HotelChatter - Stories about W Chicago City Center

What is a Telepresence Suite and Why Are Hotels Installing Them?

JetSetCD — 2010-06-29T14:29:23-05:00

There's a new kind of pay-by-the-hour hotel room in town, and this is one where you won't have to worry about suspicious stains on the bedding because there's no bedding at all!

Newly installed at Starwood's W Chicago City Center and Sydney's Sheraton on the Park are "Telepresence Suites," virtual meeting rooms that connect business travelers stationed around the world as though they were doing business in person. Because you can only do so much using the front-facing camera on a new iPhone 4.

Save on W Hotels (And Bedding) at Rue La La

MsRebecca — 2010-01-26T11:27:11-05:00

So you know about private-sale site Jetsetter. But have you shopped Rue La La yet? Similar to Jetsetter’s Gilt Groupe sister, it mostly deals in fashion sales but today Rue La La has two W Hotels sales going on.

The W Hotels Boutique has savings on Ws around the country, from Dallas and Chicago to Boston and Seattle. The rates listed are available Thursday to Saturday, through March 28, 2010. Some of the better deals are at W Silicon Valley for $89 a night; W Atlanta - Perimeter for $130 a night; and W Chicago Lakeshore and City Center for $199 a night.

Chicago: Best Hotel Renovation: The W Chicago City Center

HotelChatter — 2009-12-30T14:33:37-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/454/WCityCenter1.jpg" class="top"> <img align="right" src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/2009_awards_hc.jpg">It's what you've been waiting all year for--<a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/hotelchatter 2009 awards">The 2009 HotelChatter Awards</a>! We'll be bringing you the best and worst of the year (and the decade) all day today and part of tomorrow. Agree or disagree with our picks? Air your thoughts in <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/12/30/14319/014/hotels/Best_Hotel_Renovation_The_W_Chicago_City_Center#comment-block">comments below</a>.<a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/w hotels">W Hotels</a> started the decade all fresh and clean and they were THE HOTELS to stay at. But as we began to enter the tail end of the decade, some Ws were looking a little worse for wear.Fortunately, W Hotels realized this as well and began to start pumping some money into their older hotels--like the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/10/29/221652/63/hotels/Inside_the_New_Room_at_The_W_Chicago_City_Center_">W Chicago City Center</a> which received a $35 million

Chicago: What It's Like Riding Around in The W Hotel's Free Car Service

Jennifer Kester — 2009-11-09T09:14:24-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/34094/acura.jpg" class="top"> When you stay at one of the W Hotels, take advantage of its Acura Experience, a complimentary car service. Of course, there are limitations; the car will only bring you within a five-mile radius of the hotel. That may not seem like a lot, but if you are directionally challenged, it's helpful to have someone drive you to a destination. And if you're arranging for a rehearsal dinner, you can save money on renting a trolley and instead transport your wedding party in the free seven-seat vehicles instead. We tried out the car service for ourselves at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/W+Chicago+City+Center/local/466">W Chicago - City Center</a> at an opportune time, when it was raining. Our ride was silver with

Chicago: Inside the New Room at The W Chicago-City Center

Jennifer Kester — 2009-10-30T09:29:19-05:00

Since the W considers itself the purveyor of cool, it makes sense that the chain would decide to redo the W Chicago-City Center. It was the first W hotel to come to the city in 2001 and it was looking a little shabby.

The $35 million makeover targeted the W Living Room, a.k.a. the lobby, and the hotel's 235 guestrooms and suites. What was hot back in '01, aside from 'N Sync, was dark decor with oversized furniture. The hotel tried to get away from that dated look throughout the hotel with bright, airy spaces.