60611 Travel Guide
Thompson Hotels / Chicago Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Rebrandings / → All Tags
Thompson Hotels Now Managing Sutton Place in Chicago
Perhaps we spent too much time obsessing over The Belgraves in London, that we didn't realize that Thompson Hotels added another hotel to their growing collection--The Sutton Place Hotel in Chicago.
According to Thompson's website, the lifestyle boutique hotel brand is simply managing the Sutton Place hotel, very much like how their managership of the Hotel Victor in Miami Beach began. Except four months on, it looks like now Hotel Victor has become fully assimilated into the Thompson fold. The only thing left to do is officially change the hotel name to Thompson Ocean Drive.
Hotel Rebrandings / Hotel News / Waldorf-Astoria Collection / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags
Waldorf-Astoria to Remove All Traces of The Elysian When it Takes Over Next Month
Even though this hotel memory-erasing was expected, it still makes us sad. The luxe Elysian Hotel in Chicago will be no more come February 1 when the Waldorf-Astoria takes it over.
Waldorf is wiping the Elysian name from every nook and cranny, starting with the front entrance sign and then working their way up into the guest rooms to include the stationary, the bathrobes and literally anything else that says Elysian on it.
The good news is that the Chicago Tribune reports that pretty much everything else inside the hotel, as well as all the services, will remain the same.
What will stay the same is nearly everything else that has cemented the hotel's reputation for refinement: heated cobblestones in the courtyard, staff members who greet guests with platters of Evian bottles and a stunning, sunburst-shaped chandelier in the lobby modeled after a brooch by Coco Chanel.
That should please all those TripAdvisor members who voted the hotel the best in the U.S. If you're looking to be the first to stay at the Waldorf-Astoria Chicago, room rates start at $395 on February 1.
Hotel Booking Sites / Public Hotels / Hotel Sales / Room Rates Gimmicks / Chicago Hotels / Hotel Woes / → All Tags
The Public Was Failed By Public Chicago's Online Reservation System
OK. It happened. The Public Chicago's $1 sale came and went in the blink of an eye, and by the end of it (five minutes later), we were left still clutching our measly dollar, and cursing the hotel gods above. But it eases our conscience—slightly—to know we weren't the only ones duped into thinking we were actually going to score a $1 hotel room yesterday.
So what was going on? Well, just like with any place that gets inundated with too many customers all at once (eBay, Ticketmaster, Missoni for Target), some people simply got lost in the shuffle. Of course, some actually did end up scoring reservations. And hooray for them. But understandably, we were a little curious to know how—three times in a row—one minute we managed to snag a room, and the next, it was gone. So we spoke with a Public Chicago manager to find out her take on the whole melee. See below to read her response!
HotelChatter 2011 Awards / Public Hotels / Hotel Openings / → All Tags
Best Hotel Opening of 2011: Public Chicago
It's what you've been waiting all year for--The 2011 HotelChatter Awards! We'll be bringing you the best and worst of the year all day today and part of tomorrow. Agree or disagree with our picks? Air your thoughts in comments below.
Going by our 2011 Master List of Hotel Openings, there were quite a few hotels that we were excited to see open but the one that lived up to our (admittedly low) expectations and more was Ian Schrager's newest hotel brand, The Public Chicago.
We weren't quite sure what to expect when we arrived on opening day to check-in but every nook and cranny in the hotel surprised us from the simple yet stylish rooms and public spaces to the complimentary bikes and the newfangled room service option, Public Express. And we can't forget about the delicious but quite affordable Pump Room restaurant.
Hotel History / Hotel Secret Tunnels / Public Hotels / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags
What Happened to the Ambassador East's Secret Tunnel?
A few weeks ago we were chatting with a fellow hotel nerd about the new Public Hotel in Chicago, formerly known as the Ambassador East, when the topic of a secret tunnel came up. Yes, we were instantly hooked. Here's what we found out:
Way back when there was an Ambassador West which is the building across the street from Ambassador East/Public. At the turn of the new millennium, the building was still a hotel, a Wyndham Hotel, but today it's been turned into luxury condos worth well over a million bucks a piece. But back to the secret tunnel.
During the heydey of Ambassador East, the tunnel was use to spirit its rich and famous guests to safety away from the paparazzi. But the secret tunnel was initially created so that guests could go back and forth between the hotels without having to cross the busy street. Which is kind of laughable today because the Gold Coast nabe is very residential.
Holiday Hotels / Trump Hotels / Chicago Hotels / Hotel Animals / → All Tags
Reindeer Will Reign Over the Trump Chicago on Saturday
Like it or not, the holiday season has officially begun. So while you're drawing up your Christmas wish lists or plotting out the best strategy for door-busting on Black Friday, don't forget to plan out your hotel stay. From now through New Year's Eve, we'll be pulling out the holiday hotel news, deals and events we think are the best (or the worst.) Got a question about booking a hotel over the holidays or what to do when staying in a hotel over the holidays? Let us know!
While the gingerbread mice are busy readying the gigantic gingerbread castle at the Chicago Marriott in Downtown, Santa's other helpers will be back on display at the Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago. Yes, we're talking about the reindeers.
