Waldorf Astoria Chicago — Hotel in Chicago

So I left a review already, and I'm not one to leave bad reviews. Much less scalding reviews, but the way this beautiful hotel is ran will see it closed within 5 years.

I stayed at the Waldorf in Chicago Sat September 7th, had tickets to the bears opening game the next day really just a fun weekend planned out.

Until I bumped into my ex gf on my way to the hotel(whom we have 2 way legal non contact orders between.) Finally after enough persuasion to be considered demand i agreed to let her give me a ride because it made sense because she was going that way anyway(she wasnt). Turns out she expected me to cancel plans with my new girl and she would just take over.

I decided about 10 minutes into the ride I needed to find a way to escape, luck presented itself with traffic, I asked her to go park and I'll grab the luggage.

Out of sight of her I hit a full stride and showed up in the Waldorf lobby sweating and out of breath. Small talk was stopped immediately and I asked if he could move as quickly as possible because i needed in my room before someone made it to the lobby. Then I made it very very clear nobody knows my room or that I'm even here.

He very well understood as he hurried, small talk stopped and we were at my door in under half the usual time.

I took a breath of relief, kicked back got comfortable and started discussing the plans with the new girl when I hear my ex outside my door. Banging louder and louder, cursing me out in every imaginable way and creating a scene you could hear a long ways away.

After multiple calls to security to no avail, and the scene becoming worse and worse I let her in and tried my best to explain that I wasn't actually trying to ditch her. Needless to say the new girl wasnt understanding anf havent heard from her since.

I finally escape when I timed the elevator doors closiny perfect, slipped out and ran down the stairs, leaving her bag on the top flight and ran down the stairs.

Freedom at last, with 2 bears tickets and the girl that was supposed to go not answering her phone I had to sell my tickets for another nearly 300$ loss.

Uber home, nearly 100$ and that was my weekend... until I saw a 200$ incidental charge and called to question it.

I guess the uninvited guest the hotel let trespass my suite the entire night had a "powdery substance" in the bag I left on the stairs. So I had to pay 200$ for it, also I left my work keys and work iPad in my rush. Keys which cost over 500$ to have made.

I called and was told they had them, so j made the 3 hour round trip to retrieve them, just to be told they weren't there and the best I got was a forced sorry. Made me think I was unliked around here and there must be a story I'm not aware of.

Either way I left my business card with my company name on it, a business with stellar reviews. Over 125 reviews and 124 5 stars.

U til dreya, a worker at the desk decided to retaliate on a friend and business owner that had no part in the situation and gave him a 1 star review, and mentioned my work ethic.. that she judged on my weekend vacation..

And to make things even worse, I get a call from what I assume is a big wig motize? Can't exactly remember his name, and for a second I thought he'd make things right, until he made it clear he didn't believe me, and that I invited her up and gave her the #. To which one responded that was 100% not true, pull tape audio anything. I'll even deliver my phone records, shoot the girl would probably tell you that dude told her.

Anyway, saw we were getting nowhere near the respect or compensation I deserved when he asked me how much would it take to make it right..

For a second I thought he was going to, so I listed the 500$ keys, the 500$ room that was wasted, the 200$ incidental, the 3 hours drive time+gas, the 4 missed days of work. The 300$ loss on the bears tickets sold. So I told him honestly his teams mistake cost me around 2k, he said he could refund the 200$ incidental, but only if I deleted my initial review. So, I...

TLDR: Utter disappointment. Above-average facility completed ruined by repulsive service.

My wife and I stayed at Waldorf Astoria Chicago on 01/17/2025 for a one-night getaway. We had looked forward to this experience as Waldorf Astoria is one of the ultra-luxury brands that we had never stayed at before, and we were excited to compare it to other experiences such as St. Regis, Park Hyatt, etc.

The stay was a complete letdown. Let me elaborate on some of our main impressions:

Facilities: Good. The infrastructure and hardware at the hotel were good and cleanliness was satisfactory, but the grand and sophisticated presence that the hotel entrance establishes is largely absent in the rest of the hotel. Compared to other hotels in comparable or slightly lower price ranges that we have experienced, such as The Bellagio and The Palazzo in Las Vegas, The Mesm in Tokyo, and Conrad in Kyoto, the overall decor of WA Chicago seemed to lack detail and character.

