Swiss Hotel Chicago – How it Sets itself apart
First of all, it is important to note that the name of this hotel is actually Swissotel, however, Swiss Hotel is more commonly used. Just looking at the outside of this downtown Chicago hotel you can tell that the Swiss Hotel is different than the others. The outside is made entirely of Glass and is a triangular shape. Part of the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts family, I chose to review the Swiss Hotel because it is a very prestigious hotel which has many features and benefits.
Features
The Spacious rooms featuring the following are really nice:
- An executive work area with a desk and an ergonomic chair
- Programmable phones
- High Speed Wireless Internet that includes video conference and LAN capabilities
- High Definition LDC flat panel television
- Mini-bar
- Specialty Swiss Comfort Beds
- Forty Suites: Junior, Lifestyle, Executive, Duplex, and Presidential Suites
How does the Swiss Hotel set itself apart from the other luxury hotels accommodations in downtown Chicago? The following are the features of the hotel:
- 65,000 square-foot event centre
- Two programs: Swiss Meeting Advantage and Book It. Bank it.
- Concierge services
- 24-hour valet parking
- Penthouse fitness Centre and Pool on the 42nd floor of the hotel
- 24-hour room service
- Express check-out
- Very Important Kid (VIK) – a room for kids
- UPS store
- Smoke-free hotel
Pros
There are many reasons why people love this hotel. First of all, its location is great. If someone is looking at doing the Double Decker tour bus that takes tourists around the city to the main landmarks; this is a great place to get on and off. It is also very close to Grant Park, the Navy Pier, and the subway station that can take you directly to a Cubs game.
Most of the rooms also have great views. The ones in the corners of the triangle shape hotel have the advantage of seeing both the river and the Lake Michigan with windows all around the room.
Another thing that is important in hotels in comfortable beds. In my opinion they should try to make you as comfortable as possible so that you want to come back. They need to make it feel like a home away from home. Well the Swiss Hotel in Chicago has succeeded at doing this. Most people are very enthusiastic about the beds.
It has also been noted that this is one of the lower priced downtown Chicago Illinois hotels. Although it is a luxury hotel, the price does not always reflect this which is a good thing. Also, after reading many reviews on Trip Advisor, there are a lot of people who had gotten their rooms upgraded to a corner suite either after telling them it was their anniversary, honeymoon or another special occasion. The hotel staff are also accommodating in other matters such as letting people check-in quite a few hours before the actual check-in time. The staffs are also very friendly.
Cons
Although this hotel is very good, as with anything else, there are still some downsides to it. If people are used to going to a lower end chain of hotels, they are used to getting free wireless; however, for one reason or another in the more luxury hotels one needs to pay for Internet. This can be frustrating if someone brought along their laptop and did not expect the fee. It has also been noted by some people that the internet connection is not stable. There are also a couple other fees such as parking (which is very common in downtown Chicago) and also a fee to use the swimming pool area, which is a lot more uncommon.
My favourite benefits
Although you needed to pay extra for the pool and workout room, it was well worth it. My favourite part of the hotel is this area, which contains a lot of exercise equipment such as weights, treadmills and the ever popular elliptical. The pool is also a great size to be able to do some laps.
Another thing I noticed was the Edelweiss Penthouse which is on the top floor of the hotel, which would be a great downtown Chicago wedding location. From this room, which would be able to hold 350 people for a wedding reception, has a great view of the Chicago Skyline. There are also other banquet and reception halls including one that can hold up to 1,800 people.
Whenever I walk into a room I always look at the bathroom. This bathroom features a marble bath and a separate shower. There was also a plush robe for when you come out of the shower after a long day which I absolutely adored.
Finally as previously mentioned, I put a lot of importance on the comfort of the bed. I think it is important for the hotel to have not only a comfortable bed, but also comfortable pillows of various firmness levels. The Swiss Hotel in Chicago did not disappoint. There were a lot of extra pillows ranging from firm to soft, and the bed was really comfortable.
All in all, although there are a few downsides to this hotel, to me they are not of that much importance, and the benefits definitely outweigh them. Ranging from great views, to great staff and an overall great location, this hotel is the one to go with in Downtown Chicago if you want to get your money’s worth. I would definitely suggest this hotel to anyone who wishes to go to Chicago, be close to everything and save money. BOOK IT AT THE BEST PRICE NOW
