ExtendStay America (Skokie) is located adjacent to the Edens Expressway, across the highway from the Old Orchard Shopping Center. There is abundant free parking and the hotel is covenient to the highway and to nearby businesses and shopping. Rates are about half that of comparable hotels in the area; they accept AAA cards for discount. It's important to keep them apprised of your leaving date if it changes; the hotel posts notices throughout saying that last-minute changes may not be honored, and rooms are prepaid. However, I changed plans the night before departure and was credited with the unused day.

Check-in was frustrating; the clerk asked me to wait (at midnight) until she finished reading a page in a book and making a note - people picking me up also commented on the surliness and unresponsiveness of the desk staff. Ask for the wireless code, which changes daily, connections are free. There is no meal service; coffee is provided in the lobby in the morning and they have a deal with the Balleys a couple of miles away for exercise facilities. Hallways are long, the hotel is otherwise accessible.

The hotel has a variety of sharp smells baked in, some of food, some of old tobacco, although the hotel is non-smoking. The rooms are tired and worn, the bedcover was cut in places and the carpet was well-stained. There were no hangers and few bathroom amenities. The bed was comfortable, the windows opened with difficulty. There is a kitchenette which is clean and well supplied with utensils but no sponge or dishrag, a day's coffee is provided. Cleaning is by-request at a charge. There is a worktable and desk, a small TV, and your grandfather's recliner (of similar age). The bathroom is clean, water is moderately hot and moderate pressure.

It is a case of 'get what you pay for': the hotel s, indeed, inexpensive, but the surly staff, smelly ambience, and worn furnishings make this a depressing place to stay, sorry.

Clean, updated property with spacious rooms. Property is merely 9 years old and has already undergone renovations, certainly a commendable choice on the part of the district managers. The parking lot is safe and well lit. The advantages of staying here are many: It is probably 124 feet from the Interstate (I-94), 5 miles from the Purple Line 'L' train (CTA - Chicago Transit Authority - www.transitchicago.com), providing access to the city of Chicago for only $2.25 (w/ transfer). Nearest stops are Central for Purple Line, or end of the line for the Yellow Line train (on Dempster St. near Grosse Pointe Blvd.). If one needs access to the Metra Commuter line, then travel a short 3 miles west toward the suburb of Glenview (metrarail.com). For those taking buses, there is the 205, 54a, 201 (all CTA buses), and the 208 and the 422 (both PACE buses - PACE is the suburban bus line - www.pacebus.com)

The hotel has laundry facilities on-site ($1.50 wash, $1.50 dry). The location itself has a well-kept campus, and the surrounding community is clean and very safe. Should a guest need a place to shop, the location has close proximity to an outdoor mall, Old Orchard Shopping Mall (a very safe location, no trouble with roving gangs of young rabble rousers often seen in malls all across America). There are also two grocery stores that come to mind immediately (Jewel Osco, Garden Fresh Market). There is a Post Office across the street from the Jewel Osco on Skokie Blvd. Need a Target or Wal-Mart? Just drive 5 miles away to the suburb of Niles, get westbound on Golf Road and that will take you to the general area where Gold Road and Milwaukee Ave meet. Your department store needs will be met and there is another shopping mall (Golf Mill Shopping Mall) there with a Sears store among many others within. For Korean grocery stores, there is Super H Mart by Waukegan Road and Oakton St. Or, there is Assi on Miwaukee Ave just north of Dempster St.

One recent attraction is the newly opened and christened Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center (http://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/). Former United States President William Jefferson Clinton came with his entourage one Sunday in May 2009 to nearly shut down the surrounding areas and give a speech and to be with the local Jewish population and their neighbors from the area communities. I hear it a good place to visit, albeit sobering.

Have time for a drink? There are a few ideas. If a person would like to see a large, expansive beer menu, go to a place called 'The Glen'. The Glen is an area that has recently been developed on the site of what used to be a United States Naval airfield. The Glen is situated in what is understood to be the suburb of Glenview, the business is called The Yardhouse. For those looking for a dive bar, take I-94 west, exit at Lake St., travel through the light and get into the left lane immediately after the light. Great little place Meier's Tavern (http://www.meierstavern.com/). Arguably the best bar nearest to the hotel. Not a place to see people or be seen, but to enjoy a bar the way bars were back when our grandparents inhabited them.

Looking for food? The hotel has a kind of 'Dining In' menu that one might find in the downtown area hotels of Chicago, but just draws from local establishments. For pizza, I recommend this business called 'Vince's Pizza' (ask the front desk staff to assist with this). I am not a fan of the Giordano's Pizza that we promote here in the greater Chicagoland area. Lots of great flavor, excellent food at Vince's Pizza, even the delivery drivers are good to deal with. Being by the interstate affords some opportunity for kinds of cuisine. Sure, it is possible to grab something quick at Ruby Tuesday across the parking from the hotel (they do have great management and staff), but when one is by the interstate, why not take your clients or colleagues to one of the nearby North Shore communities for a dining experience? The local communities are Niles, Glenview, Northbrook, Evanston, Morton Grove, Park Ridge, Winnetka, Willmette, Skokie, Kenilworth, Highland Park. One of the local restaurants is called Hackney's on Harms. The General Manager of the Extended Stay swears by the place. Good place for a nice burger, I hear.

Staying away from home is not ideal, but staying at this particular property will make the days away much more tolerable when on your business trip. The hotel is not too busy where getting assistance from the staff is unimaginable. They can help fetch a cab, they can answer your questions. Never have the staff been inaccessible when needing to resolve questions regarding my stay. In a way, this kind of seems to be a flagship (lead) property for Extended Stay America.

I believe one can grab a cab to O'Hare International airport for roughly 40 dollars each way. Be careful with the cabbies in this area, some are exceptional, but some will drive around when they actually know precisely where there hotel is. Try to be alert if the guy is playing dumb. It is only a few that have done, I hear, but one can never know if they are the next sucker to the games.

A hospital is conveniently nearby, it is probably less than a mile from the Extended Stay America Skokie (ESA), NorthShore Skokie Hospital (http://www.northshore.org/clinicalservices/radio/default.aspx).

Need a place to take some folks in the city of Chicago for an evening? Go on a Wednesday to see Alfonso Ponticelli and Swing Gitan at The Green Mill (www.greenmilljazz.com). This guy and his band are remarkable. It is mostly instrumental music, but it takes you back to France 1930's era and the jazz forms celebrated then as understood by Django Reinhardt.

These are just some reflections on my stay at this property. I hope this helps all.

I have stayed at this location on numerous occasions. The front desk service has always be exemplary. The people are friendly, and go the extra mile to make sure my stay is enjoyable. The WIFI in the room works well, and the room is always clean. Housekeeping does a good job and is also friendly. The location is close to Old Orchard Mall as well as to interstate 90 both east and west.

I'd give it 3 1/2 stars. I was there for a week at the end of September 2008. The place was as advertised, safe, clean, and practical (desks, lounge, kitchen with utensils, bedding, towels, etc.). Room service was provided once a week but so what if I had to make my own bed and empty my trash. The access to local transportation was fantastic and that included access to O'hare. You can walk to the mall if you want to. There's no pool but access to Bally's fitness center was included in the price of the room. The staff (with the exception of Barry(?)) was very helpful and very polite. I'd stay there again in a heartbeat!