The Peninsula Chicago — Restaurant in Chicago

Arriving into the outdoor heated vestibule at the Chicago Peninsula Hotel, a porter collected our luggage while my colleague and I were ushered into a different world.||The lobby of the Peninsula has all elements of a luxury hotel without being pretentious. Greeted at check in by a front desk ambassador who was dressed immaculately, smiled genuinely, and did NOT blink an eye that we were both wearing yoga pants & sweatshirts, as we anticipated having to kill time in the Peninsula gym while our luggage was stowed. She used our names, and although we really were not VIP’s in any way, shape of form, this is exactly how we were treated. The authenticity of the staff we had encountered within the first five minutes of entering the hotel was real. Our rooms, were in fact ready, and it was only 9am. A third colleague had requested this for our small group through the property Senior Sales Manager, Transient, Yuna Lytle. This small touch, as well as a late check out were what made the Peninsula Chicago feel like home for a little over 28 hours. ||||The room was spacious, and the first thing I noticed was the windows are allowed to be opened easily and safely; just enough to have fresh air. The November day, was in fact, 60 degrees and sunny. ||I was in Chicago for work, and the spacious desk, personal printer, and truly every port needed for charging made set up of my office away from home easy. The actual rooms had a sculpture that can only be described as peaceful, tranquil….well, you have to see for yourself, it’s inspiring! Every detail in this room was thought out, and then thought out again. This hotel does not create a space and then never go back to make sure that it’s not up to the highest standards of a business or leisure traveler. An smart tablet was command central for all the systems in the room, from lights to air conditioning. It also provided information from Housekeeping to room service. I travel with a yoga mat to maintain a daily practice, and the generous space gave me room to spread out. Of course, I did not need it, the Peninsula has Yoga Classes which are accessible to any “body” and I took full advantage of this the next day. In my short visit, I savored the quiet of my large room. I soaked in a generous bath tub, and found some spa music to complete my experience. The location was central to a conference that I was attending. The easy walk to some of the best Chicago Pizza and a four-story Starbucks made the first day of the trip feel a little vacation like. From a state of the art gym, stretch space, and fully appointed Spa with a eucalyptus sauna (cold cloths & cucumbers), The Peninsula allows their guests to experience the same quality as a high end Spa Hotel plus more. I was able to soak in the jacuzzi, and dip my toe in the 84 degree pool. My small group did dine in the Lobby Restaurant. The floor to ceiling windows and artwork jumps out at you in this space. The name is deceiving, as the dining experience which included wines from around the globe and a diverse menu, was absolutely delicious. The presentation of the plated gourmet selections were just pretty. The hotel has a few fun experiences in this same room, Afternoon Tea and something called Sushi Pop, which I was a little sad that I missed, as it was later that week. Sushi and music from the 80’s and 90’s, it’s like they know me. I did, however, join my group at the Z Bar, which was on the rooftop overlooking Michigan Avenue. The bartender did not bat an eye or cast judgement when I asked him to make one of their signature drinks, Hendrick’s Neptunia, which is served in a large glass fish, without alcohol. Our group was able to find a seat an oval shaped bar, with cityscapes depicted on the walls, the view of the city was illuminating. An outdoor terrace had personalized gas fire tables. I loved the story of how the Z bar was named, after the first female General Manager and industry influencer, Maria Zec. I was told this story, but I did go to the website to check the spelling of her name, and she is pictured with her dog; I love that.||I have had many opportunities to travel, and this was my first time staying at a Peninsula Hotel. I cannot compare this experience to any other. As mentioned previously, the team who decides what the guest will experience has checked and rechecked. I do not think this brand just settles on something, I think that Peninsula Hotels consistently look to improve, in Yoga we call it a beginners mind. That is not to say that The Peninsula Chicago is even close to just beginning, it is to say that I do not think it has an ego, nor do I think that this hotel will ever stop looking for ways to give their guests a top notch experience. Over the top could be their company mission statement.||I would be remiss to not mention Yuna Lytle. The wealth of experience, foresight, and her crystal ball to know exactly how to make a guest feel special makes her unequivocally one of the Peninsula Hotel’s most valuable...

