http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2009-11-23T11:15:14Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Chicago%20Hotel%20Reviews http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/3/6/131527/8422 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/jameschi_bed.jpg" class="imgborder"><p>We always appreciate it when Hotel Mavens send us reviews of their recent hotel stays but when a Hotel Maven writes in a review <i>and</i> drops in pictures to the <a href="http://flickr.com/groups/hotelchatter/pool/">HotelChatter Flickr Pool</a>, well that's a near-perfect storm for us. (Perfect=Plus Video.)<p>That's what Hotel Maven <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/user/jasmine">Jasmine</a> did for us about her stay at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+James/ian/131004"><b>James Hotel Chicago</b></a> back in January.<blockquote><p>$159 got me a night in a double room at The James, thanks to a promotion via Travel Zoo. It would have been $129, but there were three of us scheduled to have a girls' night in when I booked. A friend ended up getting sick, so it was just me and another gal pal for juliana 2008-03-06T13:28:21-05:00 41.893283 -87.626197 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/11/16/142113/22 <![CDATA[<p>The <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Palmer+House+Hilton/ian/151856">Palmer House Hilton's</a></b> <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/10/17/105925/30/hotels/New+Restaurant+Coming+to+Palmer+House+Hilton">new restaurant</a> is finally ready, and will open with lunch and dinner service Monday, November 19. While the menu makes it sound like an expense-account paradise, we're considering it now that we've drooled over some food porn shots of Chef Phillip Foss' grub.<br> <p>The presentation is a lot more artful than we originally suspected, with foams and sauces dabbed and dolloped on entrees like the Surf, Turf and Turf, a plate full of lobster, spare ribs and steak. Also looking good is the Faux Gras. We'll take two, please.<br> <p><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/special/Lockwood%20Food%201"><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/lockwood_1_sm.jpg"></a> <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/special/Lockwood%20Food%202"><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/lockwood_2_sm.jpg"></a> <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/special/Lockwood%20Food%203"><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/lockwood_3_sm.jpg"></a> <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/special/Lockwood%20Food%204"><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/lockwood_4_small.jpg"></a><br> <p><b>Related Stories:</b><br>&#183; <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/10/17/105925/30/hotels/New_Restaurant_Coming_to_Palmer_House_Hilton">New Restaurant Coming to Palmer House Hilton</a> [HotelChatter]<br>&#183; <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Hotel%20Restaurants">Hotel pbb 2007-11-16T14:51:17-05:00 41.880144 -87.626877 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/10/29/224148/71 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/orenstein_receipt.jpeg" class="imgborder"><p><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Palmer+House+Hilton/ian/151856"><b>The Palmer House</b></a> in Chicago gives a discount to its return customers. But there's a catch -- you're only shot at nabbing the deal is if you visited back when the hotel housed WWII vets returning home to their sweeties. One-time guests who visited more than 50 years ago can stay for the price of their original visit as long as they can provide the original receipt.<p> <p>Last week, 81-year-olds Larry and Mariam Orenstein stayed in the hotel's $1,600-a-night suite for $10 -- the price they paid when they honeymooned in the room in 1947. And actually, they didn't even have to pay the $10 as their grandson Ze graciously paid the bill.<p>The hotel, which first opened ced138 2007-10-30T09:19:40-05:00 41.880144 -87.626877 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/9/25/8152/28550 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/sofitel_chicago2.png" class="imgborder"><p> Chicago's got a lot of swanky hotels, so when we saw that reviews on <a href="http://chicago-hotels.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g35805-d236299-Reviews-Sofitel_Chicago_Water_Tower-Chicago_Illinois-m10559.html">TripAdvisor</a> were singing the praises of the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Sofitel+Chicago+Water+Tower/ian/202258"><b>Sofitel Chicago Water Tower</b></a>, we had to wonder why. There's so many places to choose from in the Windy City, that this place had to be a reason for being number one. <p>Turns out? A lot of it's got to do with location--the Water Tower has views of Lake Michigan and sits in the heart of downtown. The decor is standard Sofitel with a hint of European flair. And with 415 rooms, there's enough space for everyone. Plus customer service ranks supreme here too: <blockquote><p>My husband and I spent Labor Day weekend at the jnaw 2007-09-26T09:05:20-05:00 41.898308 -87.627464 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/8/29/195140/513 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/hoteldana.jpg" class="imgborder"><p>We know preservationists, hard as they try, can't prevent every teardown that makes way for a new hotel. And we don't believe every single old building should be spared. Yet we feel especially wistful when a teardown involves an old hotel. In this instance, preservationists lost the battle to save the <b>Dana Hotel</b>, built in 1891 as the Erie Hotel. <p>Before the five-and-a-half story Queen Anne-style building closed in 2005, it had been the longest continually operating hotel building in all Chicago. The River North neighborhood, once in decline, is now prime for development. After some last-ditch efforts to spare the building from the wrecking ball, the hotel was demolished this summer. <p>Replacing the old Dana Hotel will barbarab 2007-08-30T09:02:14-05:00 41.894314 -87.628362 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/