Arrival/Check-In: Chicago is one of my favorite U.S. cities, so I’m always eager to visit, especially around the holidays. Luckily, my recent visit coincided with the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and found me staying near the Water Tower, just off Michigan Avenue, my preferred area to stay when visiting the city. Unfortunately, my visit to Park Hyatt Chicago lasted only one night.

My colleague and I arrived in the morning, well before check-in time, but our rooms were ready; and after a brief check-in, we were on way to our fifth-floor accommodations.

Guest Quarters: Two guestroom features that stood out: my view of the Water Tower and out to Lake Michigan and the extremely comfortable king-sized bed. Nothing better than a room with a view and a good night’s sleep.

Throughout the hotel, the décor is modern and clean. I did find the elevators a bit slow throughout the stay, and they are keycard-access elevators. Upon entering the room, one finds the spacious bathroom to the right, offering a separate tub and shower, a water closet and dual sinks.

Also spacious, the bedroom boasted the bed, flanked by two end tables, with a flat-screen TV and dresser across from it. I really appreciated the dual-sided desk design. A window seat ran the length of the window — perfect for enjoying the view. Overall, the accommodations were comfortable, offering plenty of room to spread out.

Services/Amenities: NoMI Kitchen not only serves award-winning cuisine, it also offers a unique architectural detail to the building’s exterior on the side overlooking Michigan Avenue — a detail I’d noticed on other Chicago trips without being sure what I was viewing. At breakfast during my stay I was able to enjoy the opposite perspective. The breakfast service was quick and efficient, with tasty cuisine. My colleague and I also enjoyed lunch at the restaurant before departing, sitting in the more casual NoMI Lounge area.

I visited the well-equipped, on-site fitness center and was pleased with the amount and state of the equipment on offer. The attached NoMI Spa, while small in size, offers a full menu of services.

The property also offers more than 5,000 square feet of versatile meeting and event space coupled with state-of-the-art technology.

TOP TAKEAWAYS:

◆ I found the guestroom’s closet layout clever and functional. The closet opened both into the hallway and into the bathroom.

◆ Be sure to look out for Parker, the Park Hyatt pug, a one-eyed rescue that calls the hotel home.

◆ The lobby lounge is a great spot to relax and get work done, and I appreciated the complimentary warm apple cider, coffee and tea, particularly on a chilly November afternoon.

Park Hyatt Chicago

800 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
tel 312 335 1234
chicago.park.hyatt.com