during our second stay they in three weeks, we found out the history and all she had done to create this ultra-comfortable oasis in the middle of Chicago. Believe me, this lady knows how to create a comfortable space to r-e-l-a-x. Whew! We will definitely be returning when we visit our son. If you wish one of the most comfortable and unique places ever to stay, this is the place. Elena is also tops when it comes to "going above & beyond" to answer all your questions and be the perfect host. John & Julie in CA

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You will NOT be disappointed!!!

Guest: Dr. Jeff (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Date of Stay: 08/07/09 Review Submitted: 08/13/09

Breathtakingly beautiful luxury apartment with antiques, persian rugs, very large bedroom with luxurious king-sized bed and great linens, newly renovated kitchen and bath and incredible architectural details. Beautiful, high-end, quiet, secure, impecably spotless building right on Lake Shore Drive. Three bus lines stop at the front door with both red line "L" and Wrigley Field a ten minute walk. Very helpful and welcoming host/owner. I hated to leave!! It was like a fantasy!!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Experience

Guest: John & Julie in CA (Santa Ynez Valley, Central CA Coast, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/21/09 Review Submitted: 09/09/09

The unit we rented from the owner was exactly what we needed for our week-long stay in Chicago. Everything was in perfect order upon our arrival. We will definitely be returning when we visit our son. If you wish a comfortable place to stay, this is it. The owner is tops when it comes to "going above & beyond" to answer all your questions and be the perfect host. John & Julie in CA

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A Great Apartment

Guest: edwin m. (Marin County California)
Date of Stay: 06/28/09 Review Submitted: 07/07/09

My husband and I found this apartment perfect. It was beautiful in every way. It was totally equipped and tastefully decorated. The location was great and public transportation at your door and the park across the street. We walked to Wrigley Field, Two grocery stores are close by. The owner is very helpful.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great place BUT poor service

Guest: familyadventure (Muncie IN)
Date of Stay: 06/16/09 Review Submitted: 07/27/09

We where looking forward this family vacation with our two children and at also my brother in law (who joined us at the last minute and for whom we pay extra for)... unfortunately from the moment that we arrived until we left we where made to feel VERY uncomfortable. During the check in we where showed how to use basic appliances like we had never used them before, the owner (Elena - we never meet her husband-) was extremely overbearing and crossed the line many time, among them by peeping thru the outside windows to make sure we closed the windows after she complain because they where left open... she about invited her self in two days latter unannounced after noticing that the air had been on for two days (bare in mind we where there with a 6 month old baby who among other issues breaks out if he is hot, and after we where told the windows couldn't be open we had no other choice than to leave the air on so the place was bearable in the evenings when we arrived after being gone in the city all day – We where there in JUNE-) but actually didn't enter as she notice the TV was on after she inserted the key in the door (yeah, my brother in law was in the other side of the door and saw her thru the peeping hole). With that said the place itself was very nice and comfortable, I was disappointed to see that even though the description said washer and dryer available we where unable to use the dryer (hard thing to do when you have two children) but there was some available in the basement. We ourselves live in a 3,000+ sq/ft home with some of the same and even more amenities than this place. I can't help to think that perhaps she saw that we where people of color and just assumed that because of that, and where we where coming from, we had never been expose to such of way of living. She was sadly mistaken, we are well rounded people who had not only travel around the country but Latin America and Europe. before we arrived I was already looking forward the trip back, and the many references I would had given to many of friends, family and coworkers... too bad, that will not be the case. The question is, would I recommend this place to someone? The answer is yes and no... Yes, for the location and amenities NO for the customer service that unfortunately we where given. Now is left to you to be the judge. Good Luck !!!

Owner response:There are rentals that are pleasant and there are rentals that can be a liability .This owner was too kind and generous to give in and accept this rental at the doorsteps, against all principles. The guests arrived to town 6 hours earlier than the owner expected them, after loosing all directions and adress twice provided.They parked at the building with a truckload of belongings and with extra unannounced adult, who presumably did not speak English but who was supposed to be the babysitter of an infant and a 5 yr old inside the apartment, door locked, while the parents were out. At all attempts of contact, he didn't open the door or answered the phone. Only the expected guests were supposed to arrive and occupy the premises, in the agreed terms, at the agreed time. As a result of this overall experience, in principle we no longer accept families with very young children, not because of the children, but because of the parents.The couple did not care to return the owner's calls about a missing item from the apartment, but they need to vent with a 1/5 review 6 wks after generously being accepted as guests.. Good deeds are punished...

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car.

Charming apartment! Exactly as advertised!

Guest: Francis and Rosella (Shediac, NB Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/29/09 Review Submitted: 05/19/09

This very chique apartment lacated a short bus ride from The Magnificent Mile is the ideal place to stay in the Chicago area. Several busses to downtown are available at the stop which is less than two minutes from the front door and there is a subway stop about five minutes away. The owner was very helpful, the apartment was spotless, very well appointed with hardwood floors, comfortable furniture and queen size bed, modern appliances, and lots of extras. The building sits across the street from a huge park, everything was exactly as described on the Vacation Rentals site. My wife and I would not hesitate to stay here again or recommend this rental to our friends and relatives.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Apartment, Great Holiday

Guest: Graham & Keith (Yorkshire, UK)
Date of Stay: 02/15/09 Review Submitted: 02/27/09

The apartment was beautiful, well furnished and very clean. The owner, very friendly and helpful. Location very easy to find and close to the lake and lots of shops, restaurants and bars. Had an excellent visit to Chicago using this apartment as a base. Definietly recommend it!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Naterra (Michigan)
Date of Stay: 01/01/09 Review Submitted: 01/02/09

My friends and I had an amazing time. The property was even more beautiful in person. The owner was extremely kind to us, she talked us through the horrible Mapquest directions and she even helped us find parking in the area. I would definitely recommend this property to those visiting the Chicago area.

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Wonderful apartment and hosts

Guest: the Johns (Springfield, IL)
Date of Stay: 12/20/08 Review Submitted: 01/07/09

Thank you so much for everything you did to make our Christmas holiday a special time in the city. We would definitely recommend this condo to anyone coming to Chicago. The location is ideal...easy walking around the Lakeview area and to the El stops. The bus that stops at the corner is also very convenient. Getting to the Loop was very easy on public transport. Everything we needed was included in the apartment and we appreciate how thoughtful you were in making our stay enjoyable and worry-free. Thanks so much and we hope to see you again on our next trip to Chicago."

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful apartment and hosts

Guest: John and John (Springfield, IL)
Date of Stay: 12/20/08 Review Submitted: 01/04/09

Elena and Sam....thank you so much for everything you did to make our Christmas holiday a special time in the city. We would definitely recommend this condo to anyone coming to Chicago. The location is ideal...easy walking around the Lakeview area and to the El stops. The bus that stops at the corner is also very convenient. Getting to the Loop was very easy on public transport. Everything we needed was included in the apartment and we appreciate how thoughtful you were in making our stay enjoyable and worry-free. Thanks so much and we hope to see you again on our next trip to Chicago.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.