I stayed at the W Lakeshore in Chicago a year or so ago and thought I could contribute a review for it here. I'm a SPG Platinum member and upon arrival at the W Lakeshore was promptly upgraded to a super two-room Urban Suite. I had views of Lake Michigan. One thing I did notice was that the rooms did seem a bit worn, even if they were well-decorated. But hey, two tvs and the popular W open bathroom, if that's your thing. I found the walls to be a little thin, especially with how crowded the hotel was over the weekend. The bathroom had some cool design elements, but I found that water tended to escape from the shower pretty quickly. Maybe they've done renovations since then.

The decoration over the whole hotel was great, but what do you expect from a W! They had pebble-encrusted hallways with cool red/white lighting effects. All the staff were in black. The lobby always seemed to be busy with the younger jet-set crew going in and out. I had to wait "in line" to catch an elevator a few times, but the staff did a good job of recognizing me and making sure I got to the front. The atmosphere in the lobby was 'electric' and probably would not appeal to people looking to really relax. (I like the Park Hyatt better for that!) Lots of beautiful people though.

The pool on the 7th floor overlooks the lake. There is a "Bliss" spa as well, although I was not able to take advantage of any of their services during my brief stay. The gym had a few machines in it each with individual TVs (thank you!). There is no hot tub.

The hotel is located only about 3-4 blocks off of Michigan Avenue. So it's a easy walk if you want to do some shopping or people-watching. One night a friend from the suburbs came down to hang out and she was able to find a spot on the street for free (weekend) not too far away. We asked the concierge to provide us with some great Italian restaurant recommendations. She was able to book us at Scuzzi's (sp?) which was a delightful place to eat, and not too pricey! Good recommendation. This represented the high level of service I received from the staff and management at the hotel. Whenever I would come up to the desk to ask directions or get some tips, they always offered them up with a smile.

Remember that on weekends, they have a bouncer and a velvet rope. A small annoyance for the great fun awaiting inside... just remember, the bar here is pretty small. The rooftop bar, Whiskey Sky, never seemed too busy when I was there, not like some of the W bars in New York, and I don't think there was a cover charge.

Overall, kudos to the staff for making a so-so hotel really shine. I'll be going back here (because the new project I start next onth is nearby).

Review by Steve C..

Posted at April 29, 2006 8:10 PM