My standard hotel reviews include a breakdown by the following topics. Feel free to skip to whichever section you find most interesting.
· Highlights
· Lobby & Check-in
· Room
· Hotel Space / Ambiance
· Food & Drink
· Fitness
· Miscellaneous
Highlights: The Tremont Chicago Hotel at Magnificent Mile
The service before I arrived was great. In my last attempt to stay here, I was informed it would be $50 to confirm the Michigan Ave Penthouse Suite, a 761 square foot suite with a grand piano. This time, I had an amazing agent, Reginald, lock it in for me, no problem. The location at the top of Magnificent Mile was quite nice. Other than that, this was an average to forgettable experience.
Lobby & Check-in
It looked like a tiny hole in the wall, with Ditka’s steakhouse to the right, and a seating area to the left. Check-in is not immediately apparent, but at a small customer service desk the agents got us set up. I was informed breakfast was continental – which was definitely not what was communicated to me when I made my booking. More on that later, but already I was off to a poor start.
Tremont Michigan Ave Penthouse Suite Room
As the lady put it, it’s a wonderfully historic property – and this room is no different. While it’s probably an old(er) building, the room and hotel was renovated, and it looks good. There are some visible and architectural issues, such as paint peeling, uneven and dirty floors, and leaking showers.
However, it does have a grand piano – although it was distinctly nowhere as nice as the photos online. This suite reminded me of old houses that are remodeled, and looks better, but with clear and identifiable issues. The fan in the bathroom was loud and I was unable to turn them off.
Internet is limited to five devices and they were also unable to provide an access code for us.
Hotel Space / Ambiance
We saw couples and groups of what seemed like college students. Not exactly the clientele I would want in the “upscale” and “boutique” Tremont.
Food & Drink
I was told that breakfast was a hot buffet, however when I arrived they clarified that it was continental, and included no meats. At $9.99, that’s ridiculous, and the hotel didn’t even have a lounge. I was disappointed in the food options, with cold pastries and cereals and juices, and hot scrambled eggs and hash browns. I expected more, quite simply.
Fitness
Small fitness room left a lot to be desired, so we went running by the beautiful beach.
Miscellaneous
Only one elevator goes to the 16th floor, with multiple floor stops on people who pushed the button but inexplicably did not show. Given Chicago’s cheap hotel scene for Starwood & Marriott, with many better ones available for 12K-16K SPG, I wouldn’t come back here.
A little tangent – it was a miserable experience ubering into downtown to get to the Tremont. Be sure to monitor your GPS and app for any car rides into the city, since you’ll never know the quality of your driver or their level of competence. There’s half an hour of my life I’ll never get back.
However, the ambiance of the suite was quite nice. With my lady’s Bose QuietComfort® 35 headphones, I was able to do some work while my lady played the piano. I was also able to block out the hustle and bustle of Chicago sixteen stories below, and that pesky seat neighbor on my flight home. It represents a significant upgrade over my older Bose headphones, which had multiple issues such as frayed cables or earpads. Nothing says don’t bother me like noise-cancelling headphones.
As for Chicago, I’ll come back, so long as I stay in the actual city!
Thanks!
Featured Image is of the grand piano from hotel website. Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links which, should you click through and/or make a purchase, grant me a commission. Also, I only post in the best interest of my readers. Lastly, thank you for supporting my blog and my travels.
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