Aug 14, 2018, 11:30 am
Last edit by: SkiAdcock
Hat tip to dcchi: "Whenever we do staycations in downtown Chicago, we use the ParkWhiz app to find parking. Normally pretty substantial savings off of hotel parking rates and even minor savings (and sometimes more) off of garage posted rates. If you're willing to walk one or a few blocks, this works well."
Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Chicago, IL
Nov 4, 2013, 9:46 am
#856
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Los Angeles, California
Programs: IHG Diamond Elite, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 3,531
Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel
Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel
Stayed 10/31-11/4/2013.
Was upgraded to a nice corner room on one of the club floors. Unfortunately, it was on the train side. The first night it bothered me a lot but I got use to it. Sounds like being at a (close-in) major airport hotel. Great views of everthing from the lake, river, John Hancock building and south on State St., though.
Service was hit or miss. Despite calling in for housekeeping after our first night, nobody came except turndown service, it appeared (we were out from 2:30 pm until late evening). Also asked for a lamp on the desk which has an additional electrical outlet on the base of it to be fixed (the electrical outlet). Apparently, someone came to fix it the first day as it was unplugged but it wasn't fixed. Second day we went to the front desk and asked for housekeeping and for lamp outlet (again) to be fixed (there are minimal electrical outlets in the room...especially near the desk). It wasn't fixed the second day either but they added a 6-outlet octopus to the existing wall plug.
Wireless internet is two-tier and front desk told us at check-in that we should pick the higher priced ($18.95 per day - up to 6 devices) service since I'm Platinum and wouldn't be charged for it. He also mentioned they had recently completed an upgrade of it. It was between fairly fast and extremely fast depending on the time we used it over 4 days. On all our devices, which may have been do to our corner room location, we lost connection from time to time everyday (I lost count of all the times) and they had to be reset which was annoying. If I was paying $18.95 per day, I would be asking for a refund.
Lounge breakfast was excellent with many of the same items from the restaurant breakfast buffet. Hor d'eouvers and desserts in the evening were minimal. One evening, Halloween, there wasn't even a hot item. Morning breakfast girls were VERY friendly and attentive. The evening social guy seemed more interested in watching sports on the lounge tv. Plenty of water bottles, 3 bottled juices, Coke & Sprite stocked in the lounge refrigerator. There's 1 computer and 1 printer in the lounge.
As a Platinum, I was given the option of either 750 points per weekend day or Continental Breakfast (buffet) for two (coupon) in the restaurant. In the restaurant, you're also given the option of a $6 upcharge per person for the hot buffet (including omelette station).
Elevators were very fast. Never waited.
As others have mentioned, the hotel is in a great location.
We found staff, overall, to be professional, very friendly and helpful.
Do try to avoid a room on the south side of the hotel or you're going to get a lot of noise from the El...although our corner room with two windows had magnificent views...
Stayed 10/31-11/4/2013.
Was upgraded to a nice corner room on one of the club floors. Unfortunately, it was on the train side. The first night it bothered me a lot but I got use to it. Sounds like being at a (close-in) major airport hotel. Great views of everthing from the lake, river, John Hancock building and south on State St., though.
Service was hit or miss. Despite calling in for housekeeping after our first night, nobody came except turndown service, it appeared (we were out from 2:30 pm until late evening). Also asked for a lamp on the desk which has an additional electrical outlet on the base of it to be fixed (the electrical outlet). Apparently, someone came to fix it the first day as it was unplugged but it wasn't fixed. Second day we went to the front desk and asked for housekeeping and for lamp outlet (again) to be fixed (there are minimal electrical outlets in the room...especially near the desk). It wasn't fixed the second day either but they added a 6-outlet octopus to the existing wall plug.
Wireless internet is two-tier and front desk told us at check-in that we should pick the higher priced ($18.95 per day - up to 6 devices) service since I'm Platinum and wouldn't be charged for it. He also mentioned they had recently completed an upgrade of it. It was between fairly fast and extremely fast depending on the time we used it over 4 days. On all our devices, which may have been do to our corner room location, we lost connection from time to time everyday (I lost count of all the times) and they had to be reset which was annoying. If I was paying $18.95 per day, I would be asking for a refund.
