60603 Travel Guide

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In Living Color: The Virtual Concierges at The JW Marriott Chicago

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 151 West Adams Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
July 20, 2011 at 4:25 PM | by | Comments (2)

Last week, we told you about the new high-tech "concierges" in place at the JW Marriott Chicago but we weren't able to take a photo of the virtual helpers (much to our, and WriterDave's dismay.)

But thanks to the hotel reps we've got some real photos snapped yesterday of the magical boards. As we told you, the signs are positioned on the ground, second, third and fourth floors of the hotel and with the screen-touch of a button, they give you news, attraction information, travel and flight updates as well as event listings. You can even get directions to a local spot from the hotel.

These virtual concierges can also be found at the JW Marriott Indianapolis and the JW Marriott at LA Live. Wonder what the human concierges downstairs must be thinking about all this?

[Photos: Wagstaff Worldwide for JW Marriott Chicago. Thanks Caiti!]

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Be Your Own Concierge with the JW Marriott Chicago's New Interactive Signs

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 151 W. Adams St. [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
July 11, 2011 at 9:38 AM | by | Comment (1)

If you don't want to bother waiting in line for the concierge or to get on a computer at the business center to get some info, the JW Marriott Chicago offers interactive signs that will give you the lowdown on everything from news to directions around the city.

The signs—which are positioned on the ground, second, third and fourth floors of the Chicago hotel—let you get all this information with the touch of a button, like a virtual concierge.

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The Palmer House Hilton Does Something Different With Its Rooftop Space

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 17 E. Monroe St. [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
June 16, 2011 at 3:48 PM | by | Comment (1)

While hotels have opened their rooftops for alcohol-fueled summer fun, the Palmer House Hilton is choosing to offer chili peppers, heirloom tomatoes and basil instead of beer and cocktails on its 25th floor. The Chicago hotel recently unveiled its new 2,000-square-foot garden rooftop.

The hotel decided to plant some veggies and herbs to be used in its restaurants, Lockwood and Potter's Lounge, for a garden-to-table culinary experience. Plus, Lockwood will feature a daily "Chef's Garden" menu item for breakfast that will feature ingredients grown on the rooftop.

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Taking a Peek Around the Public Areas of the JW Marriott Chicago

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 151 West Adams [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
March 25, 2011 at 5:18 PM | by | Comments (0)


The Burnham ballroom

In case you missed our look inside the rooms of the JW Marriott Chicago, get up to speed here and continue on...

The very first thing we noticed—hotel dorks as we are—is that the W Chicago-City Center sits directly across the street. it's so close that at night, the W's purple-lit facade glows into the lobby of the JW Marriott, and you can almost feel the hotel tension in the air. Happily the properties cater to two difference sorts of business and leisure travelers, although each probably wishes they have both.

There's the pretty blatant line drawn, however: do you prefer modern, yet conservative luxury or something a bit up tempo? The first is the JW and the latter would be the W. The JW versus the W—how funny.

Something the J-dub has going for it is massive conference space. We're talking impressive for a historic downtown hotel. The lobby is open and massive enough to accommodate arriving guests for their several ballrooms, the best of which is absolutely the 6,000-square-foot Burnham ballroom. The ribs of the ceiling, which once supported a ginormous skylight over what once was an equally ginormous atrium back in the day, are now preserved and incorporated into the design, even though floors have been added below it. Chicago architecture fans will have conniptions (the good sort) walking in here.

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Inside the Rooms of the JW Marriott Chicago

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 151 West Adams [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
March 24, 2011 at 1:22 PM | by | Comment (1)


A video of a basic room followed by a room with double beds, accessed through the connecting room door

It's a big deal when a new hotel debuts in Chicago. You see, it doesn't happen as often as in New York, but when it does, it's typically worth going out of your way to visit. Such is the case with the JW Marriott Chicago, a mammoth property of 622 rooms that dominates an entire block, the building perpendicular to both the Chicago Board of Trade and the Sears Willis Tower.

Now the JW Marriott actually opened back in November 2010, but with the restaurants and whatnot still testing out their training wheels these last few months, the hotel didn't have its "Grand Opening" until this month. We were lucky to be in Chicago at the time, so we embarked on a thorough tour of the place and can say that Marriott has done some lovely things with the place. Rooms begin around $250 per night, but there's no question of whether or not you'll get a bathtub and flatscreen TV, large windows and chocolates on the pillow; that all comes standard.

