Review: Park Hyatt Chicago, Illinois

There is still nothing special about this hotel, even post-renovation, and the service remains mediocre. Park Hyatt will never be a top tier luxury hotel brand, but one would expect that Park Hyatt might at least do better in its home town. The Peninsula is still Chicago's best hotel by far.

$29 for a bagel w/salmon!! I know it's included for globalists and Prive, but still is a lot.

Laughable to me that online travel blogs and forums are full of people adamant that Park Hyatt isn’t “true” luxury and only Peninsula is. These are the types of people that can’t make partner at any >$4MM PPEP firm. They go in-house and make $400k, which is enough to afford a nice hotel once in a while, but they don’t know jack about “true” luxury and should not be paid any attention whatsoever. True luxury is not staying in a hotel; it’s staying with a friend. But the basement dwellers who comment anonymously on the internet don’t have those.

Have you heard of inflation

The Four Seasons Chicago is my new favorite hotel in the city. Got upgraded the last two times I was there to an amazing lake view suite. Service is impeccable and location is great.

Had an awful check-in experience here as a globalist booked into a suite. Was ignored for hours, brought it up to the manager of rooms (Shawn Devlin - dude should not be working at a hotel of this caliber), he did nothing about it, and not even a welcome amenity or apologetic bottle of wine sent to the room (not that I was fishing for freebies, but this experience was awful for any hotel, let alone a Park Hyatt). It's just a shame because the rest of the hotel was very much aligned with this review. I really loved it. But I'll always remember that brutal check-in.

This location is perfect......for getting mugged. PSA - Stay off the streets of Chicago after sundown.

I was recently there in a suite as a Globalist. I had a great stay and it’s a great hotel. But I did not get the dirty martini welcome gift. I need to figure out how to get that!

Tells us you know nothing about Chicago without telling us you know knowing about Chicago...

The Peninsula is the best by far; no question.

What's laughable is how you assume what other people's finances/lifestyles are like. For those in the know, sorry to break it to you - but points properties like the Park Hyatt, while nice, are NOT in the same caliber as The Peninsula, for example. It's service, details, hard product, everything - that matters.

Yeah, this troll Vinay sounds like he has never ever been to Chicago?

I'm wondering is this hotel rated 4.5 stars for US standards or by global standards?

It looks nice enough, but I somehow always feel that US hotels are somewhat lacking.

I’ve had fantastic experiences at this property and it has been a great use of SUAs. I see they have gotten a peloton row since I was last there so I can’t wait to return!

Having a lap pool for swimming is something that would definitely make me stay there over a similar property.

That room looks awfully cramped - no desk, one armchair and that peculiar round table with one chair. Guess you'd call it a single room

Love that dirty martini welcome amenity!

I live in Chicago (and Bangkok).
The Right's fascination with painting it as a violent, dangerous hellhole are laughable and divorced from reality...and Michigan & E Chicago Avenues might be as far away from a dangerous hellhole one could possibly get in an American city.

The original Park Hyatt launched at this location in 1980, in what was the former Water Tower Inn. Hyatt demolished that 1961 mid-century 15-story, with its outdoor pool overlooking the historic water tower park in 1997, in order to build the much larger Park Tower (now a 67-story with hotel, condos, retail) in 2000.

While I miss the Don Draper mid century coolness and refinement of the original building, the recently renovated replacement still feels modern, refined and well maintained. Service is highly skilled/professional and the hotel spa and dining are excellent. I know all of the Chicago luxury hotels quite well.

I agree, there is nothing flashy about the Park Hyatt Chicago, but that’s perhaps something I like about the brand overall. They are usually refined but low-key, generally not flashy enough for the Instagram crowd, thankfully.

As far as overall quality, however, Chicago has some amazing luxury hotels to choose from and I’d rank the Park Hyatt middle of the pack (from recent experience):

1. Langham (Fantastic club lounge)
2. Peninsula
3. Four Seasons
4. Ritz-Carlton (club level)
5. Park Hyatt/Waldorf Astoria (tie)
6. Blank
7. St Regis
8. Nobu
9. Trump
10. Pendry
11. Sofitel
12. Viceroy

If you are a world of Hyatt loyalist, it’s a great choice for luxury in Chicago.

The original Park Hyatt launched at this location in 1980, in what was the former Water Tower Inn. Hyatt demolished that 1961 mid-century 15-story, with its outdoor pool overlooking the historic water tower park in 1997, in order to build the much larger Park Tower (now a 67-story with hotel, condos, retail) in 2000.

