I just returned from a stay at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago. We booked a Deluxe King Room as Hhonors Gold for our anniversary. All I can say is that this hotel set the bar for all other hotels in the US and abroad.

We got a one-category upgrade to the Waldorf Suite which we really appreciated. It's more like a junior suite because the living room and bedroom are separated by a fireplace, but there are no doors separating the space. But it is 775 sq ft so it's plenty spacious...the room reminds me of the Wynn Encore hotel in Vegas. The bathroom is decorated in white and grey marble. The mini kitchen area has a microwave, a minibar, a fridge, and a freezer. The minibar and fridge looked weight-sensored, so we put some leftovers in the freezer.

I hope they keep the free breakfast for Hhonors elite. The $59.11 credit per couple for "continental breakfasts" was a nice touch. Got us 2 plated breakfast entrees and 2 coffees for free at Balsan. 18% gratuity was automatically added. I thought this a bit of a disservice because our waitress was good. We would have left 20% if we had a choice, but there was no "additional tip" line. There is no buffet option.

We were able to ride the house car once during our stay, but we had to wait for it. The car had just left 5 minutes before, and the doorman estimated it takes 20 minutes roundtrip and offered the option for us to wait or take a cab. He was right on the money. We while we were waiting, we saw at least 3 other groups inquire about the car as we were waiting. I don't know if they have additional cars on the weekdays, but on the Sunday there was only one - a Mercedes GL450.

While there is a no-tipping policy at the hotel, we tipped pretty much everyone we came in contact with (doorman, valet, car driver, etc.) but they ALL told us "this is part of your service" before taking their tip. I think it's nice that you don't HAVE to tip, but we thought everyone gave us exceptional service, so we tipped them all. The service MADE this hotel. Everyone always looked like they were happy to see us. ALL OF THEM. That's a rare find.

The only disappointing part was that we didn't get to visit the pool because it was closed for unexpected maintenance. We also missed turn down service because we had an appointment at the Peninsula and checked in later than expected. Do they still offer those macaroons I keep hearing about on Tripadvisor and Yelp?

Overall, I'd return here in a heartbeat. Maybe I had my expectations low because I loathed the Conrad Chicago (which just felt like a snooty Hilton with teeny rooms crammed with big furniture and without the service or hospitality). But in the past year, I've stayed at some pretty nice hotels: Conrad Hong Kong, Conrad Macao, Hotel de Paris (Monaco), and this hotel nudges them all out.