Originally Posted by
Marq
We are looking at going to Chicago for 4th of July weekend. We will use points and have come down to choice between Conrad and Drake. I am Diamond. Which would be a better match for our needs?
Breakfast is important as are snacks and drinks in exec lounge. As we will probably be busy enjoying Chicago, the snacks and drinks are probably not as important as in past. We want to be close to public transportation so we can go to Hyde Park and Wrigley Field. We plan to spend rest of time from Oak Street to the Loop and Navy Pier for Taste of Chicago and fireworks. All advice appreciated.
By the way, is the piano bar at Acorn on Oak still in existence? My wife has never been to Chicago and I have not been back in 31 years since I graduated. I would like to show my wife the best of Chicago.
thanks,
Marc
If you want an Exec. Lounge the conrad doesn't have one and I was disappointed in the breakfast. There is a thread in the hilton forum and someone just commented on it as recently as yesterday with reviews of the conrad. I was also disappointed in the breakfast there. It's a voucher for a contential breakfast and you can use it as a certain $ amount towards anything on the menu but it wasn't for very much and the food was good but very overpriced. It is convenient to public transit though. Just walk to the grand red line stop and get off at addison for wrigely field and for navy pier it's a direct shot down grand street that you can easilly walk. I would say it's 3/4 to 1 mile from the conrad or you could just grab a bus on grand if you buy a CTA visitors pass and there is shuttle/trolley service as well to navy pier but not sure if that area would be on the routes or not. You can also easilly walk to grant park for taste of chicago. I was personally disappointed in my experience at the conrad. It is a nice hotel but I had a great January rate and would never pay what they normally charge. If you are looking for a good breakfast or an EL avoid this property. If you stay there I would recomend going for the bonus points for your my way and just eating in the loop. Lots of places to eat at in the area and I didn't find anything special about the supposedly upgraded room I got.
I have never stayed at the drake but I know they used to have an EL and friends of mine that have stayed there before like it, and at that time they had an honors bars in their lounge. HOWEVER, they were upgraded to the exec level and I had other friends that stayed there as diamonds and the Exec level was not available as an upgrade and they got a breakfast voucher. At that time, even though the HH T&C say diamonds are to get lounge access, they weren't giving it to them unless they were on that level, so I would call the property and see if that is still the case since getting an upgrade to that level could be hard that weekend. And I don't like the location and that is why I have never stayed there. If you are going to use public transit you will probably need to rely on the bus since there aren't any L stops really close.
A couple suggestions you might want to check out.
1. The palmer house may be a good choice. It's an older hotel but has been renovated and I have good luck as a diamond with upgrades. If I can't get on the 23rd floor they always give me a large room. They also have a dedicated desk for diamonds and the exec floors during certain times. They will always give diamonds lounge access. The main complaint I have with that property is the breakfast. When I stay there on weekends the lounge is always full for families and it can be hard to find a seat during breakfast and I don't think it's anything great and a lot of times will just eat at corner bakery. The food spread at nighttime is nice and it's self service for soda and they have several infused waters out during the day but you do have to request bottled water (still free). If you are looking for a nice fitness center, this has to be the best hotel fitness center I have ever used. And the location would be great for you. You could grab a shuttle to navy pier (or walk it if you are up for a good walk), grant park for Taste of chicago is a short walk and the Red line is right in front of the hotel for wrigley field. And every line except for the blue line is also beside the hotel and the blue line is only a few minute walk so that means no switching trains if you are flying.
2. The Wit is my favorite. No exec lounge though, but the breakfast is GREAT. They give you vouchers but they cover almost anything on the menu and food is really good. It's a newer hotel and I really like it. It's also beside all the state and lake L stops and the fitness center is small but it is open 24/7 and it's a newer hotel. I have never stayed there in the summer, but I have seen lines out the door for the roof bar and am told guests get priority access to the bar. If you are travelling with kids, you might not like it as much, but if it's just a couple it's a hotel I really recomend.