I decided to take a well deserved and long overdue vacation to Chicago. So I went online to find the perfect place to rest my head. Being a 25 year old recent divorcée, I needed somewhere that was quiet but close to hot spots – somewhere that I could really treat myself for six days. I spent a long night scouring the Internet for accommodations and one website finally caught my eye.
Wicker Park Inn is a bed and breakfast on the western edge of Chicago. Though located just minutes from downtown, the surrounding area is quiet and offers tree-lined streets in a trendy little neighborhood. You can enjoy a pleasant little walk to interesting places including restaurants, bars, and quaint little shops.
The inn offers a total of eight themed rooms (five guestrooms for 2-3 persons, and thr
ee apartments with maximum occupancy varying from 2-6). At $139/night, the Provence Guestroom has the lowest rate and features a bright French country feel with beautiful paintings decorating the walls.
On the higher end at $169/night, the Wicker Park Guestroom has an exposed brick wall with a wood burning fireplace, a marble shower, and a rich décor. The rates for the five guestrooms include a breakfast consisting of fruit, pastries, coffee, and other continental style items. Every room receives satellite TV with movie channels, free WiFi, and blessedly free parking in a city where it is hard to come by. Not to mention the staff is very friendly and helpful.
Since my stay in Chicago was going to be nearly a week long, I reserved one of WPI’s three apartments. All of the apartments have their own kitchen, which meant I could hit the local grocer and cook my own meals instead eating out for 6 days.
Upon arrival I saw that everything stated on the website about the quiet neighborhood was correct. For $199/night, I stayed
in the most expensive apartment – the Bucktown Apartment. It has three bedrooms that can accommodate up to 6 people, a dining room that seats six with a flat-screen TV, a fully equipped kitchen, and an average sized bathroom with a large shower. I had no trouble finding everything I needed in this apartment.
The TV in the dining room was nice, as was the channel selection. The only other TV wasn’t in the queen-sized master bedroom though, which was surprising. It was in the smaller bedroom with the full-sized bed, and the volume didn’t work especially well. WPI offers free parking, which is wonderful, but the parking is off-street, and you can be hard pressed to get a g
ood spot. It’s not bad during the day, but after about 6 or 7 pm, it really starts filling up.
I was pleased to see that the nearest “L” Station was only two blocks away. Once I had found a good parking spot, I was able to leave my car parked there for most of my stay and just took the train to get around. I had read that a couple customers were awakened at night because the train was so close. To me, it was no louder than hearing your a/c turn on. Most the time I never noticed it.
Wicker Park Inn was a delightful addition to my wonderful time spent in Chicago. I will definitely be staying there again, and I would recommend it to anyone. No matter what kind of experience you are looking for, this b&b makes you feel right at home.
I give Wicker Park Inn Bed and Breakfast 4 1/2 Cloud Gates out of 5.
by Rachael Edwards
