The Peninsula Chicago

We had the pleasure of staying at the Peninsula over the weekend. We were kindly greeted by a lovely associate shout out to Eliza. Our smart room was well appointed ,very large with an extremely comfortable bed. Something else I appreciate is good lighting throughout the room ,and this did not disappoint. We attended two separate affairs in the hotel. The service throughout was exceptional . We also spent time in the peaceful, lovely spa. I can’t say enough about this hotel and the staff . We will return.

Beautiful hotel. Didn’t stay overnight. I’m sure the rooms are gorgeous though. My date and I went to the bar, Z Bar. We weren’t greeted by anyone as we walked into and through the hotel. We thought that was odd. To be fair, my bias is towards a Four Seasons Hotel experience. Maybe the Peninsula is a nice hotel but maybe they don’t place such a high stress on the initial welcoming of guests into their building. I don’t know. We weren’t treated poorly, by any means, though. Definitely a cool and beautiful bar. The aesthetics and zibes are cool. Definitely worth it for a unique bar experience. Let’s get right to it… Overall, it didn’t hit like I had hoped The service was fine. Not bad, just not great. It’s expensive. Not a bad thing. It’s the Peninsula, mind you. Great spot for a celebration or a date night. My martini was fine. I felt like my martini was made by a bartender at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was made sloppily and lacked the sophisticated nuances that a martini from The Peninsula should come with. To be fair, they do have a cool cocktail menu. They have a bar eats and a whole dining room too. It’s absolutely a vibe up at the Z Bar. Would I go back, absolutely. I just expected a higher level of service and hospitality given it’s The Peninsula, and because you’re paying more. But here, you just pay more. Shout out to Julia, at the host stand. She was very nice and helpful.

A beautiful five star hotel with a one star experience. (If you don’t want to read the full review, feel free to skip and just book your stay at the Langham instead) This was our third stay at the Peninsula in under two months. Each stay during this period had been a steady decline, but this was unfortunately the deal breaker. Last stay, upon arrival, we found out that the pool was closed due to maintenance. It was odd that we had not been informed prior, but no big deal as we were working and without kids. They said it would be complete at the end of January. The next time we were in Chicago, we stayed elsewhere because of this, but for break, we were back to the Peninsula for a fun mid-winter elementary school break with our boys. I had my husband call just to make sure everything was all set. That’s when we found out the pool was still under maintenance. They confirmed it was supposed to be done at the end of January, but the new date was pushed to the end of February. They said it would be open from 4-6. We debated even coming. It was going to feel like -14 outside, so we had planned to use the hotel amenities. We called to confirm we could get a PlayStation in the room because last time that was promised, but it ended up not being there (there were zero welcome amenities). We decided to splurge this time and buy the Camp Peninsula package. We were quoted a price on voicemail and when we called back, they quoted us with a higher price. We sucked up the frivolous bill and were so excited to surprise the boys. We had them wait in the lobby and told them there would be a big surprise. I had my husband confirm at check in, because, well, the Peninsula has trouble keeping promises. They said it was ready. Our kids ran up and were greeted with a tent, 3 small treats leftover from Valentine’s Day, 1 soda and a small bowl of popcorn. It was cute. What we were really excited for was the breakfast. When we asked what was included in an “American breakfast,” as stated on their site as a park of the Camp Peninsula package, they said, we would not get that. We were paying $500 to simply have a used old tent in our room. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. The MANAGER, Paul, lacked any poise and stated that was a good deal and we should actually pay DOUBLE. We asked them to remove the $500 tent and we replaced it with a much nicer cot. Huge hospitality fail. Not just in the situation, but how unprofessionally and nastily it was handled. Anything can be kindly explained, (even though this one still isn’t making sense). This was certainly not the experience. Zero kindness, zero understanding, only arrogance. It was shocking. He must have known, so maybe to apologize, they came to our room at 10:16pm when we were all in bed, all lights off and with the privacy light definitely on. They rang anyways. My kids all woke up startled. My husband put on clothes to answer the door. It was one glass of milk, two cookies and sprinkles. It was cute, except now my whole family was wide awake. We all had trouble going back to sleep and obviously didn’t eat treats that late at night, so that was most definitely not worth it. They also said it was just a customary welcome to the hotel gesture, so not an apology? We stay in Chicago an average of 30-50 days a year. Chicago is our home away from home. I’m disappointed that I referred so many people to the Peninsula. 3 families already came here as a result of our prior recommendation. I’m definitely regretting that. The Langham is where you really want to be. They have a movie theater, kids room, a rewards program, a welcome amenity, their own pink car, a beautiful pool and spa and all kinds of treats for children. They address guests by name, and make you feel welcomed and relaxed. I don’t know if they have a tent, but I do know that you can order one to your room to keep forever for $20 or less, literally, I just checked, it just won’t be used and won’t have a bear on it. P.S. They never apologized and left the $500 2ish hour “tent rental charge” on our room when we went to check out Also of note, the valet employees are so nice and so is the housekeeping

