Ray's Bucktown Bed and Breakfast

What a fun place! We stayed only one night but hated to leave. Awesome hospitality from a generous host whose goal seems to be to meet any need you might have. We felt totally at home. The steam bath and sauna were an unexpected surprise. Breakfast was amazing. The B&B is located in an historical part of Chicago which has undergone transformation to a great place to play with many varied shops and restaurants to pick from. A very short ride to downtown, but we never made it there as we had plenty of entertainment nearby. We've told a lot of people about this hidden gem and will be back!

We stayed in the Skylight Room and it was very clean and quiet. The breakfast was amazing! A great place in a great part of Chicago.

My husband and I passed through Chicago on on our honeymoon. We spent two nights at Ray's and hated to leave. The staff is welcoming, friendly, and personable; the B&B itself is fun, whimsical, and comfortable. We stayed in the DaVinci room which has a jacuzzi tub and way more space than a typical hotel room. The location was perfect with plenty of restaurants around. The breakfasts were delicious. The steam room was a real treat, and not something you typically get at a B&B. Ray's offers large hotel amenities at a B&B. We felt like our every whim was catered to. Ray's is a treasure.

Ray and his staff are super-friendly and attentive to all your needs. Rooms are comfortable and quiet. The breakfasts are delicious -- we don't want to leave!

Quiet, interesting inn located near public transportation. The host and staff couldn't have done more to make us welcome. Great breakfast and conversation. A real winner!

Very quaint and quiet place. Extremely nice staff. Very Comfortable.

I arrived very late. Thank goodness I had my grandson to help up the steep staircase in the annex. If it was not so late I would have left. When I turned down the bed, there were stains on the sheets. The stair case carpeting and the capet in the apartment was soiled. The kitchen was anything but clean. It reminded me of a bachelor's apartment. On the positive side the staff was helpful with luggage the next day and holding the luggage while we went out to the city. Would definately not stay here again because of the cleanliness issue, even the towels smelled of sweat.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
We are really sorry that this guest had a disappointing stay at our Annex Vacation Rentals (NOT AT MY BED & BREAKFAST—PLEASE NOTE WE NO LONGER HAVE THE ANNEX VACATION RENTALS). She was booked at our Annex Vacation rentals by one of her relatives. One of the questions we always ask upfront is if there are any problems with stairs due to the high staircase, but we were assured she would have no problems with stairs. The kitchen was shared by other guests and unfortunately we couldn’t be right in behind all our guests cleaning the kitchen. Stained sheets are totally unacceptable and we would have come over and changed them immediately if she had let us know. All of our towels of course are thoroughly laundered and then we use dryer sheets in the dryer. If she did not like the smell of these dryer sheets we have special unscented detergent and would have run a separate load for her as we do for any guest that has special sensitivities. All guest are given my personal cell phone and are told to call if there are any problems at all. Like all conscientious B&B owners, we will bend over backwards to do whatever is necessary to make the guests stay comfortable. But to not bring something to our attention then write a bad review without giving us an opportunity to correct the problem is not really fair to us. Please be assured that if for some reason something has got by our high cleanliness standards we will always be happy to correct it immediately.

- Ray Reiss (OwnerWe are really sorry that )

Absolutely everyone there was nice , and willing to help my husband and I get where we needed to go. I loved their menu book, which gave us locations on any kind of restaurant we wanted to eat at that night. From sushi, to Cuban, to good 'ol American :) We have stayed there several times and in several different rooms. Each and every place was perfect in every way. Beds there are better than my bed at home, which makes the stay away that much more comfy! Everyone should experience this place!

