Kaix

What is your IHG Status?
Spire RA

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yep

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked cheapest, received Grand Tower King Suite
As others have said, the Grand Tower isn't as nice as the Executive Tower, but I've noticed this hotel is not as generous with upgrades during peak times.

How are the rooms?
Suite was comfortable met all expectations.

How is the exec. lounge?
No lounge at this hotel, but they have just started to offer "Club InterContinental" benefits for RAs.
- Complementary breakfast at Center Court
- Free happy hour at ENO Wine Bar during the evening

They also mention special check-in privileges, etc., but this doesn't happen. Join the regular queue with everyone else!

Did you receive a welcome gift?
Large tray of fruit in the room
Bottled water
Two Starbucks drink coupons
Two free drink coupons at the restaurant (Michael Jordan's)

How was the minibar?
Not bad

What was good and what was bad?
-Good
- RA upgrade to suite
- New Happy Hour Club IC benefit at ENO
- Complimentary breakfast at Center Court
- Location

-Bad
- Check-in experience (no separate line or area for RA)
- Staff (hit or miss, but mostly very mediocre)
- Service (bell staff, help with luggage, etc. is useless here compared to Asia-Pacific ICs)
- Business center is not free (no free printing or use of computers, it's simply a small FedEx store)
- Hotel charges to receive a package (e.g. from Amazon)
- No silverware beyond what is provided in the room for the fruit tray... they'll tell you to get plastic stuff at the restaurant
- Ice is only available on one floor of the Grand Tower
- Housekeeping tends to barge in all the time with little notice

Value for $ or Priority Club Points?
Depends on the season

Would you return?
Yes, I prefer to stay here when in Chicago on business.

Other Notes
I believe the complimentary happy hour at ENO is new as of June (they didn't have this last time I was there in May). It's basically a couple of hours in the evening and they provide a small pre-printed menu of items you can order.

Bubbles - sparking wine (1 choice)
White wine (1 choice)
Red wine (1 choice)

Olives
Cheese selection
Margherita Pizza
Eno Salad

Overall this stuff was okay (nothing fancy) and seems you can order as much as you want. Glad to see IC Chicago implementing new benefits for RAs.