My wife Heidi and I had some business in the Windy City and enjoyed a very lovely one-night stay at The Peninsula Chicago in an Executive Suite.
The Peninsula Chicago Review – Executive Suite
Embracing my hotel free agency status, I booked away from the Park Hyatt Chicago and chose The Peninsula after the client I was meeting highly recommended it. We booked via Scott & Thomas (Kyle’s travel agency), enjoying a room upgrade, breakfast for two, and a late checkout. The nightly rate was $449…not cheap, but also acceptable since I was treating this as a date night as well.
Check-In
Entering the hotel at street level, we were directed upstairs to the lobby for check-in. There, we were warmly welcomed and informed we had been upgraded to a suite.
Suite
Our suite, 1631, was very spacious, with a living room, large bathroom, and bedroom. A long hallway connected each room.
The living room included a couch, chair, and desk area.
The bathroom had a large soaking tub under a window looking out at the skyline as well as a walk-in shower and an enclosed water closet. There was a sink on each side of the bathroom.
I loved that this hotel still had shower amenities in individual-sized bottles rather than bulk dispensers…it is becoming so rare to see these.
The bedroom had a king-size bed with incredibly comfortable bedding: we slept very well.
The hallway included a large closet and several drawers intended to store clothing (though we were not going to unpack for a one-night stay).
I cannot recall ever staying in a suite that was as tech-savvy as this one. Lights, temperature, and fan speed were easily controlled by tablet. Drapes and blinds were electronically controlled.
The top drawer beside each bed had two 120-volt outlets plus a cord for every type of phone.
A tablet beside the TV made it easy to hook in your phone or Chromecast your other devices.
The desk drawer included office supplies and there was a printer in the room—a first for me.
Finally, the mini-bar was well stocked with water, juice, soft drinks, beer, wine, spirits, and snacks. A complimentary espresso machine was present with Nespresso pods (tea too).
Dining
We went out for dinner to Swift & Sons (a fabulous Chicago steakhouse), but had breakfast at the hotel the following the morning.
The Lobby
Dining in The Lobby was very peaceful, with music softly playing in the background and natural light streaming in through floor-to-ceiling windows. Heidi had coffee and I had a cappuccino and freshly-squeezed orange juice. We split a bowl of berries.
She ordered shakshuka and rather than order the same thing (so that we could share), I ordered menemen. The shakshuka was outstanding…eggs were cooked perfectly and the sauce had a great flavor. However, the menemen was a big disappointment: it was simply well-done scrambled eggs with some tomatoes and peppers thrown in…it lacked the spices and moisture and creaminess of proper menemen.
Shanghai Terrace
I’m told this restaurant has some of the best Chinese food in Chicago, but I’m just not certain.
Z Bar
The Z Bar was hopping when I went up to check it out on a Saturday afternoon. Drinks and lighter dishes are available.
One thing I noticed here and really everywhere in the hotel is that people dress well…I think people in Chicago dress better than LA people in general, but it was really on display here. Think Brooks Brothers versus Lululemon.
Pierrot Gourmet
A European café and wine bar I didn’t even see during my visit…
Room Service
24/7 Room service was available.
Fitness Center
One reason we got to breakfast at 11:30 am was because we enjoyed the hotel gym so much. It was very well-stocked with TechnoGym equipment and featured great views of the city and Lake Michigan.
Wellness + Spa
A full-service spa offers a wide menu of (pricey) massages and skincare treatments, plus a hair salon.
While I was disappointed the locker rooms did not have a sauna, I did appreciate and utilize the steam room located in the locker room.
Swimming Pool
The hotel features a beautiful indoor swimming pool, which made me sad the kids were not along.
Valet Parking
We drove into the city and parked at the hotel, which cost another $80/night (admittedly, that stung…). I suppose we could have saved some money by finding a parking structure in the vicinity, but I’m not familiar with Chicago and don’t really like driving in general.
As an aside, I find driving in the Chicagoland area a mess…the traffic in and out of the city is always bad and the toll roads are aggravating (we have many taxes in California, but no tolls on interstates or highways, yet…).
CONCLUSION
I quite enjoyed our night here and would happily return with or without the kids. This is a very luxurious property and I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in a suite that was more carefully thought out than this one. This hotel is a Chicago gem, albeit a pricey one.
Wow! Maybe I missed you in Chicago. For business and personal reasons, I have been traveling to Chicago very often but never for more than 2 or 3 nights. I have stayed probably 15 to 20 nights there in the last 2 years so I can give you my perspective of my experience there.
For hotels, I used to stay at the Hyatt Centric but after a while I have shifted my stays to the Peninsula and Four Seasons as I can get some discounted rates in both which makes it a non brainer. After staying at both, Peninsula and Four Seasons, I have to say that IMO the Four Seasons is a much better choice. Nothing wrong with the Peninsula, and BTW I have stayed at the exact same suite you stayed (maybe a different floor) but the Four Seasons feels more modern and less crowded to me. It also offers LeLabo toiletries which are much better than the local brand offers by the Peninsula. The Peninsula feels outdated, the lobby is always super crowded and noisy while the Four Seasons is more modern, less crowded and the service has been spectacular. The Peninsula has a slightly better location, a nicer pool but every time I have to book I choose the Four Seasons.
As for your experience with the city, never ever drive there. It is a mess and if you drive on toll roads you have to pay for it on a website using the car plate. It is a nightmare. I usually fly to MDW which is much closer to the city and a cheaper Uber/Lyft ride and use Lyft in the city. BTW, in my experience, Lyft is always cheaper than Uber in Chicago.
Finally, for your food at the hotel, no matter where you go in Chicago you will be shocked with prices and I am surprised they didn’t add a 3% surcharge to “help offset rising costs associated with the restaurant business” which is very common scam when eating out in Chicago. Next time you stay at the Peninsula, go to next door Whole Foods and grab a smoothie and something else for breakfast or walk to Stan’s Donuts next door and grab a coffee and a fantastic donut for much less money.
Instead of Stan’s, walk a couple blocks and try Do-Rite Donuts
Thanks for the tip. I am not familiar with Chicago at all. Any good restaurants in the area you recommend? I’ve been to The Purple Pig but it is best if you have more people to share their plates.
Doesn’t the Peninsula offer complimentary airport transfers with their chauffeur fleet? It was listed as an amenity last time I checked, although I ended up staying elsewhere.