Rooms are eclectic, staff is awesome and breakfast is to die for! If you aren't into cookie-cutter hotels and want something more fun in a hip chicago neighborhood, this is the place to stay! We stayed in the smallest room they had as it was all that was available in our late booking, but it was right next too the sauna and steam room which was super convenient to use! The room was a little dry since I believe they use dehumidfiers to stop the steam room from causing problems but a few eye drops later we were fine. The room was still really nice and comfy and plenty of room for storage with very eclectic bathroom with heated floor. We had planned to go out on the town, but this place was so cool to hang out in we just stayed in, watched a movie on the projection tv and played cards in the kitchen. They had some small snacks availble for us as well as some corked bottles of wine we were offered to enjoy. Breakfast in the morning is made to order and oh soooo good! They make whatever you want and entertain you with great conversation while they do. The crispy breakfast potatoes were especially awesome, with garlic and rosemary. You're set for the whole day after this breakfast! We liked it so much we decided to call the sitter and stay a second night! We are going back again!

rooms (3) -- the room we stayed in (west room) was about what we expected it to be: small space, comfortable beds, nice shower and bathroom area, ethernet / wifi connectivity, and satellite tv. the adjacent steam room is neat too. there is a little noise in the morning around breakfast time, but it isn't disturbing. service (5) -- friendly, top notch! everybody there practically bent over backwards to make sure we had a good stay. value (4) -- i think we got what we paid for, and quite a bit more at that. cleanliness (5) -- ray's is always kept very clean, even with two (very friendly) kitties wandering about. dining (5) -- if you haven't had breakfast here, you are missing out on something great. while we did not do much at the b&b other than eat or sleep, we really enjoyed our stay at ray's bucktown b&b. it's a quirky and fun place to stay, and as many reviews before this have stated, the breakfast is the icing on the cake. its prime location makes it easy to walk or use public transit to get virtually anywhere in the city, and it was just what we were looking for. would definitely stay again!

We stayed here for a week while visiting Chicago. The room we had was very spacious and had a really great shower, lovely after a long day sightseeing. Breakfast was incredible, the food was plentiful and very nice. The two cats Rocky and Maggie were nice company to have while away from home also. The location of the B&B is very good about a 15 minute stroll to the train and there are plenty of bars and places to eat in the area. Ray has compiled some great info on the area so finding our way around was very easy. Don't be worried about walking around here at night it is a very safe neighbourhood. All in all a great stay.

Breakfasts were wonderful, but too much food. Helpful, cheerful staff.

My husband and I were so pleased with Rays B&B. The breakfast was so plentiful that we didn't need to eat until evening time. All the staff were so helpful we wanted for nothing. We stayed in the skylight room and awoke daily to the scent of the wonderful breakfast potatoes. We will certainly stay there again as we feel a part of the "family" now.

My husband and I stayed at Ray's Bucktown B&B in May of 2009 and found it to be the best B&B we have ever stayed in. The innkeeper, Ray, made us feel very at home and I have to say, the breakfasts were fabulous! The room was clean and the bed was comfy. We even fell in love with his two cats. We would highly recommend this B&B and will most certainly stay there again in the future.

My husband and I stayed at Ray's in June and had a wonderful time! Our room was in the Annex and it was a great experience. It was like having an apartment to ourselves! The beds were comfy, we had a living room, kitchen, and even a porch. The location is great. Close to the train station and several cute shops and pubs. It was nice to experience a neighborhood in Chicago rather than just the tourist-centers. The staff at Rays was extremely helpful -- Ray even drove us to the train station when it was time to leave. I would love to stay here again!

My wife and I stayed at Ray's Bucktown B&B early Sept. 08. It is a great place to stay, the beds are soft, the breakfasts plentiful and the staff are very friendly. It is close to the train station to the city and is in a safe neighbourhood. I would recommend this B&B to anyone visiting Chicago.