Lounge breakfast was excellent with many of the same items from the restaurant breakfast buffet. Hor d'eouvers and desserts in the evening were minimal. One evening, Halloween, there wasn't even a hot item. Morning breakfast girls were VERY friendly and attentive. The evening social guy seemed more interested in watching sports on the lounge tv. Plenty of water bottles, 3 bottled juices, Coke & Sprite stocked in the lounge refrigerator. There's 1 computer and 1 printer in the lounge.
As a Platinum, I was given the option of either 750 points per weekend day or Continental Breakfast (buffet) for two (coupon) in the restaurant. In the restaurant, you're also given the option of a $6 upcharge per person for the hot buffet (including omelette station).
Elevators were very fast. Never waited.
As others have mentioned, the hotel is in a great location.
We found staff, overall, to be professional, very friendly and helpful.
Do try to avoid a room on the south side of the hotel or you're going to get a lot of noise from the El...although our corner room with two windows had magnificent views...
Nov 12, 2013, 3:04 pm
#858
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Platinum, Avis President's Circle
Posts: 408
I have some....although it's not all good.
I'm a Marriott Gold who stayed there with the family two weeks ago on a Saturday night as my wife was running in a downtown race the next day.
We got there late (~7:30PM) with wife and 2 young kids. Check-In went fine, and they put us in an upgraded room (not suite, but large room with sitting area and pull-out couch).
Having not stayed there before, I did not realize the restaurant is only loosely affiliated with the hotel. It's tapas, so we were looking forward to it. Got there, and the place is packed...and very, very loud.
Hostess tells me it's a 2 hour wait. I ask if they have any priority seating for hotel guests, and she tells me no. I ask if there's anything they can do since we have hungry kids, etc...and she reduces the wait time from 2 hours to 75 minutes. At this point, I get fairly irritated at the mediocre treatment of hotel guests.
The restaurant manager comes over, and I ask again if they have any priority seating for hotel guests. He makes it very clear to me they don't, and I should have planned better by making a reservation. I counter with saying that's a bad business practice for a hotel-affiliated restaurant to dismiss guests like that. He then gets really arrogant on me...explaining how their chef was on Iron Chef, how they are booked 7 days a week, and it would be bad business practice to reserve tables just on the possibility they may get used by hotel guests.
At this point, wife and kids had already abandoned me to my battle and I realized I was going to get nowhere with this guy. So, I left to complain to night manager.
Night manager explains this is a recurring problem for their hotel and agreed to take it up with the hotel GM and restaurant GM. We ended up walking across street to the Chicago Hilton for dinner.
I'm a Marriott Gold who stayed there with the family two weeks ago on a Saturday night as my wife was running in a downtown race the next day.
We got there late (~7:30PM) with wife and 2 young kids. Check-In went fine, and they put us in an upgraded room (not suite, but large room with sitting area and pull-out couch).
Having not stayed there before, I did not realize the restaurant is only loosely affiliated with the hotel. It's tapas, so we were looking forward to it. Got there, and the place is packed...and very, very loud.
Hostess tells me it's a 2 hour wait. I ask if they have any priority seating for hotel guests, and she tells me no. I ask if there's anything they can do since we have hungry kids, etc...and she reduces the wait time from 2 hours to 75 minutes. At this point, I get fairly irritated at the mediocre treatment of hotel guests.
The restaurant manager comes over, and I ask again if they have any priority seating for hotel guests. He makes it very clear to me they don't, and I should have planned better by making a reservation. I counter with saying that's a bad business practice for a hotel-affiliated restaurant to dismiss guests like that. He then gets really arrogant on me...explaining how their chef was on Iron Chef, how they are booked 7 days a week, and it would be bad business practice to reserve tables just on the possibility they may get used by hotel guests.
At this point, wife and kids had already abandoned me to my battle and I realized I was going to get nowhere with this guy. So, I left to complain to night manager.
Night manager explains this is a recurring problem for their hotel and agreed to take it up with the hotel GM and restaurant GM. We ended up walking across street to the Chicago Hilton for dinner.
