Ritz-Carlton Chicago

100   Recommended
February 25, 2020 by

 Map | 7 Reviews | 43% Recommended
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The Ritz-Carlton Chicago
 Map | 7 Reviews | 43% Recommended

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Share
Liked:
Location
Service
Food
Amenities
Room
Stats

I stayed here for 3 nights in April of last year. As this was only my third RC stay and the first at one with a club lounge, I’m less familiar with RC hotels than many others, so my expectations may have been lower than some. That said, I got an inexpensive room rate and used a club lounge upgrade certificate and $100 hotel credit from my RC Rewards credit card, which turned out to be a really good value. 

 

Room

As a Marriott Platinum, I was upgraded from a basic City View room to one with a partial lake view on a high floor. The room was reasonably spacious and sufficiently well-appointed and the bed was very comfortable. The bathroom was also spacious, but with old fashioned styling. Oddly, the toilet was the lowest I've ever experienced anywhere, so it was unbelievably awkward and uncomfortable to use. In fact, I lost my balance trying to sit on the seat since it was far lower than expected. 

IMG_1328[1].JPGView from my room

Gym

The gym was large, well equipped, and the view and abundant natural light made it a great workout space. There was also a private room off to the side for exercise classes, which I did not attend.

IMG_1318[1].JPG

Club Lounge

Since I’d heard a lot about RC club lounges, I was eager to try it out and forego eating in restaurants this time around. My only point of comparison is Hyatt club lounges, which really are not of the same standard, so perhaps not a fair comparison. Probably the best Hyatt club lounge I have tried was the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, but I found the RC Chicago’s lounge to be far better, though the GH Tokyo’s also had nice views. While service in the GH Tokyo lounge is flashy and corporate with little personal attention, the RC Chicago club lounge service is warm, personal, and attentive with local and international staff hailing from countries such as Ireland and France. Staff circulate around the lounge, asking guests if they needed anything, and strike up a friendly conversation to make them feel welcome. This I really appreciated, as it added to the warmth and friendliness of the lounge. The food presentations were substantial at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so much so that I had to skip lunch to avoid gaining too much weight. And the cookies, OMG, large chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal raisin cookies were always available as was wine (from dispensers) and champagne. Also, the lounge had many comfortable chairs, sofas, a TV or two, and plenty of natural light that gave it a welcoming feel. As a first-time user of an RC lounge, I found it to be very comfortable and solid, a kind of relaxing oasis with plenty of food and drink. While I was there, the club was never crowded. 

IMG_1320[1].JPG.  IMG_1321[1].JPGIMG_1322[1].JPGIMG_1312[1].JPGIMG_1313[1].JPGIMG_1314[1].JPGWine dispensers

Location

The hotel’s location is, of course, excellent on Michigan Avenue at Water Tower Place. I found convenient exits on the lobby floor into Water Tower Place mall where you could shop and then take the escalator or elevator down to the ground floor and to Michigan Ave.

IMG_1326[1].JPG

 

Overall

Overall, I found the RC Chicago to be a very conveniently located and comfortable hotel with a solid club lounge and excellent service, though my contact with service was almost exclusively in the club lounge. Since inexpensive rates can be found during the week, if you have an RC Rewards Card, then this is a good place to use your club lounge certificate and $100 credit to get even better value.  

 

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