While I miss the Don Draper mid century coolness and refinement of the original property, the recently renovated replacement still feels modern, refined and well maintained. Service is highly skilled/professional and the hotel spa and dining are excellent.

I agree, there are finer hotels in Chicago (Langham, Peninsula, FS) and there is nothing flashy about the Park Hyatt Chicago, but that’s perhaps something I like about the brand overall. They are usually refined but low-key, luxurious but generally not flashy enough for the Instagram crowd, thankfully.

Based on the pics this could indeed be a nice Westin.

Impressed that they have an Alys bed in a fairly standard room, they retail for well over $13K USD. It's not often you find B&B Italia furniture in a Hyatt. Nice!

Hyatt Prive sounds a bit of a rip off. For the privilege of paying full rack rates with no discount, we give you a welcome drink and a small room credit.

I've stayed here last year when it was just refurbished and I very much enjoyed the stay. I stayed with my mom and had a room with 2 Queen Beds (base room, no upgrades since I'm not a Hyatt Elite), it felt like a very large room with more than enough space. Paid with points and can personally recommend it.

You are fortunate to receive a welcome amenity. As a Lifetime Globalist I’ve had four stays there in the past few months and never once received a thing. I’ve mentioned it to the desk each time at check out and was just offered an apology.

An overpriced hotel that then goes out of the way to TELL YOU the “value” of the breakfast they’re throwing in for the 500 per nite cost. Good Lord, snap out of it.

I would not like this hotel. Its a Park, looks like a Regency.

I dislike those bench seats by the window in the room. Unless you are a yoga expert with strong back, who sits on those?
Us, we learn back on the window, even put pillows its not enough.

I learned that at the Conrad in Singapore. Made the room extremely uncomfortable. Ended up sitting on the edge of the bed as the most comfortable seat in the room.

Paul Weiss. Trying to figure out from your comments whether you’re just a very lonely man or really nasty on top of that. Leaning towards the latter. Have a look at your comments - do you really think they’re in any way going to endear you to fellow humans?

What is The Travel Society-Prive membership???Nice perks esp the Martini tray!!

The original Park Hyatt launched at this location in 1980, in what was the former Water Tower Inn. Hyatt demolished that 1961 mid-century 15-story, with its outdoor pool overlooking the historic water tower park in 1997, in order to build the much larger Park Tower (now a 67-story with hotel, condos, retail) in 2000.

While I miss the Don Draper mid century coolness and refinement of the original property, the recently renovated replacement still feels modern, refined and well maintained. Service is highly skilled/professional and the hotel spa and dining are excellent.

I agree, there are finer hotels in Chicago (Langham, Peninsula, FS) and there is nothing flashy about the Park Hyatt Chicago, but that’s perhaps something I like about the brand overall. They are usually refined but low-key, luxurious but generally not flashy enough for the Instagram crowd, thankfully.

Are the suites few and far between there? Seems surprising that you wouldn't get an upgrade to a standard suite Ben, booking an non-base room as a Globalist and Prive benefits

This property is the very definition of mid for a luxury hotel. I've done two stays here in the past year and a half, both with globalist status. First one, no upgrade even though standard suites were showing as available when I checked the app before check-in. Told nothing was available when I asked, which was disappointing. I did get a welcome amenity on this first stay of a couple of mid cookies.

Second stay, I used a SUA to one of the rather small junior suites. No welcome amenity. Staff was always attentive but not at all proactive and did not give the impression they'd go above and beyond. Road noise was really rough on the junior suites, ironically at a higher floor than my first stay. It's almost as if they cheaped out and sprung for soundproofing only at certain lower floors. Really bizarre. Breakfast is phenomenal, though and the restaurant staff are incredible.

The wife and I stay here at least once a year and always have a wonderful experience. Check-in for us has always been speedy with a very attentive staff. Compared to the other Hyatt offerings, we like it - although we are trying the Hyatt's Thompson Hotel for the first time in Chicago next week.

This is my favorite hotel in the entire Hyatt portfolio and I have stayed in suites in most of the Hyatt fan favorites (incl PH Vendome, PH Sydney, PH Vienna, PH Siagon, PH Auckland, PH Istanbul). The Chicago Ave suite for as few as 25K points +SUA, Nomi breakfast, and free parking is as good as it gets. I'm a local and have stayed at all the 5* in Chicago. This is truly my favorite hotel value.

Wow, the room looks very plain to me. I would not stay there for $500 a night. Zero wow factor for the room. Worth $250 at the most.

I love that hotel pre and post renovations! I used to go to NoMi regularly when I lived or visited Chicago and its one of my favorite hotels.