The Aster House Apartments

I stayed at Aster House in «Alice’s Hideway» for about 5 months… From about August to February… I can’t give enough praise for how enjoyable it was. If I could give it ten stars I would. I felt the price for a furnished short term apartment was more than reasonable, the apartment was spacious and comfortable. All the basic amenities were there and a modest kitchen for those who cook (I don’t, I microwave or dine out, lol) The street parking was fine, no problems finding a space in the 5 months I was there. Being an Architect, I really loved staying in this beautiful Victorian. Close to many restaurants, shops, theater and the subway.
The best part of all of this is the owners… I felt like family with them and they went above and beyond the call to make me feel at home. Big thanks to you Fran and Clancy, for making my stay so welcome and homey. I would definitely stay with you again.
Warmest Regards,
~Jean

Comfy and spacious place, excellent location, terrific host.
I’ll elaborate. I lived at Aster House in Lincoln Park for a week during the spring when the air was just warming and I’ve rarely felt so comfortable anywhere. There is a sizable kitchen with a back patio breakfast nook. TWO large sitting rooms with a dining room if I had any inkling to entertain guests (I didn’t). My favorite was the upstairs sitting room filled with light in the morning, a comfortable place to sit in the morning and review my plans for the day. The bedroom, full of antique furnishings probably took me 15 seconds to walk across– far bigger than other nook and cranny B&Bs I’ve stayed in. And the master bathroom had a very large shower/​jacuzzi arrangement with not one but two sinks. A full laundry room was across the hall.
Fran, the host, made me feel very comfortable from the start. An the bonus was that she knew the city and the neighborhood like the back of her hand. So I didn’t need to really dig deeply into travel books-​I looked to her for recommendations of places to dine and visit and she gave good ones. Aster House was around the corner from high caliber concert clubs and theaters which were right up my alley. I was often able to walk to places even though I’d rented a car. Parking was surprisingly easy in the neighborhood and in front of Aster House-​this is Chicago?
So, I was a happy camper. The building was easy access, I never felt disturbed by other guests or staff. The décor has Victorian charm but updated to suit contemporary needs. I would stay here again, perhaps for a longer period of time, I felt that at home.

First of all, this place was recommended to us by some one who stayed here many times. But then I went to Unilocal and saw that less-​than-​satisfied reveiw from 2008, and didnt know which to believe. So decided to see for myself!
First, it did not seem old fashioned to us. Yes, there was wallpaper in some rooms (not in the bedroom, s) but that seemed fitting for a victorian house. And it was very sunny and bright and had all the modern conveneiences which worked just fine.
Every detail seemed to have been thought of; we lacked nothing. All the helpful kitchen appliances, even a blender for my morning smoothies which is rare in
home stays. Plus the place is huge — a real bargain for the space!
We were here in the winter, and not only were there no breeses through the windows, the apt was actually too warm so we kept the heat way down.
As noted, our hosts were awesome. We felt more like they were friends than landlords, but definitely not in a suffocateing way — maybe more like friendly helpful neighbors.
It was easy to see why my friend returns so often, and we plan to do the same!
Sandy H

Your granny’s place, on steriods.
Wallpaper mania. I felt like I ought to be wearing a corset and a bustle.
If you want a spacious, antique-​filled and rather creepy B&B, with overly decorated EVERYTHING and an antique bathtub which sits on claws, then this is the place for you.
The Aster House «Elizabeth’s Apartment» space takes up the ground floor of an old 1890s Lincoln Park house, and has a prodigious collection of antique furniture, spooky old photographs and even a scrap book telling you the history of the house.
The woman who owns the place is nice, though a bit scatterbrained. You have to sign a short term lease agreement because I don’t think it’s technically a hotel. No breakfast is provided, but there is a full kitchen, with nice Corian benchtops and new appliances, and it’s right near Dominicks at Fullerton and Sheffield. Good, convenient location in general.
Parts of this place are broken and dusty, but on the whole it’s clean.
The bed is a little uncomfortable, and the lighting is dim. There is a nice back porch and sun deck you can use. I was here in summer — it may get kind of chilly in winter, as I think there are some old windows which may not seal too well.
We got locked out one night because the door code mysteriously stopped working, and it took ages to rouse anyone to let us in. As compensation, the next day we returned to find a big bunch of tulips and an apology note. So it’s personal — not like a big anonymous motel, that’s for sure.