**There are a couple of places this post could go; I'm posting it here for the sake of continuity.



I just returned from a two-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel) and will share some thoughts and impressions with this lovely forum.

I was originally planning to stay at the new JW Marriott this weekend due to a combination of being a Marriott Platinum member and their low rates for suites. However, the Ritz was offering a $250 rate for a Superior room, inclusive of FHR benefits, and it was hard for me to resist. Upon calling the hotel and speaking to the front desk further, I was graciously provided with an upgrade to the Premier floor (which houses all of the hotel's rooms with separate showers and tubs) a couple days prior to my arrival...


So it was to my pleasant surprise when I was told at the desk that I had been upgraded further. Having been impressed with the pre-arrival concierge and front office service, I had shifted some reservations away from another Chicago hotel to the Ritz over the upcoming two months, and the hotel was kind enough to reciprocate by placing us in their 'Large Premier One-Bedroom Suite.' As noted, the suite is on the 30th (top) floor, facing south. My preference, all things being equal, would have been for one of the Southeast facing corner suites, which are slightly smaller, but I was hardly disposed to complain.

The suite was, for lack of a more descriptive term, beautiful. You enter through a small foyer with an art-deco themed minibar to your left. The main space is a good ~800 square foot room. A desk and chair to your immediate right, with french doors on the right wall. TV to the immediate left on the north wall, with two sofas and armchair setup opposite it. On the far left is a dining table for four. Behind the dining area, to the North, is a separate powder room and kitchen/service area. The bedroom, which is to the right of the living space, features a wonderful bed and lounge chair. The bathroom has a double-vanity, and the separate room further in has a deep-soaking tub, shower, and toilet space. There is also a walk-in closet.

It was top-notch. To the hotel's credit, I was given a tour of a standard Premier room, which I was expecting, and was very impressed as it was just a scaled down version of the suite. The space was beautifully decorated with tasteful, almost art-deco furniture and a muted color scheme of tans and beiges. The toiletries were Bvlgari, the shower pressure was excellent, the bath was hot, and the bed supremely comfortable.

The service at this hotel is another highlight. As I've noted, the front desk is both extremely flexible regarding reasonable requests for upgrades and other things. Beyond this, the concierge (Melissa in particular) was excellent at getting a couple of tough reservations as well as calling around and coordinating some activities for us. On Sunday morning, I called down for a copy of the Tribune (NYT and WSJ had arrived at the door per my request) and though the hotel was out for the moment, they sent someone out across the street to pick me up and deliver a copy to the room. I have to gripe about being charged for the NYT, and not being told I would be, but in the grand scheme of the service provided it was a small oversight.


The gym and spa area is also quite nice, if a bit dated. Nevertheless, I enjoyed a great steam and sauna, and I was told that the nail service was very good as well.

A particular highlight was the quality of the food and beverage at the hotel. We ordered in from the restaurant, Deca, one night, and enjoyed a wonderful classic french meal. The French onion soup and the Beef Bourguignon were as good as I've had anywhere outside of France, and the presentation was excellent--the food was piping hot when it arrived in our room, and we were served at our table by an elegant and gracious waiter.

All-in-all, I don't have too many negative words to say about this hotel. The views are stunning, the rooms beautifully apportioned, the food delicious, and the service warm. It was a bit annoying to fight for elevator space and lobby sofas with a seemingly endless series of families with small, loud children, but I'd chalk this up more to the holiday weekend than the hotel. Also, being charged for the NYT was a little annoying, as was the hotel's miscommunication of FHR benefits upon check-in. But, these minor service issues were resolved quickly and, more importantly, politely.

I hope this was helpful, and if you have any questions feel free to ask away.