Room Service: La Quinta Inn Chicago O'Hare Airport (Elk Grove Village, Illinois)

La Quinta Inn Chicago O'Hare Airport
Elk Grove Village, Illinois

The area around Chicago's O'Hare Airport is blessed with a good amount of various hotels that serve many air travellers and road warriors. In fact, in neighbouring Arlington Heights inside a Japanese themed retailer I found quite a few advertisements specifically printed in Japanese advertising low rates and well-known brands towards travellers and visiting relatives alike. In the middle of our road trip, I decided on trying the La Quinta Inn Chicago O'Hare Airport.

A small jog by car from one of Chicago's sprawling toll highways towards O'Hare Airport, this property is a testament to simple Southern American lodging, built with bright colours and glowing hues in mind. It was noticeably difficult trying to enter the parking lot from one side of the street due to the configuration of the road, so I had to make a small u-turn and dodge rush hour traffic. On the flip side, the hotel was easily visible from the tollway and is incredibly close to a major intersection which makes it a cinch to find by car. As an airport hotel, passengers who land at the airport are able to take a complimentary shuttle - we saw the vehicle parked and ready at the front.

The immediate neighbourhood is spectacularly convenient with a couple of quick service restaurants, so eating options are pretty easy to reach by foot. Depending on where you park (also complimentary) it is possible to check on your car from the window in your room. A very smart design.

When we walked into the front entrance, I remarked to my travelling companion on how nice the lobby and lounge were designed and decorated, as if it was a fancy living room put together by a smart architect. Icy cold water on self-serve along with a very eager clerk at reception was ready to go for us with guest registration. He wasn't as wordy as other people we usually encounter at other properties, but the service was quick and his general attitude towards the transaction was appreciated.

Our room was on the top floor which is an ideal quiet area. The unusual layout of this property meant that the elevator was located deep into one of the corridors containing first floor rooms. It was brightly coloured with a triumvirate of paint colours that either resemble the flag of Mexico or a abstract deconstructed Christmas tree.

Ordained with the slew of sturdy traditional furniture is a light brown varnish from the drawers to the headboards on top of the beds. A lush jalapeno green bombards the housewares from the ice bucket to the garbage cans, even the carpet. It's as if someone had grown a fresh salad and painted a room with it. The interior clearly contrasts with the exterior of the building, in fact, it may be a bit too noisy for guests once inside.

The layout of the room is quite unique as the bathroom was tucked away beside the closet. If you looked from the entrance of the room, you could not even tell if a bathroom did exist, but the amenities are just as functional if not more stylish than expected. The beds were very comfortable and the bathroom even has a heat lamp, which makes the harsh Chicago winters easier to handle.

With free wifi, breakfast that was a step up from continental arrangements, an outdoor pool and fitness room (that we had to ask about when seeking its location), it was undeniably a value packed stay.