Hotel Review: Hyatt Regency Chicago | King Lake View

Central Windy City with a view.

Chicago, Illinois — A work conference allowed me the opportunity to sample one of four Chicago-area Hyatt Regencies (this one being the flagship; the others being McCormick Place, O’Hare, and Schaumburg).

The hotel was very busy due to multiple conferences happening in Chicago that weekend, but it was clean, comfortable, and well-located for anyone staying in the downtown Chicago area for business or leisure. We received an upgrade to a room with a view of Lake Michigan upon arrival which was a nice touch.

Dates stayed: 2023 October 25-28 (3 nights)
Room type: 1 King Lake View Premium (upgraded from 1 King Standard)
Elite status: Hyatt Globalist
Notables: Good location, spacious rooms, great elite recognition with free breakfast and club access for Globalists.

Location
The Hyatt Regency Chicago is located on the north end of the Loop area of downtown Chicago, directly on the Riverwalk and a few blocks away from the shores of Lake Michigan. It is well situated within walking distance of Millennium Park, the Magnificent Mile shopping district, and the theater district with multiple dining options all around the hotel.

There are multiple bus stops within a 3 to 5 minute walk of the hotel’s front doors and the “L” (Chicago’s metro rail transit system) is easily accessed within a 10 minute walk. The terminus of Chicago’s Metra commuter train line at Millennium Park station is also within a 10 minute walk.

A rideshare or taxi ride to Chicago Midway International and Chicago O’Hare International Airports takes about 25 and 30 minutes, respectively, give or take about 5-10 minutes to account for traffic.

The Room
While we had originally booked a standard 1-King room beforehand, the front desk upgraded us to a 1-King Lake View Premium room at check-in on account of my Hyatt Globalist status. The hotel was packed that week so no suite upgrades were available at the time that I arrived. The room we ended up in did indeed have a nice view of Lake Michigan through its floor to ceiling window.

I believe the premium rooms are slightly larger and on a higher floor than the standard rooms. The room was impeccably clean when we arrived and everything appeared to be in good shape. The hotel apparently was renovated in 2013 and has held up well over the last 10 years.

The king bed was so comfortable I actually looked up the mattress to see if I could purchase one at some point. Apparently it’s a “hospitality-grade” Sealy Posturepedic mattress of some kind according to my internet sleuthing, in case anyone cares.

The nightstands had plenty of room for small items and were complete with power and USB-A outlets for charging electronic devices. Above the nightstands were switches for the bedside reading lights and headboard lights.

One interesting bed design feature is the headboard which is adorned with black on white stripes, some of which are dated. I have yet to figure out the significance of these dates, but my best guess is they are related to important events in Chicago history.

The lounge chair/couch and coffee table provided a nice place to work or relax. There was ample storage space for luggage and an open-concept closet for hanging clothes and coats by the door. A small safe was available for valuables.

The bathroom was clean and nicely lit. A ladder hanger provided a lot of room for towels and clothing. A lighted make-up mirror and hairdryer were provided.

Pharmacopia products were provided by the sink and in the bath. The brand appears to be consistent across many of the Hyatt Regencies. The bath water got plenty hot and the shower pressure was adequate

A small coffee machine with selections of drip coffee and teas rounded out the room.

Dining
Breakfast was hosted at the American Craft Kitchen & Bar restaurant which takes up most of the ground floor lobby. The all-inclusive breakfast buffet cost $24.50 per person before taxes (free for Globalists) or one could order à la carte.

Breakfast was good though there was nothing particularly notable. Most of the buffet items were the same each morning with a few of the hot items rotating each day. There was a made-to-order omelet station available as well though we did not partake in it during our stay.

The American Craft Kitchen & Bar remains open after breakfast and converts to a lunch and dinner spot later in the day.

Other food options on-site include the grab-and-go Market Chicago coffee shop, also located on the ground floor lobby.

The BIG Bar provides another spot to grab a drink and relax, directly across from the check-in desks on the mezzanine level.

For a more substantial meal, Stetsons Modern Steak and Sushi which is only open for dinner. Apparently it is award winning according to Hyatt’s website but we did not have time to try it during this stay.

The Regency Club
Hyatt’s top-tier Globalist members as well as guests staying in certain club access rooms have access to the Regency Club on the 35th floor. Interestingly enough, Globalists and other club access guests had different room keycards differentiating them from regular keycards.

Unfortunately at the time of our stay, the Regency Club was not an option for Globalist breakfast as it usually is at most other Hyatt Regencies, but it was open throughout the day as a nice place to lounge or work. Various snacks and drink options were available for self-service.

There were a variety of seating options and a few amenities for guests working in the lounge. In the evening, there were light hors d’oeuvre and alcoholic beverages on offer.

The lounge was rarely busy when we popped in for a quick coffee or snack in-between activities and served as a nice refuge from the hustle and bustle of Chicago.

Other Amenities
During our stay, I found the gym to be well stocked with many treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes, and a sizeable resistance-machine and dumbbell weights area. Water and towels were available for free. Access was 24/7 with your room keycard.

The public areas of the hotel had plenty of seating and tables presumably for business travelers and conference-goers trying to get some work done. There were plenty of power outsets for charging devices as needed.

Near the front desk, there are hotel online check-in kiosks as well as a computer for printing airline boarding passes. A bag check desk is available on the mezzanine level of the lobby right next to the check-in desk. Reportedly there are laundry services on-site however we did not use this service during our stay.

Booking
At the time of our stay, the cash price for our originally booked standard 1-King room was around $299 per night, before taxes and fees. The cash price seems to fluctuate up and down between upper $100s and about $350 per night depending on season and events happening in Chicago.

The hotel is currently a category 3 Hyatt at the time of this post, meaning the points pricing varies between 9000 points/night during off-peak dates, 12000 points/night standard dates, and 15000 points/night during peak dates. This may be a good play for a points stay or Hyatt Category 1-4 certificates if visiting during the peak season.

Hotel Website
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/illinois/hyatt-regency-chicago/chirc

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