We are from Chicago, and so there is a real lack of Chicago hotel reviews on my website, although I am hoping to change that, and add some more staycations to my regularly scheduled travel program. We stayed at the St. Regis, Chicago, though, in late November as a special little staycation for my husband’s birthday, and also because I needed one more night at a Marriott hotel to reach the next status tier. We only stayed here for one night, but we managed to experience most of the amenities they have on offer, including both restaurants. St. Regis claims it’s Chicago’s best address, and they definitely work hard to live up to that claim!

The Location

The location was not super important to us when booking, since we knew were weren’t leaving the hotel during the course of the 20 hours that we stayed here. That said, the location of the St. Regis in Chicago is somewhat central to most activities you’ll be wanting to do in Chicago. If being very close to Chicago attractions is important to you, there are much better options in Chicago, location-wise. The St. Regis in the River East neighborhood of the downtown area, slightly east of Michigan Avenue shops and restaurants, and a bit north of the Art Institute and Millennium Park. I would estimate that it’s about a 10-20 minute walk to most Chicago attractions. One of the incredible amenities that they offer, though, is complimentary drop off to any location in Chicago within two miles of the hotel in their house automobile, and pretty much everything you want to see when you’re staying here is within that distance. While they won’t pick you up, they will take you just about anywhere you want to go, which is a really nice perk.

I would note that if you’re driving to Chicago, the St. Regis only offers valet parking, which is upwards of $80 per day, which is preposterous, even for Chicago, where normal garage rates soar to $50 a day in the busier areas. I would highly recommend scoring a parking spot in one of the nearby garages through SpotHero or ParkWhiz, for closer to about $30 per day. Just take note that when you take the elevators from these garages, you’ll want to go up to the “Plaza” level, otherwise you’ll be navigating underground streets, garages, and service elevators to find your way to the St. Regis lobby.

The Amenities

The St. Regis is a full amenity hotel, and not only does it have everything you need, but everything is super-luxe. While we were staying there, they had a “holiday atelier” shop in the lobby, featuring the high-end chocolate brand, Vosges. I purchased an extra gift for my husband here since he is a total choc-o-holic, and they delivered the goods to our room while we were at dinner.

Prior to arriving, their butler service reached out to me to see if there was anything we needed prior to our stay. I asked for reservations at one of the most popular restaurants in Chicago, Tre Dita, for Brian’s birthday dinner, and they happily secured our table there, even before reservations were available to the public (which is only two weeks out).

The St. Regis Spa is extremely luxurious, and extra cozy on a cold winter day, and I enjoyed one of the best massages in recent memory there. On the spa floor, there is also a super huge indoor pool, and a very large gym as well for the use of guests. Tap here for my full review of the St. Regis spa and for more photos of the pool and gym!

The Restaurants and Bars

We enjoyed both restaurants during our stay here. We had dinner at Tre Dita, and breakfast at Miru, and both experiences were stellar. Tre Dita is one of the hottest reservations in Chicago right now, and with handmade pastas created with flour imported directly from Italy, and the biggest menu of Italian wines I’ve seen in Chicago, you’re going to have an amazing time here. Check out my review of Tre Dita for more details.

We had breakfast at Miru the next morning, since a breakfast credit of up to $70 was included with our hotel package. Be advised that you can very easily and very quickly hit that limit with a few basic breakfast items, including coffee, a yogurt parfait and and some baked goods. The croissant was extremely flaky and not too greasy, and the yogurt came with a really nice mix of granola and nuts. The views from up here were really nice, and it looks like there is an outdoor terrace which I would assume is open during the nicer weather months.

Both restaurants have a bar area, and at Tre Dita, you need reservations to get into the Tre Dita bar, which is actually a large space completely separated from the restaurant. From the website, it looks like you can get the entire dinner menu at the main restaurant in the bar, so if you were unable to score a table in the restaurant, I would recommend trying the bar. Its cozy booths and old-school feel seem super inviting.

The Room

I booked a Superior King Guestroom, which is the most basic room you can get here. We were very graciously upgraded to a river view room on check-in, but the room itself is the same. This hotel is very new, and it opened in 2020. As such, the rooms are modern, clean, and still fresh. These standard rooms are very large, and there’s a lot of space to spread out and relax. The blackout curtains are hung well and overlap, letting in very little to no light at night.

There’s a large closet area with a dressing space, which is full of drawers, shelves, and lots of hangers for all of your things. I really love a solid dressing area, especially at a city hotel.

The bathroom is massive, and placed in the middle of the room. It is quite open, which adds a really nice flow to the overall space, but large glass sliding doors do close for more privacy if you need it. There is a separate space for the toilet, and the shower is very large. There’s also a huge soaking tub that I would probably have taken advantage of if I had known there wasn’t a hot tub at the spa! Bathrobes and slippers are provided too, which is always a nice perk.

The bed is easily one of the most comfortable hotel beds I’ve slept in in recent memory, even as compared to the Four Seasons in Mexico City and Rosewood Little Dix Bay. I loved the pillows so much, that Brian bought us a set for Christmas, and I’ve been sleeping like a baby ever since.

The furniture in the room is all very high quality, and the marble bathroom is super luxurious. We loved the Frette bedding and towels, and everything felt extremely expensive and very high quality. There is complimentary Nespresso, and honestly the only note that I would have for this room is that the mini fridge is full of bottles and food that is triggered with a sensor, so we couldn’t bring back leftovers from our dinner. Honestly, does anyone ever use the overpriced mini bar anymore?

The Vibe

The vibe at the St. Regis Chicago is that of understated modern luxury. The lobby is serene and quiet, just like the spa, but the floors with the restaurants are a bit buzzier and fun. The service here is beyond outstanding, and they make you feel special from the moment you walk through the revolving door. Even before you arrive, their signature butler service reaches out to make sure you have everything you need. Everyone greets you, and seems genuinely interested in making your stay the most memorable one you’ve ever had, even if you’re from the City and only staying for one night! I felt so relaxed here, even outside of the spa, and you really don’t have to think about a thing.

The Recommendation

For a very luxurious stay in Chicago, slightly away from the crowded areas of Michigan Avenue and Navy Pier, I would highly recommend a special stay at the St. Regis, Chicago. The rooms are spacious, modern, sleek, yet elegant with the most comfortable beds; the restaurants are stand-alone and exemplary; the spa is serene and posh; and the service here makes you feel like the money you’re spending is worth it. My stay here is motivating me to check out more ultra-high-end hotels in Chicago, so look for more recommendations and comparisons in the coming months and years!