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In 1979, the Hyatt brand dipped its toes into the world of luxury hotels by unveiling Park Hyatt. Its first-ever property? The Park Hyatt Chicago, which opened on North Michigan Avenue in 1980. But even now, as the hotel inches closer to its 50th year in existence, it looks strikingly well for its age, due to a massive $60 million facelift that spanned 2020 to 2022, touching the spa, restaurant and every one of its 182 rooms and suites, floor by floor. But as is the case with the best cosmetic work out there, the spruced-up Park Hyatt Chicago continues to be a refined retreat in the Magnificent Mile that is, dare we say, downright luxurious.
What are the rooms like at Park Hyatt Chicago?
Let's just say when I checked into the Park Hyatt Chicago, I was more than a little frazzled, running late to another appointment (and completely missing another). The friendly doorman who welcomed me in (and out; the greeting makes the difference) paired with a seamless check-in at the art-gallery-like lobby helped steady my nerves. But entering the suite finally made me live in the moment.
As soon as I opened the door, the room opened up with it, as soft lights slowly rose to greet me, and curtains automatically peeled back to reveal that stellar view. Near the window is where I found myself during most of my stay, working from the cushioned nook that had electronic plugs built right in, and taking breaks to gaze upon the gothic Chicago Water Tower and the glittering Lake Michigan just beyond. I may have drank in the views even while in the bathroom, but I was a bit too modest to leave it open during a dip in the soaking tub. Wooden panels that divided the two rooms made for a clever use of storage, with the best find going to the mirrored James Bond-like bar, stocked with crystal glassware and bubbles in the fridge, plus a coffee maker and tea kettle.
What are the facilities like at Park Hyatt Chicago?
The seventh floor is home to the NoMI Spa, where you can relax over facials and massages. The 24-hour gym just a few steps away houses Peloton bikes, treadmills and a collection of free weights and machines. There’s even a corner dedicated to the most forgetful of us, stocked with bottled waters, headphones and towels. There's also a handsome, year-round lap pool and jacuzzi paired with a stash of floaties if you’d rather relax than get your heart rate up.
What’s the area like around the Park Hyatt Chicago?
The Park Hyatt Chicago is right off of the 13th block stretch that is the Magnificent Mile, making it easy to shop and drop in the same radius. Of course, you could do as I did and look out onto the view, scope the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago or Lake Michigan, and chart your journey from there.
What is the food and drink like at Park Hyatt Chicago?
There are three different ways to experience the hotel’s restaurant and bar, all located on the seventh floor, and all named some variation of NoMI (standing for North Michigan). The NoMI Kitchen is the largest sprawl with American cuisine from executive chef Terence Zubieta; there's NoMI Lounge that's home to an intimate seven-seater sushi counter; and the outdoor summer getaway that is the NoMI Garden. Regardless of where you find yourself, just know that all three have eyes on the energy of Mag Mile.
I visited the NoMI Kitchen for brunch, which read luxury in a boardroom buttoned-up type of way, with dark woods and leather accents, ligthened up with slanted floor-to-ceiling windows that gave off that view. But it never leaned stuffy, as kind waitstaff were quick to walk through menus and fill up my coffee with little to no question. I was still able to get a little taste of the best of the lounge and kitchen with a fresh seasonal salad with grapefruit, Thai basil and crispy bits of rice paper and sushi topped with jiggly yuzu jellies and herbaceous perilla leaves. The end was just as divine, as I luxuriated over spoonfuls of a sweet, coconut crème-based sago, a Filipino dessert with tapioca pearls and grassy pandan jellies.
DETAILS
Address: 800 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Price per night: Prices start at $698 per night
Closest Transport Link: You can take the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) straight from the airport. Take the blue line toward Forest Park and get off at Washington. Transfer to the red line toward Howard and get off at Chicago, before making the four-minute walk to the hotel.
Book Now: Booking.com
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