Whether I’m traveling for business or on pleasure, it’s the destination experience that counts, not necessarily where I’m going to be spending the night. I usually end up at a standard mid-priced chain (company’s choice) or an easy-on-the-wallet, hopefully charming/quirky property (if it’s my dime). However, in Chicago I found that an upscale, business-oriented hotel like Marriott’s Renaissance Chicago Hotel can have distinct advantages.

I was there with a friend who was attending a conference, so the lodging choice had already been made. I didn’t have a work-related agenda and wanted to casually explore the city on foot without dealing with the unfamiliar Chicago public transportation system or numerous expensive cab rides, so this hotel’s location on the northern edge of the Loop was easily its biggest plus.

The Renaissance Chicago is in the heart of the city, but at a spot where the north branch of the Chicago River cuts through the concrete canyons and opens things up a bit. And it’s surrounded by architecturally distinctive buildings. Right across the river from the hotel is the Marina City complex, distinguished by two circular, 65-story condo towers known as the “corn-cob buildings” for their obvious visual similarity. What freaked me out about the corn-cob buildings were the open-air parking spaces; the first 19 floors of each building form one large, spiral parking ramp. All those back ends of cars looked so … well, exposed.


One of the city’s notable skyscrapers is just across the Wabash Avenue Bridge. The 92-story Trump International Hotel & Tower, a mix of luxury guestrooms and condo residences, is a sleek silver spire that contrasts dramatically with the adjacent, old school-style Wrigley Building. This exceedingly handsome edifice has an exterior covered in glazed terra cotta tiles and an ornamental design based on the French Renaissance style. It stands at the southernmost point of a stretch of Michigan Avenue otherwise known as the “Magnificent Mile” for its wealth of upscale shopping. It was exciting to be right in the middle of all this urban energy. And Millennium Park, a beautifully designed urban green space, is a 10-minute walk away.

What about the guestrooms? The bed was awesome; it had a firm yet comfortable mattress and nice big pillows. The flat-screen TV was nifty. The bathroom was large, rather lavish and stocked with those handy plastic mini-bottles of shampoo, conditioner and lotion; no complaints there. And our fifth-floor room had a great view of the Chicago River, the State Street Bridge and the hustle and bustle of W. Wacker Drive below.

I’m one of those people who enjoys sitting in hotel lobbies. This one, while stylishly decorated, scrimps on seating areas—which seems odd considering that it’s large enough to host some major meetings. Usually I had to make a couple of passes through before I could snag an empty chair. Two pluses in my book: Starbucks coffee in the Renaissance Café and, surprisingly, music—one evening the public spaces throbbed to a moody techno beat. I almost asked the concierge what was playing. How often do you hear cool music in a hotel lobby? It was a good aural fit for Bar Novo, a dimly lit and appropriately hip watering hole that the conference attendees were hitting in droves.

Speaking of the concierge desk, my friend and I made reservations there for one of the architecture river cruises, an outing I highly recommend. The staff also offered nearby restaurant recommendations, but I discovered my breakfast joint of choice on my own. Ronny’s Original Steakhouse on Randolph Street has a bit of “Cheers”-style ambience—jocular fry cooks, high-backed booths and a crowd of locals. Grab a cafeteria tray, place your order and watch while it’s cooked right in front of you. Two eggs sunny-side up, a pile of hash browns, a thick ham steak, two pieces of butter-drenched Texas toast and a small baked apple (a perfunctory nod to healthy eating?) were greasy but oh so good, and gave me an excuse to walk off the calories.

Central location, well-appointed rooms, plenty of amenities—what’s not to like? I’ll be back.