UA-NYC

Interesting - was going to follow up, at the restaurant they said it's $14/person, up to 2 people (so $28). That actually covers a good bit, including the basic "American" of eggs, potatoes, a meat, and bread/English muffin/croissant (very good and filling). Few other options are a couple bucks more. Very reasonable actually.

Good for you if you got a full breakfast!

playbbg

Figured it was too good to be true. The $14 pp seems more realistic. I'm sure they hair made a mistake with us as they are getting used to the new program.

GH83

Do you have any information on when the renovation is going to begin? I have fond memories of this property as a Conrad, and I'm very interested to see what sort of changes are going to be made.

CLEguy

Looking at a stay here over NYE. Anything recent? SPG.com reviews indicate some service issues as of October, but I'm really more interested in an upgrade than anything else on this trip.

UA-NYC

Was there in Sept - nice property, very good breakfast, got a nice suite for a one night stay. Can't beat the location.

But it's very much a cat 5 (vs. 6) LC.

playbbg

i have reservations for dec 3-4 and then another one 4-6 (one cash then points). i'm having issues with my SNA so far, with them saying they can't confirm but the web site indicates many suites available both nights. I'll post back after my stay and let you know.

when everything is operating correctly, this is my favorite SPG property in Chicago given the location and the unique rooms. hopefully they get their act together.

rifle57

Stayed here over the weekend for three nights, two weeks ago.
Had 5 rooms (all on points) tried to use SNA, declined
No platinum acknowledgement other than, thank you for your loyalty at checkin
I did receive the free continental breakfast for all 5 rooms (two people each), which was very nice and valuable.
(at check-in they issued the platinum breakfast cards, one person for one morning did upgrade to the full breakfast and was charged for the upgrade, the continental is a fixed menu, not a dollar credit)
All rooms average in quality, dated, clean, smallish
Good location, no luxury, next time will go back to Westin River North

KENNECTED

I know from experience this property has few suites and all most all the rooms are unique in size. What did you expect in turns of recognition?

What do you mean "no luxury"? I want to understand what your definition of "luxury" is, since you say you'll go back the WRN, which in my opinion the WRN is uber dated with that green marble in the bathrooms. The hotel has a lounge but the decor is stuck in the 90s.

Any pictures?

UA-NYC

Forgot to post, here are mine. Nice but again, more regular Cat 5 vs. LC.

KENNECTED

Looks like that is the furniture from the Le Meridien to Conrad Conversion/Renovation.

Looking at my old pictures it appears the bathrooms have never changed.

khabah

^ Spot on, that's the same furniture from when the hotel opened as a Le Méridien in the early 2000s. Looked great back then but now it's DEFINITELY time for a total revamp... Something that the owners have confirmed when the hotel's switch from Conrad to LC was made. They're conducting a full renovation of the hotel and if you look at the hotel's website, there's a picture of a suite with hardwood floors, beige and blue rugs and all-white beds that actually looks really sophisticated. I'm sure it'll trickle down to the rooms soon enough, so let's keep an eye out for that.

khabah

playbbg

just finished my stay here and tend to agree with the above.

First, had a 1 night paid, then a 2 night award on a separate reservation and neither cleared SNAs. I sense a little funny business as multiple suites were bookable at T-5. Further, the first reservation, when asked at check-in, said a suite was available for that night, but wouldn't be available for the other 2 nights. I said I would take it, but then she said it wasn't ready and that I should really just take the Grande Deluxe room for all 3 nights. Seems weird and also seems the SNA process is still not working at this hotel, which is quite frustrating. It makes it more frustrating, as from my experience as The Conrad, this hotel has some of my favorite suites in the city (there is nothing better than having room service breakfast or evening cocktail on one of the large terrace suites looking straight up Michigan Ave.).

My room was a bit larger than a regular room, but it was all wasted space (just an angle out from the main room entrance with a larger gap between the TV and bed).

While the property is definitely date and in need of a facelift, I would still consider it a step above the Westins. Not even taking into account both Westins need work and aren't anything to write home about, The Gwen does have many upgraded amenities like a Bose sound system (which turned in to a super minus for me, as the room next door was blasting music with their sub-woofer at 1am), Elemis bath product, separate tub and showers, turndown service with slippers and chocolates, very comfortable bedding, large overall bathrooms (separate toilet room), and I find the Terrace lounge quite nice.

Also, the location really can't be beat. Being a Chicago native, I would say from experience it's the best located hotel in the city. You have the option of going out the back and walking to the heart of River North and the Red Line a few blocks away, or go out the front and you are in the middle of Michigan Ave with a few block walk to the lake. No other hotel (other than perhaps the Marriott next door) offers both options.

Negatives for me:

- The service was not "luxury" as they seemed uncaring at check-in and in the dining room and the housekeeping messed up twice. once they took 2 dirty towels but didn't replace then and second they replenished the bath wash with shampoo, so I had 2 shampoos and no bath wash.
- the PLT Breakfast annoys me, as there should be cash value and the option to upgrade to a full breakfast
- they need to upgrade the fixtures as it feels quite dated
- if you are on floors 12 or higher, the elevator situation is annoying. taking 2 elevators takes extra time and I always felt like I was waiting a long time for them as there don't seem to be enough from ground to 5 for the amount of traffic they receive.

andersonCooper

Just completed a weekend stay here. Few things to say:

1. No breakfast for Plat unless you pick it as your welcome gift.
2. Room is very spacious even just standard room;
3. You do have to go through 2 elevators but it ran pretty fast and did not take me too much time for waiting.
4. Internet is very slow.
5. They participated in Make A Green Choice.
6. Very good location indeed - close to Michigan Ave and Nordstorm. However if you prefer closer to Loop, Westin might be a better choice.
7. In-room Bose system is awesome.

KENNECTED

Questions/observations. Maybe it's the way you wrote the above, but how can you go "through" two elevators?

You have to use the elevator, from the Mall or Rush Street after hours (unless that has changed from my last stay) to get to the hotel lobby. Once in the hotel lobby you use the hotel elevators to get to/from guest rooms.

Is that what you meant or is there something else going on like renovations that have the will require guest to use two elevators?

Also, this isn't just close to Nordstrom, it's connect (above) the Mall.

AAerSTL

I stayed here earlier this year (February) when it was a Conrad.

As for your questions:
You do need to take two elevators to go from street level or Shops at Northbridge up to a guest room floor. The hotel lobby lounge and registration is on I believe the 5th floor, you walk across and take another set of elevators to reach the floor your room is on. A little annoying, but this certainly isn't the only property configured this way I have stayed at.