Chicago Ritz Carlton [Master Thread]
Apr 22, 2019, 8:14 pm
#61
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
I know it can happen and I expect it can be true in more places than not. But I don't think that's always true. In Boston, for example, I was treated extremely well. I think Ambassador status ordinarily can preclude that issue--but not in Chicago.
Apr 22, 2019, 10:30 pm
#62
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,028
One data point, during my stay in Boston I called down to the front desk and asked for a late check out as a Gold member after the merge and they wouldn't extend me past 2pm. I went down to the club lounge and they were more than willing to give me a later check out and let us stay in the lounge til our flight left. This was during the polar vortex so we were there til 10pm that night.
Apr 22, 2019, 11:34 pm
#63
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
One data point, during my stay in Boston I called down to the front desk and asked for a late check out as a Gold member after the merge and they wouldn't extend me past 2pm. I went down to the club lounge and they were more than willing to give me a later check out and let us stay in the lounge til our flight left. This was during the polar vortex so we were there til 10pm that night.
Apr 22, 2019, 11:46 pm
#64
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
Looks like the Park Hyatt will remain my Chicago hotel of choice, though I do find it rather pricey when I’m only staying for short periods (I once “lived” there a few nights a week on a fantastic negotiated rate).
Apr 23, 2019, 9:54 am
#65
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,028
As a Gold, you are not entitled to more than 2 pm. The front desk didn’t do anything wrong. Just because the Club Lounge did doesn’t mean much to me in that instance. Just because I get upgraded to a specialty suite at one hotel doesn’t mean another hotel isn’t treating me better.
May 23, 2019, 12:40 pm
#66
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: San Diego Area
Programs: UA Gold MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott Plat LT, HH Gold, IHG Plat, WoH Discvst, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,834
Wife is a Titanium Elite. When booking a standard room on points, what sort of upgrade should be expected?
Perhaps more importantly, does this property give lounge access in this situation even though it appears to not be a guaranteed benefit for PE or TE?
Thanks.
Perhaps more importantly, does this property give lounge access in this situation even though it appears to not be a guaranteed benefit for PE or TE?
Thanks.
May 23, 2019, 12:48 pm
#67
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
As always with Ritz-Carlton, there is no elite status entitlement for Club lounge access: you either pay for it or not. Period. It’s worth noting that RC Clubs usually are much nicer than the regular lounges offered elsewhere as an elite/Platinum benefit, so its not exactly comparable.
May 24, 2019, 8:57 am
#68
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,028
I will say that the food offerings at the RC Chicago Club Lounge is really subpar to every other Club Lounge I've been too.
May 26, 2019, 8:04 am
#69
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 686
I would put Aruba and New Orleans near the top and Grand Cayman and South Beach toward to the bottom. For GC, it was mostly because they were very strict about not letting food or drinks leave the Club (this was 2015). Taking a water or two at the end of the night or down to the beach is not unreasonable. For South Beach, the food offerings were very limited and the food sat out for a long time under heat laps so meat was very dry if you weren't at dinner at the start of service.
May 26, 2019, 10:26 am
#70
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: USA
Programs: AA2, DL2, Amtrak2, US2, SPG1, MAR2
Posts: 2,550
Wow, thanks for the tip. That would be enough reason for me to book away from RC Grand Cayman. If I cant take a couple glasses of champagne and a little bite back to the room pre-dinner while getting dressed or coffee and some nibbles when I first wake up then the Club loses a significant amount of value to me.
May 28, 2019, 6:34 am
#71
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 686
Wow, thanks for the tip. That would be enough reason for me to book away from RC Grand Cayman. If I cant take a couple glasses of champagne and a little bite back to the room pre-dinner while getting dressed or coffee and some nibbles when I first wake up then the Club loses a significant amount of value to me.
Jun 5, 2019, 9:06 pm
#72
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Proud resident of flyover country.....
Programs: MS AMEX PLAT- Marriott Titanium-HH G- UA Silver-JPM RC . DL-AA-BA
Posts: 3,892
Have you been back since the complete renovation of the Club, which opened early Feb? I've been here a few times, and I will say the offerings were better this time than in the past, but I wouldn't rank it as subpar based on my experiences - I know, YMMV.
I would put Aruba and New Orleans near the top and Grand Cayman and South Beach toward to the bottom. For GC, it was mostly because they were very strict about not letting food or drinks leave the Club (this was 2015). Taking a water or two at the end of the night or down to the beach is not unreasonable. For South Beach, the food offerings were very limited and the food sat out for a long time under heat laps so meat was very dry if you weren't at dinner at the start of service.
I would put Aruba and New Orleans near the top and Grand Cayman and South Beach toward to the bottom. For GC, it was mostly because they were very strict about not letting food or drinks leave the Club (this was 2015). Taking a water or two at the end of the night or down to the beach is not unreasonable. For South Beach, the food offerings were very limited and the food sat out for a long time under heat laps so meat was very dry if you weren't at dinner at the start of service.
We have a stay at the RC in Chicago coming up but with so many other options we are not doing the club. It has been several years since we stayed there so i am anxious to see how the property has changed, it was still a FS during our last visit. I really like the Peninsula so we will see how the RC stacks up now.
Jun 5, 2019, 9:09 pm
#73
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
We have a stay at the RC in Chicago coming up but with so many other options we are not doing the club. It has been several years since we stayed there so i am anxious to see how the property has changed, it was still a FS during our last visit. I really like the Peninsula so we will see how the RC stacks up now.
Jun 5, 2019, 9:34 pm
#74
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Proud resident of flyover country.....
Programs: MS AMEX PLAT- Marriott Titanium-HH G- UA Silver-JPM RC . DL-AA-BA
Posts: 3,892
Jun 5, 2019, 9:38 pm
#75
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
I understand. But I’d recommend using those at a better Ritz-Carlton. The RC Chicago property is really underwhelming, as evidenced by my recent stay in April (and concomitant Expert Review above). Very disappointing hard product. Dated decor and furnishings. Lots of service fails. And I’m Ambassador elite and get treated usually so well at even the best RC and StR properties.