FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Hyatt Lodge Oak Brook Chicago (former McDonald's campus) REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Old Jun 17, 2021 | 4:50 am
  #43  
LSEGallipot
All eyes on you!
5 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: SW WI
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum (LT Gold)
Posts: 100
Corroborating krazykanuck's assessment - currently finishing 1-night stay with family to burn some Hyatt points that I'd accumulated in previous work trips before I lost them. In standard 2Q room, which is amply spacious. The ghost of the hotel's use as Hamburger U dormitory still evident: parallel double closets are enormous (prob biggest I've ever had in standard room), with cubbyhole shelving units in each. The surrounding grounds lovely - enjoyed late evening walk with spouse last night to explore multiple paths around hotel and "forest" area - and aligns with hotel design to reinforce lodge aesthetic. Enjoyable to be inside so much green in midst of Chicagoland urban sprawl (and nice contrast with imminent next two nights in downtown).

I will say - it was slightly creepy to walk around the vacated McDonald's corporate buildings on the grounds; clearly still being maintained, but not a soul inside. I peeked into ground floor rotunda area of the former corporate HQ (building closest to hotel), and saw multiple artist renderings of building labelled "The Reserve at Oak Brook" (or something similar) on display easels, so suspect may be some attempt at redeveloping as housing (? versus additional hotel). Another anomaly for me, but probably not most of the posters - based on previous reviews posted in FT and elsewhere, I was looking forward to surveying the weird McDonald's-based art throughout the hotel. Surely, there is still *some*, but not as much as I was expecting. [Room is on 3rd floor, and all art in our hallway seems to be "generic"/non-McD based... unless *so* abstract that I just don't get it.]
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