The Four Seasons has been unseated. Traveling on a cross country move and chose the peninsula after the 4S told me they couldn’t accommodate us and the small trailer we were pulling. The Peninsula took care of us without batting an eyelash. Staff blew us away with every detail. Service, room, everything just all around amazing. If the Peninsula’s an option when we travel, that’s where we’re staying.

I am breaking this into sections to give a fully detailed, honest and useful review of The Peninsula Chicago. Overall my stay was amazing. This was my first trip to the hotel. In my opinion this is the best hotel in Chicago. The Ritz Carlton and Langham don't even come close. We came for our annual trip to Chicago for Thanksgiving, I will continue to come back! Location: 5 star: The property is located right of the magnificent mile, with the entrance nestled on Superior St, very convenient. The hotel lobby is tucked away on the second floor, adding an additional layer of privacy. Check in: 4.5 star: We arrived around noon, receptionists were professional, warm and welcoming. The chocolates were a really nice touch. Only issue was that our keys didn't work, and we had to deal with this a few times throughout our stay. Each time it was fixed, but took time to resolve; that's the only reason for the half star taken off. The Room: 5 star: We booked the grand deluxe room category. Room was stunning. Massive king size bed; maybe the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in (I'm convinced they use the same type of mattress and bedding as the four seasons brand, felt similar). Electronic tablet provided can be used to control the room functions, very convenient. Climate control was perfect. Beautiful furniture, luxurious oversized bathroom, perfect water pressure in shower. Soaking tub with television also a nice touch. Large adjustable flat screen in the main bedroom was great. Mini bar options are extensive, heavy weighted door for privacy as to be expected in a hotel such as the Peninsula. Spa and Pool: 4.5 star: We booked a couples massage, amazing. Best massage I have ever had in Chicago. The facilities are top notch. Steam room/sauna, showers, pool, and hot tub. I love how they only open the pool area to hotel guests, as it can become crowded. There is supposedly service at the pool but I never saw the attendant come by. They need to better the service at the pool. The entire property is incredibly well staffed and maintained except for the pool area. That can be easily addressed, only reason for removing half a star... Staff/ Service/activities : 5 star. The staff are what make the Peninsula special. Every employee is friendly, personable and well trained. They genuinely care for all guests. I have stayed in 5 star hotels where high rollers and suite holders are given preferential treatment, but all guests seem to be given a premium service experience. The bellmen are helpful and prompt. Special shout out to the assistant manager Christina who took care of us after printer ink was accidentally spilled by a staff on our room's carpet. She was fair in accommodating us for the hiccup. As someone who manages a staff in the sports/ entertainment sector, I would train my staff the same way. Food/Beverage taste/variety: Delicious, plenty of variety, 5 star. We dinned at all 3 dinning establishments. Shanghai Terrace was top notch, as was 'The Lobby' for breakfast. Z Bar also made tasty drinks, however the service at Z bar was incredibly slow. But everything else hit the mark. Gym: 5 star, open late, well kept, great variety of equipment, was never overcrowded. I must note this was tied for one of the cleanest hotel gyms I ever stepped foot in (tied with Four Seasons Whistler, Singapore and Koh Samui). There were also plenty of towels (dry and cool/scented), water and fruit at the entrance. The Peninsula sets the gold standard for any hotel gym in the US, they outdo their sister property in Bangkok when it comes to this aspect. Overall: 5 stars. Every time moving forward when I go to Chicago I plan to stay here. We love the Peninsula Brand and look forward to returning for thanksgiving.