Ray and his staff were welcoming, friendly, and very hospitable. We loved our rooms and felt really safe during our stay. The atmosphere was very relaxed at the Inn. The breakfast meals were outstanding. We give Ray's Bucktown B&B our highest recommendations. Beth and Frank

We stayed for a long weekend at the end of March 2008. We arrived early in the day and our room wasn't ready, but we were able to drop off our luggage, get some directions and a key and we were out the door to go shopping. We loved our room (we stayed in the DiVinci Room) which was 75% of the "third" floor. The heated floor in the bathroom (and resident kitty hanging out there) was great. Our bed was absolutely comfortable and the jersey cotton sheets rocked. We went to the Oprah Winfrey Show and had to be out of the house at 6:15am and the staff had a continental breakfast ready for us. When we arrived back at 11:45am they made us brunch too!(Right before we went to the Cubs home opener!) I am a strict vegetarian and found lots of choices on the menu. Ray knows the neighborhood well and gave great suggestions! We will definitely stay here the next time we are in town. Great location, very safe and pretty quiet. The winding staircase to get to our suite was a bit twisty and steep but you just walk slowly and you are fine!

Fabulous cozy rooms, excellent HUGE breakfast made to order. Convenient to local transportation-CTA. We had a marvelous time.

1/07 The bed and breakfast was way too focused on the breakfast adn no the bed part! The whole house smelled like old grease, when we went out everyday we had the smell on our clothes. In addition, our room lacked proper heat. The plug in heater they provided didnt work. If we adjusted the heat in kitchen it got so hot in our room we couldnt breath..no in between. Yhe pictues on the web look like they were from 15yrs agao maybe. While the staff was very nice and the breakfast look good I would never stay here again. The only thing it has going for it is its location.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
Here at Ray’s we try our best to make sure everyone is happy and comfortable (see ALL the other reviews). We are sorry these guests had a problem with their heating, but unfortunately we could have easily shown them how to adjust the heat if they would have simply brought it to our attention. (the plug-in heater is just an added feature and it does work). We have two very efficient central heat & A/C systems, and we have had hundreds of people stay in the Skylight Room without a complaint. It does not seem fair to write a bad review without having given us a chance to correct the problem. Since we opened 3 years ago, the ‘15 years ago’ photo comment seems to be a little mean-spirited along with the whole "old grease smell" (We have had over 5,000 guests and not one person has ever mentioned it). We bend over backwards to make sure your stay is comfortable, your rooms are clean and you enjoy your experience. Like all B&B owners, if something is not right, bring it to our attention and we will fix/correct/change whatever it is. We hope to have you as our guest.

- Ray Reiss (innkeeper)

We highly recommend Ray's B&B. Ray and his staff gave us such a warm welcome throughout our three day stay. The room we had was just right; very comfortable and cozy. We also took advantage of the steam room and sauna. Awesome! The food was wonderful; freshly prepared and made to order. We will return!

This was a wonderful B&B! The staff was friendly and inviting and the room was awesome! The bed was so comfortable, we didn't want to get up. The food was so good, I thought they must have gone to culinary school! The building is in a great area of Chicago also.

Ray and his staff were great. The breakfasts were fantastic and we got to share breakfast with guests from around the country and the world. Ray's is close to the CTA rapid transit. You can fly into either airport and get to Ray's without a car. If your trip is touring Chicago, skip the car.

Simply the best!!! Ray is wonderful, very close to fun places, absolutely the best breakfast in the world!!! We loved out stay, and will be back very soon.

We've stayed at a lot of B&B's over the years and their ad is right, Ray's is definitely not your old, staid, fussy B&B. It is so much better than that! The atmosphere was fun, the staff friendly and helpful and the breakfasts were really out of this world! We had our niece with us and they couldn't have made her feel more welcome. She especially enjoyed Grey, one of their house-kitties. I highly recommend them for anyone planning a trip to Chicago any time soon. I know that we'll be back! :)

OMG, the Breakfasts!! We travel and stay in B&Bs a lot. This one is the best yet! This is so even compared to the B&B hotspots (Door County, Hot Springs). It's old town Chicago - a few minutes ride to City Center and a few blocks off the Interstate. I don't know that this place can be topped. We were not the only guests there for a first time and who swore that it wouldn't be our last! Must GO!!

The website was right on when it said this is not your parents bed & breakfast. Very down to earht staff that made breakfast very enjoyable. The food was phenominal. This was my first B & B experience and I loved it! We plan on going back!