Chicago: Omni Chicago (August 2001)

My spouse and I stayed at the Omni Chicago for three nights in mid-August 2001. (We stayed at this property for a second time in early-June 2003.) The Omni Chicago Hotel is located at the center of Chicago’s most prestigious neighborhood, 3 blocks from the shores of Lake Michigan and around the corner from St. James Cathedral. The Museum of Contemporary Art is a 5-minute walk, and the "L" train stop is at Chicago and State, 4 blocks away. This property claims to be the only all-suite luxury accommodations on Michigan Avenue. The hotel features 347 all-suite guest rooms, an indoor swimming pool, two outdoor sundecks on the fifth floor, a spa, and a rooftop garden. Private suites are approximately 400 square feet and include an elegant parlor separated by classic French doors, two telephones, two televisions. The 676 Restaurant and Bar is an American bistro overlooking Michigan Avenue that serves comfort food.

I stayed here in August of 2001, and have a reservation for June of 2003. I really liked the hotel and thought the rooms were quite luxurious. I did encounter one minor problem with my room, however. The Omni Chicago claims to be an all-suite hotel (with a separate bedroom closed off by French doors and a pull-out sofa in the living area), but the first room I was given was not a suite, although it was decorated quite nicely and had good amenities. After calling the front desk to complain, I was upgraded to some sort of high-end suite that not only had a separate living room and bedroom, but also a dining room with table seating for six. It was also a corner room, so it had long walls of windows on two sides. What a bonus! If you have an Omni Select Guest upgrade coupon, I highly recommend using it at this hotel because the differences in the rooms were tremendous. The indoor pool and outdoor sundecks were nice. I didn't try the restaurants. The location is superb, although I didn't find many restaurants within view, and none within walking distance that were serving past 10 pm (Chicago definitely isn't New York). The only inconvenience for this hotel is that the lobby isn't on the ground level as you enter from Michigan Avenue--you must take an elevator up either one or two floors (I don't recall), and after checking in, you need to take yet another set of elevators to reach the room. I wasn't bothered by this, and obviously liked the hotel or I wouldn't be staying there again. If it's good enough for Oprah (all her guests stay here), it's good enough for me!