Service: Disgraceful. Every single contact with the hotel staff, with the exception of the Brass Tack restaurant, were completely unpleasant and inferior to just about every other property we have stayed at. Exact instances were too many to name, but I will describe two examples. 1. The reception staff never reacted to our arrival (nor that of another family that we saw, who stood in front of them waiting to be helped while the receptionist seemed to be too occupied to care). 2. The bar staff never greeted us or any of the guests the entered around the same time. When we asked where we could sit, the waiter told us to “sit wherever you want”, and then proceeded to ignore us for around 15 minutes without offering a menu or anything else, without even being preoccupied with any other tasks. We decided to leave the bar at that point

Food: A bit of a saving grace for this establishment. Both dinner and brunch food was fantastic, though options differed from the menus provided on their online websites because they were never updated. The staff at the restaurant were mostly pleasant and attentive.

Value: Exceedingly poor. No one comes to a Waldorf Astoria for great value, but considering the price point and the supposed market segment, the experience we had at WA Chicago was borderline insulting. When we planned a stay at a property with such expenses and prestige, the last thing we expected to need to worry about was having a dignified experience, but Waldorf Astoria Chicago failed to meet our lowest imaginable expectations. The vast majority of other hotels that we have frequented, most of which we do not even hold Elite Status with, consistently provided much more welcoming experiences than this supposed ultra-luxury hotel.

Overall: Poor. Styling and dining were the only areas of this experience where I would hesitate to complain about. I won’t bother to compare this experience to other hotels in the same price range or market segment. For 30% - 50% of the price on most dates, our stays at establishments such as Hotel LeVeque in Columbus, OH, the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor, the Castel Hotel in Orlando, FL, and the Renaissance Hotel in Milwaukee, WI, were all consistently superior than that at this property by far in almost every aspect. Our experience with Waldorf Astoria Chicago was a shocking disappointment that will deter us from staying at any hotels under the Hilton brand portfolio in the...

An unforgettable hotel stay.

I have experienced the Waldorf Astoria brand internationally and was skeptical of a domestic location fulfilling the same level of service and accommodation. I was blown away by how fantastic WA Chicago is.

One of the most subtle details that makes a huge difference at this level of luxury is the staff greeting me by my name every single time we spoke. I work in hotels so I know they do this on purpose but the staff never missed a beat and it made the hotel and service feel personal.

The property itself is gorgeous with a dedicated courtyard for valet and car services. I enjoy public transit but even walking to the property, the courtyard space immediately defined entering luxury. The property includes a full spa with services for purchase, a gym on par with LifeTime fitness or Equinox, a full length lap pool that is well maintained, a restaurant, and a stunning bar.

A highlight of the stay included the bar where Floyd provided exceptional bartending. Floyd was recognized by most of the customers who walked in and he greeting them in a similarly familiar manner. Even before speaking with him, those interactions told me Floyd’s bartending has become a destination for those who want the best drinks, service, and conversation that Chicago has to offer. After being greeting and trying his espresso based cocktail (that I forgot the name of) I can confirm Floyd is a spectacular bartender. If I lived in Chicago, I would come by just for the atmosphere of the bar.

Another staff that made my stay special was Sheryl at concierge. Every time I had a question about the area, an event, or when I had my phone stolen at a nightclub and needed help, Sheryl had an answer and solution. If there was ever a person who could take a mountain and make it a mole hill it would be Sheryl. She not only made my hotel stay smoother and more relaxing but my entire experience across Chicago. Her hospitality went above and beyond which amazingly feels like the standard at this property.

Pat at the spa was lovely. Such a great person to be greeted by in such a setting with a calming but professional demeanor. Even though our interactions were brief, their presence each time I visiting the gym or spa stood out during my stay.

Jose at the spa was particularly kind. When the steam room was too hot and my skin became irritated, he thoughtfully provided a cooling gel to ease the pain. A small but thoughtful gesture. He is also generally a pleasant person to speak with.

The names of the front desk staff have unfortunately escaped me but each of the staff I interacted with were fantastic. Whether it was during check-in, when I needed something sent to my room, when I locked myself out and needed engineerings help, when I needed luggage stored, or the gesture of offering me water each time I spoke with them, the front desk exceeded their role every day of my stay.

Overall, I was thoroughly satisfied during my stay at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago. My standard for luxury hotels is incredibly high so I was happy to experience an undeniably 5 star experience. Visiting Chicago for the first time, I had quite a packed and engaging itinerary, but this hotel was so pleasant I found myself excited to return every evening. In many US cities, 5 star service slips and falters but I am glad to report the WA Chicago excelled beyond...