The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago

Room is average at best, no luxurious feel as I would expect from RC. Asked for a shaving cream and never got it. Also got DECLINED (for the first time in my life) for 4pm late checkout as a platinum, they only offered 1:30 pm after rounds of negotiations. Have been told that the hotel is busy and late checkout out is subject to availability. However, according to Marriott’s terms and conditions, 4pm late checkout is GUARANTEED for platinum (and above) unless for resort/convention hotels(clearly not the case for RC Chicago). Other reviews suggest similar issue regarding late checkout request, please be aware if you are staying with them. The bellman is pretty helpful though. Already booked my next Chicago trip with Peninsula, will not stay at RC Chicago again (a place where you pay for 5 stars but get mediocre service in return).

1. Can’t check in at Club Lounge because elevator is restricted. Need to get escorted upstairs by reception as they do at all other RC we have stayed at. No mention of room upgrade was offered as delineated by Amex. 2. Rooms not ready upon arrival at 4:30pm on a random non-holiday Thursday? Odd. Not even one of two rooms ready at 3pm when first guest arrived. Book with Amex for early check in. Rooms on floor where club lounge was located would have been preferred but, weren’t offered. 3. Club lounge nice and comfortable. Staff friendly and accommodating. They didn’t really come across like concierges, like say, the pre arrival club concierge teams at RC SF and RC NO. No assistance offered with any reservations or experiences outside of hotel. 4. Food and amenities at club lounge were lovely. All “great” but nothing unforgettable like the food in New Orleans or the Caviar Service in SF or the oyster bar in Dallas Las Colinas. Meals well prepared. Chef friendly. Would like the lounge open till midnight. A nice place to socialize and was asked to leave promptly at 10pm in the middle of a conversation. 5. Rooms very similar to 2019 stay. Maybe entry mirrors and showers were updated. Furniture was the same . Housekeeping was fine, but had to request. Came back to room at 1pm after leaving at 1030 and it still wasn’t clean. Bell staff/Valet staff friendly and professional. Would return hoping the glitches are addressed.

We had a great trip to Chicago and staying at the Ritz. I reached out to one of hotel managers, Karim Ghanem, prior to our arrival to let them know we were celebrating a birthday and it was our children's first trip to Chicago. He got back to me right away with some options to help enhance our celebration. I was impressed with the hotel's communication as very efficient and friendly. Upon returning to our room the first night, the hotel had left us champagne, an adult dessert and two desserts for the kids shaped like cookie monster. All were a huge hit! Check-in was easy, and they had a toy wagon ready for my kids to pick a treat. The bell service was timely. Our room was well appointed with 2 robes, slippers and the softest carpet I've experienced in a hotel in a while. Beds were comfortable and the kids enjoyed the window ledge, electing to watch a show there at night with the drapes closed, making a little fort. Sleeping was very quiet. We had a baby staying in the room next to us and the only way I realized it was from standing in the hallway. We didn't hear anything from other rooms. Breakfast was very good but slow both days. On Sunday, our server told us they purposely understaffed due to large wedding that was eating a buffet in the ballroom. We used the pool once while there. The facility is connected to the spa, so plenty of towels and amenities like razors in the locker rooms. The only downside is all of the lap lanes were up, so it was hard for the kids to swim/play. Location was great for shopping, restaurants, and exploring. We will definitely be back!

When you spend $$$$ for a luxury, 5-star hotel, you have certain expectations that must be delivered on for you to feel good about the amount you spent. In its current state, the RC Chicago has some work to do to get back to the 5-star expectations that its guests deserve. Staff interactions were mixed, rooms/suites felt tired with broken fixtures, and overall there was a feeling of yesterday's luxury that just can't keep up with the discerning expectations of today. I am a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite guest, so I know what great looks and feels like and while I would return to this hotel for a future stay, in its current form, I can't wholeheartedly recommend it. What's Wired (Highlights) 1. Central location in the Gold Coast neighborhood. It feels safe yet in the middle of it all. You can walk or take Uber to nearly everywhere you want to go in Chicago. 2. Some of the staff, such as Agnes at the Front Desk, are truly 5 star and offer warm hospitality. I appreciated Agnes working with me on a suite upgrade in recognition of my Titanium Bonvoy Elite status. I was also given a 4PM late checkout with no qualms (I read in other reviews the staff have been hesitant to provide late checkout to Bonvoy members) 3. The fitness center and indoor pool with sauna/steam room are very nice, clean, beautiful amenities. Highly recommend checking them out. 4. I upgraded to the Club Lounge ($225 extra per night) and it was well worth it. All of the presentations had a large amount of gourmet offerings. I liked the Chinese food on Saturday night and the breakfast Sunday morning. There was a serve your self beer and wine station and you could ask for any cocktail you wanted with the staff. I agree that the service was hit or miss. There would be a few hours especially in the evening when you wouldn't see one staff member at all... strange for a RC Club. The pistachio Rice Krispies are to DIE FOR and I really liked the cookie and candy area having a sweet tooth myself. 5. I was complimentary upgraded to a Water Tower Suite in recognition of my Titanium Bonvoy Elite status. This was a nice suite. It was spacious with a living room, separated bedroom, two bathrooms, and two closets. The primary bath had a modern glass shower stall and the second bath had a tub and shower combo. I am accustomed to Ritz suite bathrooms having a separate bath tub from the shower but I believe due to the age of this place (constructed in the 70s) it is not possible. What's Tired (Needs Improvement) 1. While the property has been renovated with a modern luxury aesthetic, there is a decent amount of wear and tear that would warrant replacement of some soft furnishings and carpet. 2. Poor Maintenance -- On Saturday night, I went to take a nice shower after a long day. When I went to switch from the handheld shower wand to the rainfall shower head, the switch made a loud banging noise and would not switch, then the water would stop. I called the front desk and Engineering came right