For the second year in a row, two live reindeer will "fly" into the hotel for an appearance on November 19 for Trump Chicago's holiday kick-off party from 3pm to 8pm featuring holiday music, seasonal refreshments, photo ops with Santa and the reindeer and a perfect view of Chicago's annual holiday fireworks show. (The Trump's party coincides with the city's 20th Annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival.) All proceeds from the event will benefit St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
Hotel Woes / Waldorf-Astoria Collection / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags
The Elysian To Become A Waldorf-Astoria
Maybe it's all the bangin' new hotels popping up on the scene (Public Chicago, Radisson Blu, the forthcoming Virgin). Or maybe it's just Chicago's general swagger. Whatever the reason, Waldorf-Astoria has just added a Chi-town hotel to its collection. Specifically, the Elysian.
The style-conscious hotel, which opened a year and a half ago, was reportedly having money issues, and one of its investors wanted out. According to USA Today, billionaire Sam Zell stepped in to purchase the property for $95 million—with hopes that Waldorf-Astoria, and, as an extension, Hilton Worldwide, can get the place back on its feet.
Sadly, Marc Jacobs himself displayed no interest in scooping up the hotel.
Holiday Hotels / Hotel Lobbies / Hotel Gingerbread / Chicago Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Hotel Art / → All Tags
In Chicago, The Gingerbread Mice Are Working Overtime
Gingerbread house from 2009
Like it or not, the holiday season has officially begun. So while you're drawing up your Christmas wish lists or plotting out the best strategy for door-busting on Black Friday, don't forget to plan out your hotel stay. From now through New Year's Eve, we'll be pulling out the holiday hotel news, deals and events we think are the best (or the worst.) Got a question about booking a hotel over the holidays or what to do when staying in a hotel over the holidays? Let us know!
Chicago folks will have no reason not to be in the holiday spirit after this Friday. That's when Chicago Marriott Downtown is unveiling their 1,400-pound gingerbread house, a project that's been under construction since September!
A total of twenty-five individuals worked on the masterpiece, which will be displayed in the lobby, and will feature a kitchen with mice chefs cooking "something delicious." Well, that certainly sounds adorable. The hotel is developing a kind of foodie reputation now with the success of its rooftop beehives for honey-making, and a wine tasting event in 2009 that involved actual grape-crushing.
Holiday Hotels / Hotel Services / Holiday Cocktails / Cool Hotel Jobs / Four Seasons Hotels / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags
Four Seasons Chicago Will Have a 'Hot Choc Doc' On Staff This Holiday Season
Even though the temperatures are falling Chicago, the hotel scene is getting hotter! And over at the Four Seasons Chicago there's a "doc" on staff whose sole job is to warm you up.
Starting November 25, The Hot Chocolate Doctor will be making "room calls" at the hotel with his mobile hot chocolate bar. Yes, a mobile hot chocolate bar. Swoon.
The doctor's bag is stuffed with toppings and flavor infusions such as marshmallow crème, caramel drizzle and cinnamon cotton candy which will surely please the kids. Adults can also ask the doctor for some "medication", i.e. a selection of rums and schnapps. Drinks are $8 for the kiddie drinks and $14 for the "grown-up" versions.
And much like a real doctor, the hot chocolate doctor is on a tight schedule as he's only available from 4pm to 6pm daily. Thankfully, there's no $45 co-pay.
For more on what the Four Seasons Chicago is doing for the holidays, go here.
Snapshot / Park Hyatt Hotels / Hyatt Hotels / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags
There's Just Something About the Park Hyatt Chicago...
We'll admit it; we have a thing for photographing hotels at night. There's something about the glowing windows, the architecture lit by spotlights and the knowledge that the interior is still a flurry of activity, even when everyone else has gone to bed. Other hotels we've night-stalked are the Langham London and the Mandarin Oriental London, for example.
Last night—Halloween night—we sauntered by the Park Hyatt Chicago, not a new one for us as we've stayed and reviewed it before, but there's just something that keeps us coming back.
The hotel recently unveiled their revamped NoMi restaurant, Spa and lounges, and we've heard rumors that more renovations are on the way. Last night, however, all was quiet.
[Photo: HotelChatter]
Outdoor Suites / Chicago Hotels / Affinia Hotels / Hotel Rooftops / → All Tags
Affinia Chicago Is Turning Itself Inside Out
For a moment there, New York was feeling pretty special. With its "outdoor bedroom" package, AKA Central Park had become one of few hotels offering actual outdoor sleeping arrangements for deep-pocketed guests.
Now, Chicago puts one foot forward with the new "inside out suite" available at Affinia Chicago. Ever wanted your own private outdoor movie screening? You can have it. Breakfast in bed while you sunbathe? You can do that too.
Hotel Strikes / Hotel Unions / Chicago Hotels / Hyatt Hotels / Park Hyatt Hotels / → All Tags
Today Might Be a Little Rough if You're Staying at the Park Hyatt Chicago
If you're checking into the Park Hyatt Chicago, you might not get the welcome you hoped for. That's because hotel workers from the Unite Here Local 1 union will be striking in front of the hotel for better working conditions for hotel housekeepers.
Apparently Hyatt Hotels is the last major hotel chain in Chicago to agree to a deal with the union. In fact, over a year ago in May, a few hundred Hyatt employees walked out on their jobs in protest. But that was only for a few hours while today looks like it will be an all-day thing.
Hyatt's also got the same problem today in other cities too, nine to be exact including Boston, where two years ago 100 Hyatt employees were suddenly fired. Hopefully, Hyatt and hotel workers in Chicago can kiss and makeup, or at least come to an agreement on a contract, very soon.
Are you currently staying a hotel that's in the middle of a strike? Let us know from the frontlines what's going on!
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