It's a conveniently located hostel-close to the shoreline and millenium park. I walked from the megabus station but taxi drivers advise you to take their cab :P The hostel bathrooms are really clean and the rooms were good. Free breakfast and a TV room too. A hostel volunteer took us to the zoo too.
All the usual perks of a hostel too. Exceptionally friendly too.

Very good for a hostel. I had my reservations but upon arrival I found it to be perfect for what I needed. After all I wasn't planning on spending a whole lot of time in the room. Good location with many transportation options nearby. Found hair on bedsheet but it's a hostel. No curfew. WIFI was intermittent, too slow and inaccessible at times. Overall a good choice in Chicago. The Cuban sandwich shop on first floor was very delicious. Would stay again.

Loved it. Pool table, pin pong table, big screen TV, good kitchen, dining room. Little crowded during breakfast due to number of people waking up late, but thats the only negative.

As i checked in i was able to upgrade my room immediately for no charge to be with my friends. The staff always helped with any queries or problems.

Lifts were really slow and many people resorted to using stairs whenever they could.

We stayed at the Hostelling International Chicago for 3 nights in November 2011. We chose the hostel because it was so much cheaper than other hotels, and still had a good central location in the city. On arrival, I was surprised by how great this hostel was. It actually exceeded many experiences I've had in 3 and 4 star hotels! It was perfect for what we were looking for.

My boyfriend and I shared a private co-ed room (for max of 2 people). It had a bunk-bed, with a double bed on the bottom. The room was very basic, but spotlessly clean, freshly painted and a big bonus: they offered free wi-fi throughout the hostel, even in your bedroom. Most big hotels charge extra for this service.

We had to share the bathroom/shower facilities at the end of the hall with other guests on our floor - but again, these were very well maintained and very clean. During the 3 night stay I only encountered one other guest using the bathrooms, and never had to queue for a shower. The bathrooms also have hairdryers which was handy.

The layout of the hostel is great, and I felt very safe and secure at all times. You need to swipe your key card to access the elevators, then again to access your hallway, and then again to go into your own room. The place was quiet and felt very private. At the same time, there are great shared areas for relaxing (with free wi-fi) and a room for watching tv (you can rent dvds from the reception desk), as well as a small kitchen area for preparing food. On the second floor of the hostel is a huge shared area, including a dining area where you get complimentary breakfast in the mornings. Plenty of toast, bagels, croissants, muffins, apples, yoghurt, orange juice, tea and coffee. Great bonus because again, many hotels that offer good rates don't include breakfast.

They also have an information desk and notice boards where you can research things to do during your stay in Chicago. They seemed to have lots of free tours that you could join if you were interested, a good system for meeting people if you happen to be traveling alone.

All in all, I really don't have anything negative to say about this place. If you're looking to save some money and stay in a basic room without compromising on cleanliness and security, then stay here. The hostel is really big, and extremely well managed.

You can take the metro from Chicago O'Hare airport, which is much cheaper than getting a taxi. The hostel is only a few blocks away from the Lasalle Street station.