Living it Up at The Embassy Suites Lakefront, Chicago, IL

I love Chicago.  I remember it being my escape when living in the suburbs of Madison, WI not too long ago.  I would often call it my “city fix”.  Granted Chicago isn’t as big or spread out as New York City, but it does manage to pack in a lot of wonderful things to do and see and try. 

This trip was taking me to BlogHer’09 and I was excited to be trying out a new place to stay while there.  After a first night of networking and partying, there was nothing more rewarding than walking one block away from all the noise and into the Embassy Suites Chicago -Downtown/Lakefront.  When you first walk in you will notice that you are not walking into an average hotel lobby, actually, you’re not walking into the hotel lobby at all, but rather a nice area for baggage/car service drop off and pick up.  This is a bit different from most hotels I’ve stayed in, but a pretty smart idea because it avoids the congestion at the reception area, and the convenience of having one location for those waiting around for a car service.

Once on the lobby the experience becomes more grandiose.  I will say that as a person who has traveled frequently even as a child, the “Ah” moment (or not) that you experience in the lobby is pretty much a guarantee of what the rest of the experience is going to be like.  And this was definitely an “Ah” moment.  When I first arrived it was very late, and I was very tired, but the serenity of the lobby area, the sound of the water falling from the stone wall in the middle of this massive room, the sound of soft music in the air; all was inviting.  And the Reception staff made sure to follow suit.  Carol, a name I won’t easily forget, greeted me and was patient with me as I tried to focus on the task of checking in while consumed with absolute, sheer exhaustion.

She calmly gave me all my information and materials, and even suggested that I hurry upstairs to call room service before they closed at 11:00PM (I had told her I was hungry).  So, hurry I did, but I almost missed my deadline because when I entered my room, um, suite, I stood there in awe. Not only was it nice and welcoming, it was also pretty big.  Huge for me, and perfect for my family had they joined me.  With a comfortable pull out couch, television, as well as a nice size area to eat and work, I probably would have been fine with that space alone.  But as I made my way further in, I was welcomed into a nice size bedroom, with it’s own private sink, a flat screen television, and a king size bed, with pillows arranged in such a way that they seemed almost to be calling my name. I could have easily shared my bed with my husband and our two little ones, and had they been with me, I’m sure I would’ve.  But I was thrilled that, this time, I didn’t have to. On Twitter, I kept referring to the room as “my apartment” because truthfully, it was probably as big as my New York City apartment give or take a few feet.

I had a nice view out to the city (though if I looked down I saw the parking lot).  They do however, have rooms with views to the lake as well, though I really enjoyed mine.

During the day, the room was nice and bright and warm.  And this ambiance extended itself again out to the hallway and the lobby as I made my way to the complimentary breakfast buffet, which included tasty breakfast staples such as eggs, meat, breads, fruits, yogurts, coffee, etc., but also had the wonderful option of cook to order omelets.

One of my absolute favorite places in the Embassy Suites Lakefront (aside from my bed and the suite itself), is the gym area.  It isn’t often that I have the opportunity to work out in my travels, but when I do, rarely do I find fitness areas as well equipped and designed as this one.  The bright red wall is a wonderful compliment to this sunlit room, which also includes state of the art equipment, all well taken care of and clean.  The pool area was the perfect size for a few lap workouts before a meeting, or just to hang out with the kids during some down time. I couldn’t help but envision my boys and their dad playing in the pool, while I enjoyed some me-time right next door running on the treadmill while I watched the news!

The Embassy Suites also has a small Business Center, equipped with computers and other necessities for the working traveler, and a full service Conference/Events area, perfect for company gatherings, corporate meetings, and even weddings. The only thing that I thought was a bit of a set back for me was the price of their Internet connection. At almost $15.00 a day it seemed some what steep for me, especially as someone who was out at events and meetings most of the time and only really used my room access for a couple of hours.  The other thing with that is that if you are sharing a room with another person and they too need Internet access, they have to pay a separate almost $15.00 a day fee, even while in the same room!  That was a bit much. However, you can venture out of your room and take advantage of the free internet access in their business center (as well as free printing) which is located on the Meeting Room level of the hotel.

The hotel is centrally located, with popular Chicago destinations such as Navy Piers two blocks away in one direction and popular shopping areas, such as Magnificent Mile a couple of blocks in the other, among other sites. And it has the convenience of being across the street from a small market called Dominick’s where you can pick up some coffee, have access to ATMs and basic banking service (Chase) and pick up some shopping for basics, such as milk or diapers.

Great dining is also nearby.  While there I tried some of the best sushi I have ever had at Niu Japanese Fusion located next to the AMC movie theatre right around the corner. Two blocks from the hotel, on Ohio St., I enjoyed some tapas and sangrias with friends at Emilio’s Tapas Restaurant.

Overall, my experience at the Embassy Suites Chicago-Downtown/Lakefront was a very good one.  I would definitely come here again with my family.  It was a lovely stay and the hotel has everything you would need and want, on premise and nearby, especially when traveling to the Windy City with kids in tow.

Visit Embassy Suites Chicago-Downtown/Lakefront for more information on rates or to make a reservation or call 1-800-Embassy.

Happy Adventures!

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Tags: blogher 09, chicago, Embassy Suites, Emilio's, family entertainment, kid friendly, kids in Chicago, Niu
Posted in Adventures, Hotels/Camp Sites/Resorts, Vacations | 8 Comments »