IL Chicago Omni Suites NMA

[lindabobhat]

First off, despite it's Michigan Avenue address, the entrance to this hotel is on Huron, and if you were driving along Michigan, you just might miss it. There was one tiny sign on Michigan, which I did notice, but only because I was walking. Once inside the entrance, you have to take an elevator to the 3rd floor check-in area. Check in was easy - no mention of Hotwire, and the front desk clerk even attempted to find me an upgraded room as I had brought an upgrade certificate that I received when I joined Omni's Select Guest Program. Unfortunately, they had all been assigned to members of a wedding party that were staying there. So I guess we'll save that certificate for another time (and I do hope to stay there again.) Since this hotel is an all suite property, I wasn't too disappointed.

Initially I was assigned a suite with 2 double beds on the 19th floor (my request as I was staying with a friend who was meeting me later.) Unfortunately, there was a problem with the pocket door from the bedroom into the bathroom. It was broken and stuck - could not be opened or closed. Privacy was going to be an issue, so I called the front desk. They then assigned me a corner king suite on the 17th floor, as no other doubles were available at the time - I was okay with the idea and the clerk assured my I would like the room better as it had more windows and better views. Oddly enough, I didn't like it better. There wasn't much to look at out the windows (facing south onto Michigan the views were obscured. And the extra window was behind the bed and it was very difficult to open the roman shade.) To boot, there was a VERY loud family staying in the room next door - as this was a "girls night out" without our kids, I really didn't want to deal with the noise. So I called down to the front desk again - they were very gracious and understanding, and offered to get another double room serviced for me, and told me to make myself at home in the king suite while I waited. About a half-hour later, they called to tell me my room on the 10th floor was ready - just in time for my friend to join me. This room was perfect - the bedroom had two doubles, with luxurious bedding (Triple sheeted with a down blanket and a down comforter.) Bedrooms have a closet and plenty of drawer space, as well as a TV and CD player/clock/radio. They are separated from the sitting area by French doors. Our parlor had 2 lounge chairs, which was just what we wanted (the other suites I saw had sofa beds, which I'm sure works nicely for some guests.) There is a nice wet-bar area in this room, but the fridge is stocked. Not an issue for us as we were drinking red wine and didn't need a fridge. And unlike some suite hotels, these do not have microwave ovens. There is also a nice sized desk over by the window. The sitting room was quite large and could have easily accomodated more furniture. The furnishings and decor were very modern - warm shades of green and burgundy and no loud floral patterns on the drapes or bedspreads. Another highlight of this property is the large plasma TV in the sitting room - it was probably wasted on two old friends who were too busy yakking to watch TV (fyi, the TV's in the bedrooms are NOT plasma.) Finally, the bathroom was fine - not spectacular, but elegant with a marble floor and vanity top. The towels (and robes) were soft and fluffy. They had one of those rounded shower curtain rods which makes the bathtub feel a little more spacious. Water pressure in the shower was great and hot water plentiful. I didn't take any pictures of the room but the ones on Omni's website are very accurate. I really loved these rooms - and the hotel staff was wonderful and attentive.

The location of this hotel is perfect for shopping and dining alike. Views are nothing to write home about; if a great view is essential for you, stay over on Wacker or in River North. We cabbed it to the Oriental Theatre to see Wicked - less than $10 including tip. It was a comfortable fall night, so we walked back to the hotel from the theatre and it wasn't a bad trek. By virtue of my "select guest" status, we asked for, and were granted a 3PM check-out the next day, which allowed us to wait until after lunch to pack our bags. The preferred status is also supposed to get you turn-down service and a morning beverage - I didn't ask about either of these and I was perfectly content to make coffee in the room. While we were there, we ordered spinach pizza and a salad from Giordano's, about a block away on Rush Street - it was delivered in about a half hour for $27 including tip. I'm sure this was a much cheaper option than room service, although the prices looked pretty typical for a downtown Chicago hotel. We also didn't utilize the pool or hot tub (we were avoiding kids!)

If you ever decide to stay here, do make sure to sign up for the Select Guest program a month or so ahead of time - it's free, and in addition to the free upgrade certificate, they send you a half-price room certificate good for weekend stay (based on availability, of course.) The late check out was an awesome perk and they will allow you to stay as late as 5PM.

All in all, this was a great stay, made even better because we paid only $134 on Hotwire (less than half the normal room rate!)

[bazzmc]

I stayed here the last week of June 2006. I got a Hotwire rate of around $160. With tax it came to $180, and with the steep $40/night valet parking, it got to $220/night. It's amazing how quickly that great Hotwire rate balloons into something more. But anyway, this hotel was AMAZING. The staff was very courteous and professional, and no mention of Hotwire was made during check-in. Our room was really nice. It was on the 23rd floor, and we could see the Hancock Tower and the lake beyond it. We were right by the elevator, and the ice machine was directly across the hall from our room, but the noise level wasn't too bad. I learned that I could close the doors to the bedroom to provide a buffer between the bed and the door to the hall, and that helped cut the noise from the ice machine.

I mentioned the parking being expensive, but that is par for the course if you stay downtown. My stay in Chicago was part of a road trip, so I had to put the car somewhere. I didn't use the car once while I was downtown. I bought a visitor's pass for the CTA and made good use of the buses and the L (subway). Many bus lines run on Michigan Avenue, so it's easy to catch the bus from the hotel to nearby sights, like Marshall Field's, the Art Institute, and the Field Museum. The Red Line is a couple of blocks away, so that's convenient too. Lots of great shopping is within walking distance of the hotel. If you're looking for a Michigan Avenue/Magnificent Mile hotel, then this one is an outstanding choice.

I didn't really take advantage of any of the amenities (pool, fitness center), though I did peek at them. The pool is completely indoors on the fifth floor (no windows to the outside), and it had a separate whirlpool/jacuzzi (sp?). There was a restaurant on the fourth floor, but it was too pricey for my budget, so I ate at places nearby (Giardano's stuffed pizza is great!). The bellhop was helpful in suggesting affordable breakfast places. One amenity I loved was the FREE wireless internet access. Most two star hotels (Fairfield Inn and the like) offer this for free now, so it's nice to see a high-end hotel like Omni providing that also (hear that, Hyatt?). I made good use of this to research places to see during my visit.

My friend and I were sad to leave this hotel. The staff was just so helpful and professional, and the room was like having our own little apartment in downtown (minus a kitchen, though it did have a wet bar). It was clean, quiet, and convenient. I recommend this wholeheartedly to anyone considering staying in the area. Just keep in mind the parking fee if you are arriving by car.