Loews Chicago Hotel, Chicago, review
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455 North Park Drive, Chicago, IL 60611, USA | loewshotels.com
Check in 4pm
Check out 12pm
Gym Yes
Pool Yes
Spa No
Parking Yes, but at nearby AMC River East for $59/night.
Neighbourhood
Loews Chicago Hotel is the luxury brand’s downtown property; there’s another one at Chicago O’Hare Airport.
The hotel is in a great spot in the centrally-located Streeterville neighbourhood, and is ideal for first time visitors to Chicago.
It’s just a few minutes’ walk to Navy Pier*, about 10 minutes from Millennium Park* and 15 minutes from the downtown shopping district.
Essentially if you’re staying here, most of the tourist attractions are within walking distance.
Vibe
Loews Chicago Hotel is enormous – there are 400 guest rooms and suites here.
The property is very much geared towards business travellers though.
Many meetings take place right in its spacious lobby, though there are also meeting rooms on standby for those who need a more intimate setting.
Thanks to the very high ceilings, it never gets too loud.
Elsewhere, there are homely touches, like a fireplace and comfy couches, that make it approachable for leisure travellers too.
The overall feel is one of calm, and understated luxury.
Rooms
The rooms at Loews Chicago Hotel are incredibly spacious, with a bright and airy decor that feels like it’s fallen out of an interiors magazine.
The bedroom
The beds are super comfortable – the type you can really sink into – and are furnished with Garnier-Thiebault linens.
A king size is standard here, but you can also request two doubles.
In-room amenities include a flat-screen TV, iron and ironing board (steamers also available) and well-stocked minibar (additional fee).
The bathroom
The bathroom are brightly-lit – a bonus for those who find it hard to see in the dark – and well stocked with fluffy towels.
Most have showers, which are powerful, but a few feature bathtubs as well.
Julien Farel supplies the luxury toiletries. You’ll also find a hair dryer and magnifying mirror.
The view
Perhaps the best bit is the view.
Thanks to its location, the stunning Chicago skyline is captured by every floor-to-ceiling window.
But it’s especially beautiful if you have a lake-facing room – a rarity in Chicago.
Food and drink
The Lobby Lounge serves cocktails and light bites but ETA Restaurant + Bar is the main dining option here. This is where breakfast is served.
Hearty American fare is the order of the day and the menu offers plenty of choice, both sweet and savoury.
The portions are big and everything is cooked to order (rather than buffet) so make sure you’re really hungry and have plenty of time to indulge.
There’s also a coffee shop in the lobby with takeaway coffee.
Other amenities
There’s a decent 20m lap pool as well as a 24-hour fitness centre equipped with cardio equipment (including Peleton bikes) and free weights.
Highlights
The hotel has an outdoor terrace that becomes Streeterville Social during the summer months.
Cocktails, food and great views make this a great spot to take in the city.
Downsides
There’s a per diem destination fee to pay, which is currently $27 per day plus tax.
It’s not a huge amount, but it can be unexpected if you’ve already booked and paid for your stay on a separate platform.
For that, you get free premium wifi, $10 Uber credit and $10 credit for the restaurants and bars at the hotel.
There’s also 10% off at Pinstripes, Big Bus Tours, and Volare.
Asides
There are plenty of luxury touches here but the monochromatic decor makes it hard to shake off the corporate feel.
Depending on what you’re looking for, it may not necessarily be a bad thing.
For families
Loews Chicago Hotel is not especially family friendly in its design.
However, cribs are available on request, and the concierge can arrange babysitting services.
They can also supply things like bottle warmers and boardgames for the room.
For digital nomads
Loews Chicago Hotel is a great option for digital nomads.
As well as the speedy internet, each room has a seating area and ergonomic work space.
There’s also a safe that’s big enough to accommodate a laptop.
Plus, there’s a coffee station in the room so there’s no need to go out for your coffee fix.
Or you could head to the 24-hour business centre, which is free to use. There’s a black and white printer/scanner here too.
For pet owners
Loews Chicago Hotel is pet friendly, but there’s a fee of $100 per stay.
Plus the group imposes a limit of two pets per room and per hotel. It means if there are already other pets staying, you may not be able to.
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Getting there
Chicago O’Hare International Airport is the closest airport, and Loews Chicago Hotel is about an hour’s drive away.
To get to the hotel on public transport, you would need to get the Blue Line to the Grand Station and then change to a bus.
The nearest Metro station is the Grand Station on the Red Line (a different station).
Loyalty scheme
Loews has its own loyalty scheme, the Loews Most Valued Partners (MVP) Rewards Program, but it’s geared towards corporate travellers.
When you try to sign up for example, it will tell you that “The Loews MVP Program is for group contracts of 10 rooms or more and not an individual stay program”.
It is however part of American Express Travel’s Premium Hotel Program*.
This means that if you’re a Platinum Cardmember, you can get all sorts perks.
These range from free breakfast to an upgrade where possible.
Occasionally there are also additional discounts.
Plus you can pay for some or all of your stay using Amex points.
When I stayed
I stayed as a guest of this property in September 2017. My visit was hosted by the hotel and Choose Chicago.
This entry was last updated in July 2024 and was correct at the time of publication.