Nov 12, 2013, 6:47 pm
#860
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Thailand
Programs: Marriott - P; HH - G; Hyatt - P; Avis - LT First
Posts: 5,023
and this hotel only has ONE restaurant?
and you called prior to checking in and made reservations for dinner?
or called upon checkin, or didn't call at all so you went w no reservations but still wanted priority???
and you called prior to checking in and made reservations for dinner?
or called upon checkin, or didn't call at all so you went w no reservations but still wanted priority???
I have some....although it's not all good.
I'm a Marriott Gold who stayed there with the family two weeks ago on a Saturday night as my wife was running in a downtown race the next day.
We got there late (~7:30PM) with wife and 2 young kids. Check-In went fine, and they put us in an upgraded room (not suite, but large room with sitting area and pull-out couch).
Having not stayed there before, I did not realize the restaurant is only loosely affiliated with the hotel. It's tapas, so we were looking forward to it. Got there, and the place is packed...and very, very loud.
Hostess tells me it's a 2 hour wait. I ask if they have any priority seating for hotel guests, and she tells me no. I ask if there's anything they can do since we have hungry kids, etc...and she reduces the wait time from 2 hours to 75 minutes. At this point, I get fairly irritated at the mediocre treatment of hotel guests.
The restaurant manager comes over, and I ask again if they have any priority seating for hotel guests. He makes it very clear to me they don't, and I should have planned better by making a reservation. I counter with saying that's a bad business practice for a hotel-affiliated restaurant to dismiss guests like that. He then gets really arrogant on me...explaining how their chef was on Iron Chef, how they are booked 7 days a week, and it would be bad business practice to reserve tables just on the possibility they may get used by hotel guests.
At this point, wife and kids had already abandoned me to my battle and I realized I was going to get nowhere with this guy. So, I left to complain to night manager.
Night manager explains this is a recurring problem for their hotel and agreed to take it up with the hotel GM and restaurant GM. We ended up walking across street to the Chicago Hilton for dinner.
I'm a Marriott Gold who stayed there with the family two weeks ago on a Saturday night as my wife was running in a downtown race the next day.
We got there late (~7:30PM) with wife and 2 young kids. Check-In went fine, and they put us in an upgraded room (not suite, but large room with sitting area and pull-out couch).
Having not stayed there before, I did not realize the restaurant is only loosely affiliated with the hotel. It's tapas, so we were looking forward to it. Got there, and the place is packed...and very, very loud.
Hostess tells me it's a 2 hour wait. I ask if they have any priority seating for hotel guests, and she tells me no. I ask if there's anything they can do since we have hungry kids, etc...and she reduces the wait time from 2 hours to 75 minutes. At this point, I get fairly irritated at the mediocre treatment of hotel guests.
The restaurant manager comes over, and I ask again if they have any priority seating for hotel guests. He makes it very clear to me they don't, and I should have planned better by making a reservation. I counter with saying that's a bad business practice for a hotel-affiliated restaurant to dismiss guests like that. He then gets really arrogant on me...explaining how their chef was on Iron Chef, how they are booked 7 days a week, and it would be bad business practice to reserve tables just on the possibility they may get used by hotel guests.
At this point, wife and kids had already abandoned me to my battle and I realized I was going to get nowhere with this guy. So, I left to complain to night manager.
Night manager explains this is a recurring problem for their hotel and agreed to take it up with the hotel GM and restaurant GM. We ended up walking across street to the Chicago Hilton for dinner.
Nov 12, 2013, 7:12 pm
#861
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Platinum, Avis President's Circle
Posts: 408
In addition, the hotel does not open its CL on the weekends.
No, we didn't make reservations in advance, because I wouldn't expect to have to make reservations for a hotel restaurant. I would expect either the restaurant itself or the hotel to be able to accommodate priority seating for a hotel guest where we would not have to wait anywhere from 75-120 minutes for a table.
If I am being unreasonable here, then please tell me...but it's the first time I've ever experienced this situation at a Marriott brand hotel in over 10 years of business travel.
Nov 12, 2013, 7:21 pm
#862
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Thailand
Programs: Marriott - P; HH - G; Hyatt - P; Avis - LT First
Posts: 5,023
if I want to have dinner at a particular restaurant I'll use the Virtual Conceirge to make reservations and if I had kids (I don't) who had a set dinner time I'd make sure I had reservations........
just because previous hotels always gave you immediate, or near immediate seating is no guarantee, now or in the future, that they always will be able to....
and as to your point that as a hotel guest they should provide you priority over non-guests, sorry but I do NOT agree........
just because previous hotels always gave you immediate, or near immediate seating is no guarantee, now or in the future, that they always will be able to....
and as to your point that as a hotel guest they should provide you priority over non-guests, sorry but I do NOT agree........
