Hotwire for $39 a night.

The usual ESA product. Clean and quiet.

A little remote if you are wanting to spend a lot of time downtown. About an hour by car and then train, or CTA.

But on this trip, I was visitng suburban friends that live southwest, west, and far northwest of the city. For this, the place being right next to 290, was great.

I would not stay here if I had to Metra to the city each day.

I don't know what others are saying, but I really liked it! Like many of them, I too booked it through Hotwire and got an excellent rate (around $40). Initially, I too was a bit hesitant after reading some of the other reviews, but upon my first entrance, all of my fears were dispelled. The room was very large (if not the largest I had ever seen, even for an extended stay hotel). The kitchen was nice and tidy, with everything in order, from pots and pans to silverware to standard kitchen appliances. Everything worked too, which was good. The bathroom was also very clean. The bed was comfortable. I guess the only thing that was not so great was the fact that the hotel was located right next to a busy highway and you could hear cars speeding by all through the night. However, since I was dead tired when I arrived, I fell asleep right after, so it didn't really other me. (It did, however, bother my friends in the other room, who tended to be light sleepers.) Overall, though, I didn't have any real complaints. Perhaps the only gripe I had was the fact that I didn't get a chance to fully utilize all the amenities because I got there really late and had to leave really early the next morning! So next time, I'll have to stay longer!

The Extended Stay in Elmhurst was pretty much what I expected for the price … it was in the suburbs and shabby all around. But, for the price you pay, you have to keep in mind you are not going to get a 4-star room with all of the amenities you can imagine. So if you’re on a budget, this is an ok place to book. You won’t be writing rave reviews about how fabulous it was. But you’ll be close to the airport, and you’ll have a mini kitchen suite, a bed, Showtime, and a parking spot (don’t discount the value in that!!). Downtown Chicago is a good 45 mins (at least) drive … expect it to take up to an hour if there is traffic. If you have some extra money to spend, it might be worth checking out another hotel ... although you should remember if you stay downtown you will probably have to pay for parking (I had to pay $30 a night at one hotel).

I also booked thru Hotwire at a VERY low rate. As one reviewer said - you get what you pay for. The hotel was clean, everything worked, refrigerator was nice, restaurants and grocery stores close by. Hotel staff was also nice. We stayed 2 nights here and then moved downtown so it was perfect for visiting friends in Chicago and seeing the sights outisde the city. My only dislike was the bed was too hard for me and pillows were much too soft (and only 2 - one per person).

You do need a car to stay here. There is a train station (Metra, not CTA) about no more than a 5 minute drive away from the hotel. I did not use this option but looked into it before I decided to keep my rental car thru this hotel stay for other reasons. The Metra will also take you into the downtown area, but I do not know what parking is like around the train station.

I would consider staying here again if I was able to get the same rate - $39/night.