We were grateful to be accommodated on short notice at this well-established B&B. Others nearby answered the phone by machine and returned calls many hours later if at all, whereas Longwell Hall (LH) answered calls personally and made arrangements promptly. The price was as quoted and lower than nearby opportunities. Breakfasts were generous, nutritious and tasty, and we were waited on graciously. LH was well acquainted with the Oak Park area and easily answered travel and dining questions. Grounds are relatively well kept if a bit overgrown, the large house being nearly obscured from view by mature foliage. Directions were good but would have been better if they had mentioned that LH is at the northwest corner of Erie and Scoville, across Erie from Oak Park and River Forest High School.

Old House Charm, but still an Old House
The house itself is over a century old which lends historic charm bit also some practical challenges such as: 1) doors which creak and don't close or lock easily; 2) doors used as room dividers so sound isolation between guest rooms isn't what you might find in a hotel; 3) individual rooms lock from inside only so your room is unlocked while you are away; 4) hot water heat and no room control, so we were cold the first night.

Tidy, With Oversights
LH is generally tidy and well maintained , but we found more than a few oversights: 1) our room smelled dusty. Investigation revealed heaps of dust on the baseboard molding behind the bed and thick layers atop the headboard, highboy and some other areas of our room. Chair cushions also emitted clouds of dust when struck; 2) bathroom faucets were loose and could be lifted off, sometimes requiring repairs before water could be obtained; 3) washclothes looked blotchy and smelled of mildew; 4) main entryway floor grimy; 5) TV remote didn't work and TV difficult to operate.

LH isn't run down by any means, but the above problems indicate inattention in some areas. Our hosts never seemed indifferent to our needs when we raised them, but also didn't inquire much as to our wellbeing. The overall feeling was of detente as opposed to active engagement with our hosts. In the end we worked by ourselves or with LH to overcome most of the problems we encountered (did some dusting and plumbing, found fresh washcloths in hall closet, were furnished a room heater upon complaint).

So, we would stay here again or recommend this hotel to a friend, but only with the above caveats.

I chose Longwell Hall on a recommendation from a local resident. The owner was kindly and well informed, but not over-bearing. The house was well set up and decorated without being fussy and pretentious. The room I stayed in was nicer than it looked on the website and the bed was very comfortable. My room had access to an upper story porch which was a wonderful place to catch a summer breeze and relax.
The location was great; easy to catch trains to downtown or just to wander the Oak Park/River Forest area. The breakfast was really tasty with fresh fruit and home baked quick bread. I would definitely stay there again.

We've stayed at Longwell Hall 3 or 4 times over the last few years and have always enjoyed our stay. We stayed in March so we could go see Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me! in Chicago. We stayed in July so we could go to Ravinia to see Prairie Home Companion. Each stay was very nice. The place is clean and attractive, a lovely old home. There is a great porch that looks out over the front yard with access from two of the bedrooms. In July it was great. We got to see Oak Park's fireworks and just had a great time.

The breakfasts are perhaps the weakest link but they're acceptable. We've met a variety of people there from several different countries.

Neil is friendly and helpful but not hovering. He makes you feel that the whole house is yours to enjoy. Oak Park has a lot of great places to eat and shop and it's easy to get to Chicago from there via the L.

Me and my wife thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Longwell Hall during our weekend trip to Chicago. Rates are great, and it is only 20 minutes away from downtown Chicago by L-train (plus about 10 minutes' walk through very nice neighborhood with interesting houses, which we found invigorating). Host was nice and made us very decent breakfast, rooms were clean; ours had access to a very enjoyable veranda terrace on the 2nd floor. All in all, enjoyable and relaxing.