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History is Hott at the Palmer House Hilton's New Tour

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 17 E. Monroe St. [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
March 1, 2011 at 8:36 AM | by | Comments (0)

Chicago's Palmer House Hilton has a rich 140-year history—the place claims to have created the brownie, among other highlights. You can find out more tidbits about the hotel on a new behind-the-scenes history tour and luncheon that launches today. The program sounds like it was named by Paris Hilton: "History Is Hott."

Before getting the grand tour, you'll sit down to a three-course prix-fixe lunch in the Palmer House's American restaurant Lockwood. The best part is that you will get a glass of wine and the hotel's famed brownie to-go so you can booze it up on the tour.

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A Sneak Peek at the JW Marriott Chicago, Opening on Thursday

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 151 West Adams [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
November 9, 2010 at 1:26 PM | by | Comments (0)

After a few delays, the opening day for the JW Marriott Chicago is finally here! The hotel will open its doors on Thursday to show off $396 million worth of renovations which transformed an original 1914 building from architect Daniel Burnham into a 600-room hotel complete with a spa, fitness center, grand ballroom and The Florentine restaurant from the BLT Restaurant Group.

Thanks to Marriott, we've got a sneak peek of the hotel rooms and suites as well as the public spaces, including the striking lobby which is "fronted in glass with sweeping stairs and marble floors."

While we're seeing the usual JW Marriott "flair" on the hotel's carpeting, we are loving the bold use of red in the guestrooms as well as the room's overall "at home" feeling. Those might be the prettiest hotel room curtains we've ever seen in a Marriott before!

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JW Marriott Chicago Pushes Its Opening to November

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 151 W. Adams St. [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
September 28, 2010 at 9:11 AM | by | Comments (0)

We were all ready to check out the new JW Marriott Chicago, due to open in October. But it looks like the big day is getting pushed back again to November.

No specific date has been announced yet. Last we heard, there were some delays because of striking construction workers. But it looks like it will be worth the wait, since the hotel will reside in a landmark building from famed architect Daniel Burnham.

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JW Marriott Chicago Now Opening in October

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 151 West Adams [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
July 20, 2010 at 9:11 AM | by | Comments (0)

UPDATE: Looks like the hotel is delayed because construction workers are on strike but a tipster tells us the hotel is going to be "beautiful." Rooms reportedly have "high ceilings and beautiful furniture. The lobby is fronted in glass with sweeping stairs and marble floors." The ballroom is also supposed to be spectacular. No word on WiFi but we're getting excited for October!

Aw shucks. We've got another hotel delay to report. The new JW Marriott Chicago was supposed to open in June, then September but now the opening has been pushed back to October.

We guess the $396 million renovations are taking a bit longer than expected. This is often the case when restoring historical buildings and the JW Marriott's building does have quite a bit of history. Located on West Adams, the skyscraper was originally built in 1914 by superstar architect and Chicago city planner Daniel Burnham and formerly housed the Continental & Commercial National Bank.

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Best Hotel Renovation: The W Chicago City Center

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 172 W. Adams St. [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
December 30, 2009 at 2:33 PM | by | Comments (3)

It's what you've been waiting all year for--The 2009 HotelChatter Awards! 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 comments below.

W Hotels 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 W Chicago City Center which received a $35 million makeover that gussied up the guestrooms and the Living Room.

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The Palmer House and the Joffrey Ballet Duet for Nutcracker Teas

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 17 E. Monroe St. [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
November 18, 2009 at 8:59 AM | by | Comments (0)

Chicago's Palmer House Hilton is getting into the holiday spirit with its new series of Joffrey Nutcracker Teas with the famed company's ballerinas and danseurs making an appearance.

The teas, held Saturdays through December 26, kick off on November 21 with the lighting of the Christmas tree at the South Loop hotel's grand lobby. Kiddies can help decorate the tree beforehand and garnish some Nutcracker cookies.

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Did You Know The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago Invented The Brownie?

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 17 E. Monroe St. [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
November 10, 2009 at 9:19 AM | by | Comments (0)

Chicago's Palmer House Hilton has some serious bragging rights when it comes to dessert. The hotel invented the brownie. According the Palmer House, socialite and owner Bertha Palmer asked the hotel chefs to create a sweet for the Women's Pavilion at the the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 and they came up with the all-magnificent brownie.

We headed to the Palmer House to see if the first brownie house served up a killer dose of chocolatey goodness after 116 years. The newest brownie incarnation in the hotel restaurant, Lockwood, is different from the original treat, which supposedly had an apricot glaze and nuts. Our version, our waiter told us, is only the base of Bertha's original brownie.

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