The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Michigan Avenue Chicago

We have come every Dec for the last few years. We are greated by Luigi who is so helpful professional and friendly. I feel like I've known him for a long time !! Love the Gwen at Christmas !!! it's close to shopping and great food too. I sleep well here as the walls are soundproof !

The location is truly unbeatable—right in the heart of the city, with countless attractions and activities just steps away. Everything you need is easily accessible from the hotel. The rooms are spacious, impeccably clean, and thoughtfully designed for comfort and convenience. While the prime location and stunning accommodations are impressive, the real standout is the exceptional staff. From the moment we arrived, every team member went above and beyond to ensure our stay was flawless. The valet team, front desk, housekeeping, and waitstaff were some of the most professional and genuinely kind individuals I’ve ever encountered. The peace of mind that comes from knowing every detail is taken care of is priceless. I wholeheartedly recommend The Gwen—it’s an experience you won’t forget!

The Gwen is always a relaxing and enjoyable experience. The customer service is so accommodating and made sure we had everything for our family. I would recommend sitting on the rooftop for a cocktail overlooking beautiful downtown Chicago. The Gwen is our home away from home.

I will tell you right away, don't waste your money on this overpriced afternoon tea. For $95 (plus gratuity) we did the tea package with bottomless sparkling wine. Our group had done afternoon tea before at other locations, and this was by far the most disappointing one. For the amount you pay, you get bottomless cheap sparkling wine, a selection of very mediocre and not adventurous teas (that come in tea bags), and a tower of what appeared and tasted like frozen apps and deserts from Costco, that you get one of each for each person. - Other afternoon teas have a variety of exotic and exciting teas that are loose leaf, where as The Gwen uses cheap and readily available tea bags. - The food tower was disappointing at best. All of the savory "sandwiches" were just frozen Costco style apps and desserts that were not very flavorful and dry. One of the savory treats were missing (The ravioli), and in its place was a dry wonton filled with beef and what appeared to be peas. We asked our waitress what it was and she said she would ask the pastry chef (doubt they actually have one). Well she never returned to inform us. Worst part, for the $100 you spent, you only get the one tower of treats, with one piece of each for every guest. Every other tea service we have attended will refill your tower with more treats of your choosing. The Gwen tries to talk you into add ons from an ala carte menu that is way over priced. - The "DJ", which i use the term loosely, because she wasn't mixing anything, and just played a playlist. She stopped playing music after an hour and the last 30 minutes there was no music. BOTTOM LINE: Do not waste your time on this tea service. They should be ashamed it cost so much, and they are putting in the bare minimum. I highly recommend getting Afternoon Tea or Holiday Tea at the Drake Hotel. The Drake has exciting teas and delicious food (both of which are unlimited), and the overall quality, experience and service are so much better.

Great reviews, and was excited to stay. Frequent traveler, 81 nights in Bonvoy hotels on the year as of late October. We checked in very late (about 10 pm) on a Friday. Woman at the check in desk was the rudest person I think I have ever encountered checking into a hotel. We then got a room on the same floor as check in, never a good sign, and then our room literally looked out on a wall and the side of an atrium. Not my style but called the front desk, noted my titanium status and said there must be a better room. Got moved two floors up to a room with a shower curtain that flooded the bathroom. Now 0 for 2 in rooms I would expect even in a 4 star hotel. Gave up, stayed in that room. Did not order any food but a pot of coffee from room service took next 40 minutes. TV did not work, apparently some software update, and did not have a visit from engineering in me after already preparing to sleep. Just don’t get it. Lobby was fine but not remarkable other than a champagne vending machine. Beds, desk, and dresser were nice, but room was otherwise underwhelming. Just don’t get it, like I stayed in a different hotel from the one being reviewed. Certainly would never come back.