When planning a trip, one of the most daunting (yet crucial) tasks is finding the right accommodations. And if you’re like me, you spend countless hours scouring the web for reviews and deals before you make the final commitment.
The most important criteria in my search is location (followed by cleanliness and cost). Having travelled to more than twenty countries, I’ve come to realize that staying at a hotel that’s central to all the sightseeing I want to do is essential. It means less time commuting (and stuck in traffic) and more time enjoying the destination. So when I was planning my press trip to Chicago, one hotel really stood out (the only one with a front entrance on the Magnificent Mile): the InterContinental Chicago. The hotel was walking distance to almost everything we had on our itinerary: from the Chicago Art Institute and Architecture Foundation River Cruise to Millennium Park and all the restaurants I reviewed while in town.
The view of the Magnificent Mile from our hotel room.
Other than location, here’s what we loved about staying at the InterContinental Chicago:
1. The hotel has two towers: one modern, the other historic. Since I’m obsessed with everything old, I obviously chose to stay in the historic tower. The idea of sleeping in a building that dates back to 1929 gave me goosebumps (it used to be the Medinah Athletic Club). Oh, and our room was huge!
2. The hotel pays close attention to the little details (always a good thing)! It’s the first time I’ve seen my name displayed on a monitor. I also loved the printout of the next day’s forecast as part of their turndown service.
3. You know who is cleaning your room! I thought this little sign was a nice touch and made me feel much more comfortable with leaving my valuables behind!
4. They have a nice lounge in the historic tower (on the 32nd floor) that we were allowed to make use of during our stay. It had a great view of the city!
5. They have a beautiful, olympic-sized pool that is oozing with character! I actually felt like I was in a different century when I stepped foot into this gorgeous space (think Greco-Roman baths)…
6. The decor in the hotel is stunning. We wandered through the themed floors – from the Renaissance Room to King Arthur’s Court – and fell in love (particularly with the chandeliers)…
7. The room service was great (something many hotels struggle with). I think it was the fastest response time we’ve ever experienced!
8. The hotel has an amazing wine bar (ENO wine bar) and restaurant (Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse).
Things to note if you decide to stay at the InterContinental Chicago:
- Parking is pricey ($63.50/night) so you may want to look into other options. The Millennium Park Garage is a 10 min walk, safe and $30/night.
- Internet is expensive ($18/day). We used the free WiFi at Starbucks (attached to the hotel).
- They are the Lollapalooza headquarters so it gets really busy in August!
Special thanks to InterContinental Chicago for hosting us. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely our own.
No Comments