The St. Regis Chicago
401 East Upper Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60601, USA
Why We Like It
Everybody deserves to feel like a king or a queen for a night—and with so many five-star amenities such as a spa, 24-hour butler service for all guests (not just VIPs or suite guests) who will even deliver food to your room or book a ride in the house car, two restaurants, and an indoor pool, and closer to Lake Michigan (the shoreline’s just a 10-minute walk from the hotel) than any other Chicago hotel, you never need to leave.
Fodor's Expert Review
Tucked into the booming Lakeshore East area near Navy Pier, you get a quiet sanctuary setting (particularly in the spa or while enjoying Japanese dining at Miru) paired with a view of Navy Pier, the Riverwalk, and the Chicago skyline. This luxury hotel, the only St. Regis in the Midwest, is within the tallest skyscraper designed by a woman—Chicago’s own Jeanne Gang. Just look for the blue building that literally shimmers on a sunny day.
Tip Arriving without a car? The hotel offers a house car service for trips within 2 miles. This chauffeured service is available on a first-come, first-serve basis and cannot be reserved.
PROS
- Date-night-quality dining with gorgeous plating
- One of the city’s most luxurious spas
- Butlers and helpful staff everywhere you turn
CONS
- Pricey room rates
- No dedicated activities or casual dining spots for kids
- Most rooms lack desks or workspaces.
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Room
Everything in the rooms is of high quality and the hues are soft, sophisticated neutrals, with marble baths, plush textures for seating, plus navy blues, golds, and coppers for accents. In the mini bars are espresso machines. Frette 1860 linens—a line from the Italian company that’s exclusive to St. Regis—adorn the beds and the mattresses are a St. Regis feature, including the cashmere quilting designed by Simmons. If you find this is the best sleep you’ve ever had, you can buy the linens and bed through The St. Regis Boutique Hotel Store. Booking any of the five suite types includes Signature St. Regis Butler services: morning tea or coffee service, help unpacking and packing luggage, and pressing of up to two garments per day.
The only complaint about the rooms—which are larger than most hotel rooms in Chicago, and many even feature a walk-in closet and dressing area—is that they could be in any other U.S. city as there’s no clear homage to Chicago.
Bathroom
Particularly during a cold snap in Chicago, a free-standing soaking tub like those found in the Deluxe rooms is a godsend. Or, if you’re more of a shower person, we dare you to take anything less than a 10-minute shower under the rainforest showerhead and in the marble-clad shower that would rival the size of an urban apartment’s kitchen. Large-format bottles for Sodashi skin-care products are on the vanity.
Lobby
Don’t just zip to the check-in desk. Take a look around the lobby first and see what’s beneath the 30-foot ceiling. Throughout the year there are seasonal amenities, such as a candy cart, pop-up shop, and flower cart.
Pool
Indoor pools of this caliber in downtown Chicago are rare—windows on both sides (framing Lake Michigan’s shoreline); stylish, comfy lounge chairs; and a terrace are all a part of this inviting haven. You’ve got a city view and a chill pool day all in one. Families and couples alike enjoy the heated pool, which keeps extended hours so you can still get out and enjoy Chicago during the day. On occasion, sound-bath and floating meditations are hosted here, which you’re not going to find at another downtown-Chicago hotel.
Tip During the summer, there’s a poolside terrace to further chill—an accordion-style wall of windows simply pops open.
Spa
Modern design marks this spa—not cool pastels and dim lighting. In the lounge are modular, curvy furnishings, and an electric two-sided fireplace. Pull open a treatment room’s windows and you’re looking out at Lake Michigan’s stunning shoreline. In addition to massages and facials, plus a gold-infused sugar scrub, there’s intuitive balancing (folding in reiki, sound healing, and Chakra alignment) and each guest is greeted with a flute of Champagne. Hot tea and snacks are also available.
Gym
Due to The St. Regis Residences, there are daily fitness classes that include yoga, Pilates, and TRX. As for the fitness equipment, it’s all top of the line (by Cybex) in the 5,000-square-foot fitness center on the hotel’s 10th floor and includes saunas.
Dining
Both Miru and Tre Dita overlook the Riverwalk. Tre Dita boasts 42-foot ceilings plus house-made pastas and wood-fired Italian creations by Evan Funke (chef-owner of Mother Wolf in Los Angeles and Miami). At Miru, which translates to “the view” in Japanese, all-day dining spans from breakfast to dinner, with sushi, caviar, and other delicacies, like miso black cod and Miyazaki A5 Wagyu Zabuton. In addition to these two restaurants, there’s a coffee bar set up outside of Mira each morning; start your day with a latte and a flaky, buttery pastry.
Tip Go big on breakfast by ordering a cold-pressed juice like Bionic Glow or Eternal Life with the Tokyo Breakfast at Miru (grilled salmon, Japanese omelet, rice and miso soup).
Drinking
Both restaurants (Tre Dita and Miru) offer cocktail, beer, and wine menus although there is no lobby bar or stand-alone bar within the hotel. Even so, the drink lists are very extensive and highly curated at both restaurants, and offer experiences you’re not going to easily find somewhere else, like a sake list at Miru and the opportunity to sip Super Tuscans at Tre Dita’s cozy, clubby bar.
Tip Free Champagne is served nightly in the lobby—paired with an elegant ceremony featuring a sabering knife to properly pop the cork.
What's Nearby
Getting Around
You definitely don’t need a car while staying at this hotel—and you can avoid the $89 daily valet parking fee. Uber, Lyft, and taxis are ideal ways to get around but you can also walk a few blocks to catch CTA bus lines, or remain on foot to reach The Loop and River North, all within a 15-minute walk.
Restaurants
Unlike other downtown Chicago hotels, this one’s a bit off the beaten path and requires a walk of 10-15 minutes to reach restaurants in The Loop and River North. It’s not impossible, though, and just requires you to bundle up accordingly if it’s a cooler day. Avli on the Park, on the other side of Lakeshore East Park, serves elevated Greek cuisine while—if it’s not a weekend during or a night with a fireworks show—brave the crowds for Chef Art Smith’s Reunion at Navy Pier via a 1.5-mile walk, run by Oprah’s former personal chef.
Bars
Most of Chicago’s bars are in River North or the Gold Coast, between one and two miles north of the hotel. Architecture fans will want to grab a drink at Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel’s 221 Blu Bar & Lounge—the next-door hotel was also designed by Gang, and the second-tallest before The St. Regis Chicago opened. For something gritty and iconic, visit the original Billy Goat’s Tavern on Michigan Avenue, dating back to 1934, for a beer with a Chicago-style hot dog. It’s a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
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