What now?
Ok this isn't part of the last trip, but since I've benchmarked the other Ws against this property so much, and since I'm on a W-high - I might as well do a review.
W Chicago-Lakeshore
644 N Lakeshore Dr
I first stayed here in 2006, which began my love affair with Ws and everything SPG - eventually stay running my way to Platinum in Dec 2007. Prior to this I'd never taken the hotel programs seriously, as I thought juggling the airline ones were enough. But the W Chicago-Lakeshore was to make me the zealous W-holic you see today, and a committed SPG stayer.
As the techno blared out of the entrance, I'd thought that the cab driver had dropped me off at the wrong place. Barsteward, I thought - as I'd even given him a nice tip. Then I noticed the unmistakable logo - a huge, shiny W on one side of the entrance. I walked closer and a Welcome Ambassador in a black Armani suit made his approach, and chirpily greeted me with a wide grin whilst offering to take my suitcase before realising that I'd been traveling really light thanks to my suitcase deciding to take a holiday of its own. I was impressed that anyone could be so upbeat in that frigid Chicago winter, especially as said Welcome Ambassador was standing outside the whole time.
I entered the lobby, which I was later to learn was called the Living Room. In the dim light I could make out a DJ spinning some serious techno, people playing checkers with apple martinis in hand and perched on cute wooden chairs, and a trendy little bar which already had a big crowd despite it still being earlyish in the evening. I was almost tempted to grab one of those yummy-looking martinis from the bar, before realising that I'd yet to check in. I spotted the Welcome Desk, which was almost like an afterthought amist the frenzied activity going on in the Living Room, and figured it must be a check in desk. Miss Energizer Bunny checked me in (I'm sure she has a name but I can't remember it), and I was warmly welcomed to Chicago. We had a good rapport - and she yelled across to the Living Room Manager (or the concierge for the uninitiated - though I've yet to see concierges in other Ws called that - usually just concierges or Whatever Desk agents) to introduce me and made sure that he'd take care of me. On hearing my name, Phil the LRM perked up and handed me an envelope that contained confirmations of all the resto reservations they'd made on my behalf. He also advised that I should look out for his colleague Chris who'd be around in the morning. What a great first impression of the W brand, I thought - I'm loving it even before I'd barely scratched the surface of the Whatever/Whenever/Whoever experience.
Chris would go on to continue Phil's tender care and attention to detail. Chris was capable of miracles and seemed to pull tickets to sold out concerts, fashion launches and after parties, top restos, and earned me spots on nightclub VIP lists - all with a mere few hours' notice, sometimes far less. Chris seemed to have memorised everything there is to know about Chicago (and then some) that he could very well have recited street addressed and phone numbers in his sleep.
And by this point it wouldn't be hard to notice the meticulous and scrupulous selection of staff members - great in both the looks department and their talent for hospitality.
Away to my room on the 11th floor it was, a reasonably high floor for this plebian Gold, made quite by accident by the quirk of an overgenerous promo. I wondered what I'd behold as I walked down the hallways - the dim combination of lights contained just that hint of mystery and filled me with anticipation.
Ok this isn't part of the last trip, but since I've benchmarked the other Ws against this property so much, and since I'm on a W-high - I might as well do a review.
W Chicago-Lakeshore
644 N Lakeshore Dr
I first stayed here in 2006, which began my love affair with Ws and everything SPG - eventually stay running my way to Platinum in Dec 2007. Prior to this I'd never taken the hotel programs seriously, as I thought juggling the airline ones were enough. But the W Chicago-Lakeshore was to make me the zealous W-holic you see today, and a committed SPG stayer.
As the techno blared out of the entrance, I'd thought that the cab driver had dropped me off at the wrong place. Barsteward, I thought - as I'd even given him a nice tip. Then I noticed the unmistakable logo - a huge, shiny W on one side of the entrance. I walked closer and a Welcome Ambassador in a black Armani suit made his approach, and chirpily greeted me with a wide grin whilst offering to take my suitcase before realising that I'd been traveling really light thanks to my suitcase deciding to take a holiday of its own. I was impressed that anyone could be so upbeat in that frigid Chicago winter, especially as said Welcome Ambassador was standing outside the whole time.
I entered the lobby, which I was later to learn was called the Living Room. In the dim light I could make out a DJ spinning some serious techno, people playing checkers with apple martinis in hand and perched on cute wooden chairs, and a trendy little bar which already had a big crowd despite it still being earlyish in the evening. I was almost tempted to grab one of those yummy-looking martinis from the bar, before realising that I'd yet to check in. I spotted the Welcome Desk, which was almost like an afterthought amist the frenzied activity going on in the Living Room, and figured it must be a check in desk. Miss Energizer Bunny checked me in (I'm sure she has a name but I can't remember it), and I was warmly welcomed to Chicago. We had a good rapport - and she yelled across to the Living Room Manager (or the concierge for the uninitiated - though I've yet to see concierges in other Ws called that - usually just concierges or Whatever Desk agents) to introduce me and made sure that he'd take care of me. On hearing my name, Phil the LRM perked up and handed me an envelope that contained confirmations of all the resto reservations they'd made on my behalf. He also advised that I should look out for his colleague Chris who'd be around in the morning. What a great first impression of the W brand, I thought - I'm loving it even before I'd barely scratched the surface of the Whatever/Whenever/Whoever experience.
Chris would go on to continue Phil's tender care and attention to detail. Chris was capable of miracles and seemed to pull tickets to sold out concerts, fashion launches and after parties, top restos, and earned me spots on nightclub VIP lists - all with a mere few hours' notice, sometimes far less. Chris seemed to have memorised everything there is to know about Chicago (and then some) that he could very well have recited street addressed and phone numbers in his sleep.
And by this point it wouldn't be hard to notice the meticulous and scrupulous selection of staff members - great in both the looks department and their talent for hospitality.
Away to my room on the 11th floor it was, a reasonably high floor for this plebian Gold, made quite by accident by the quirk of an overgenerous promo. I wondered what I'd behold as I walked down the hallways - the dim combination of lights contained just that hint of mystery and filled me with anticipation.
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