Yes. The hotel has only has this one restaurant, and it only has approximately 25-30 tables in total.
In addition, the hotel does not open its CL on the weekends.
No, we didn't make reservations in advance, because I wouldn't expect to have to make reservations for a hotel restaurant. I would expect either the restaurant itself or the hotel to be able to accommodate priority seating for a hotel guest where we would not have to wait anywhere from 75-120 minutes for a table.
If I am being unreasonable here, then please tell me...but it's the first time I've ever experienced this situation at a Marriott brand hotel in over 10 years of business travel.
In addition, the hotel does not open its CL on the weekends.
No, we didn't make reservations in advance, because I wouldn't expect to have to make reservations for a hotel restaurant. I would expect either the restaurant itself or the hotel to be able to accommodate priority seating for a hotel guest where we would not have to wait anywhere from 75-120 minutes for a table.
If I am being unreasonable here, then please tell me...but it's the first time I've ever experienced this situation at a Marriott brand hotel in over 10 years of business travel.
Nov 13, 2013, 3:22 am
#863
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SAN
Programs: DL DM / 2MM - Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 1,522
I agree the restaurant situation is a bit odd, but it IS a great restaurant and is packed with outside guests on most night. However, lots of dining options in the area of the Blackstone. Get out and see the city!
Great hotel, BTW, if you don't mind the small rooms. Higher level floors with views of the Lake are excellent. Don't bet on a suite upgrade as they only have like 5. I've stayed about 20 times and only got a suite once. It was a HECK of a room though!
Great hotel, BTW, if you don't mind the small rooms. Higher level floors with views of the Lake are excellent. Don't bet on a suite upgrade as they only have like 5. I've stayed about 20 times and only got a suite once. It was a HECK of a room though!
Nov 13, 2013, 7:04 am
#864
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Midwest USA
Programs: BA SIL, WN A, UA SIL, Marriott TIT (LT), Hilton DIA
Posts: 1,969
Nov 13, 2013, 7:13 am
#865
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,159
Regarding the Blackstone, any feedback on the CL?
I am considering a stay there during an upcoming business trip. Worth it over staying at SHS or CY at a lower rate?
I am considering a stay there during an upcoming business trip. Worth it over staying at SHS or CY at a lower rate?
Nov 13, 2013, 7:22 am
#866
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,113
Hopefully someone willl post re: the offerings in the Blackstone exec lounge during the week. On the weekend:
* Chicago / Renaissance Blackstone; CLOSED; Cont'l brekkie in restaurant for 2 given as $14 credit per person off anything on menu; 09/09/13 update
Cheers.
* Chicago / Renaissance Blackstone; CLOSED; Cont'l brekkie in restaurant for 2 given as $14 credit per person off anything on menu; 09/09/13 update
Cheers.
Nov 13, 2013, 10:06 am
#867
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,472
Nov 13, 2013, 10:10 am
#868
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,472
In general (absent a special event), I don't think that a hotel guest expecting to be able to dine in at least one restaurant in a hotel without waiting two hours is too high of an expectation.
Nov 13, 2013, 11:23 am
#869
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,113
Cheers.
Nov 13, 2013, 11:36 am
#870
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: DCA | DEN
Programs: AA EXP/2.9mm | Marriott LT Titanium 1.6k nights | NEXUS
Posts: 981
Same here. There's not much S of Jackson Street in that area. I've walked up to Miller's Pub on Wabash, about a half-mile the only time I stayed in this property. Miller's is great for kids but I would not have made them walk up that far after arriving around 1930.
A better bet would have been the JW on Adams. There's a Potbelly with good sandwiches and shakes for the kids a few steps away and more formal spots like the Berghoff are only a few blocks further.
A better bet would have been the JW on Adams. There's a Potbelly with good sandwiches and shakes for the kids a few steps away and more formal spots like the Berghoff are only a few blocks further.