I will preface this review by saying that the host was nice enough to fully refund us for our troubles during a recent stay in Chicago, and it was very much appreciated. However, our entire stay was very unpleasant and I do want to leave an honest review for future guests.
The house and the apartment are beautiful and in a wonderful location in Lakeview/Boystown, on an incredible street and a short walk from tons of restaurants, nightlife, grocery stores, transit, etc. Unfortunately the positives stopped there for us. Cleanliness was not up to par and we have discussed specifics with the owner. We were upgraded to the first floor apartment because the basement was being renovated, but at 7 am on our first day we realized that the apartment above was also being renovated. Construction work began early in the morning and continued throughout the day, including a full day of moving furniture, followed by a full day of deafening sanding of hardwood floors. As it is an old home, noise travels very, very well. Construction noise aside, you can hear everything happening above you. If you are a light sleeper, or you are visiting Chicago for vacation or anything other than keeping a traditional 8-5 schedule then I would not recommend this place. Lastly, there is a very absurd list of rules that is presented before check-in, and I have expressed to the owner that this should be presented in the listing so that future guests can decide for themselves if it is the right fit. Once you receive the rules, it is too late, and as there is a strict cancellation policy you won't be able to get a refund. We were very uncomfortable and felt we needed to walk on eggshells before we even arrived.
This place really should be fantastic, and I hope that they make the necessary changes to how things operate to ensure comfortable stays for future guests!