A beautiful five star hotel with a one star experience. |||(If you don’t want to read the full review, feel free to skip and just book your stay at the Langham instead)||This was our third stay at the Peninsula in under two months. Each stay during this period had been a steady decline, but this was unfortunately the deal breaker. ||Last stay, upon arrival, we found out that the pool was closed due to maintenance. It was odd that we had not been informed prior, but no big deal as we were working and without kids. They said it would be complete at the end of January. The next time we were in Chicago, we stayed elsewhere because of this, but for break, we were back to the Peninsula for a fun mid-winter elementary school break with our boys. ||I had my husband call just to make sure everything was all set. That’s when we found out the pool was still under maintenance. They confirmed it was supposed to be done at the end of January, but the new date was pushed to the end of February. They said it would be open from 4-6.||We debated even coming. It was going to feel like -14 outside, so we had planned to use the hotel amenities. We called to confirm we could get a PlayStation in the room because last time that was promised, but it ended up not being there (there were zero welcome amenities). We decided to splurge this time and buy the Camp Peninsula package. We were quoted a price on voicemail and when we called back, they quoted us with a higher price. We sucked up the frivolous bill and were so excited to surprise the boys. ||We had them wait in the lobby and told them there would be a big surprise. I had my husband confirm at check in, because, well, the Peninsula has trouble keeping promises. They said it was ready.||Our kids ran up and were greeted with a tent, 3 small treats leftover from Valentine’s Day, 1 soda and a small bowl of popcorn. It was cute. What we were really excited for was the breakfast.||When we asked what was included in an “American breakfast,” as stated on their site as a park of the Camp Peninsula package, they said, we would not get that. We were paying $500 to simply have a used old tent in our room. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. The MANAGER, Paul, lacked any poise and stated that was a good deal and we should actually pay DOUBLE. ||We asked them to remove the $500 tent and we replaced it with a much nicer cot.||Huge hospitality fail. Not just in the situation, but how unprofessionally and nastily it was handled. Anything can be kindly explained, (even though this one still isn’t making sense). This was certainly not the experience. Zero kindness, zero understanding, only arrogance. It was shocking. He must have known, so maybe to apologize, they came to our room at 10:16pm when we were all in bed, all lights off and with the privacy light definitely on. They rang anyways. My kids all woke up startled. My husband put on clothes to answer the door. It was one glass of milk, two cookies and sprinkles. It was cute, except now my whole family was wide awake. We all had trouble going back to sleep and obviously didn’t eat treats that late at night, so that was most definitely not worth it. They also said it was just a customary welcome to the hotel gesture, so not an apology?||We stay in Chicago an average of 30-50 days a year. Chicago is our home away from home. I’m disappointed that I referred so many people to the Peninsula. 3 families already came here as a result of our prior recommendation. I’m definitely regretting that. ||The Langham is where you really want to be. They have a movie theater, kids room, a rewards program, a welcome amenity, their own pink car, a beautiful pool and spa and all kinds of treats for children. They address guests by name, and make you feel welcomed and relaxed. I don’t know if they have a tent, but I do know that you can order one to your room to keep forever for $20 or less, literally, I just checked, it just won’t be used and won’t have a bear on it. ||P.S. They never apologized and left the $500 2ish hour “tent rental charge” on our room when we went to check out||Also of note, the valet employees are so nice and so is the...

Sometimes, it’s in the most unexpected, chaotic moments that a hotel shows its true spirit, and The Peninsula Chicago absolutely delivered when I needed it the most.||I found myself stranded in Chicago due to severe thunderstorms, which grounded all flights and left O’Hare in disarray. I had just wrapped up a vacation and was on a connecting flight home when everything came to a halt. With things spiraling—canceled flights, lost luggage, and a long night ahead—I remembered I had seen the image of The Peninsula Chicago before on the TV of The Peninsula Beverly Hills and now decided to try it. I booked it around 7:30 PM from my vacation spot, desperate for some stability.||Fast forward to 3:00 AM, exhausted and without my suitcase, I arrived at The Peninsula, and immediately, the weight of the night began to lift. Matthew at the reception greeted me with genuine warmth and calm. Despite the hour and the circumstances, he welcomed us with the grace and professionalism that only the Peninsula brand could deliver. He personally helped escort us to the room, making what felt like a disaster melt into a moment of comfort.||The room, as always with the Peninsula, was spotless, refined yet supremely comfortable. Every detail, from lighting to linens, speaks of thoughtful luxury.||The next day, I had the pleasure of dining at Shanghai Terrace. The food was exquisite, a celebration of Chinese regional cuisines, elevated with precision and elegance. Our server, Max (possibly a manager), was exceptional. He mentioned he’s been with the Peninsula for over 20 years, and it shows in his gracious, intuitive service. He was not only professional but kind, which made the meal even more memorable.||Due to the luggage delays from the airport (our bags took 5 hours longer than the promised delivery), the front desk kindly extended our check-out time. This small gesture made a huge difference during a frustrating wait. Unfortunately, we eventually had to leave to catch another flight, still bag-less.||But the story didn’t end there. In a twist of fate, our Uber driver, Ali, turned out to be a former Peninsula employee of 15 years. His Peninsula-trained patience and poise were evident as he helped us track down the elusive delivery guy, secure our bags, and get us to the airport with just 60 minutes to spare. A true angel in disguise.||My family has been loyal to the Peninsula, from Shanghai to Los Angeles and now Chicago. When there’s a Peninsula in the city, it’s not a question, it’s the only choice. This experience, though born from chaos, reminded me why: The Peninsula is not just a hotel. It’s a sanctuary. A constant. A place where people truly care.||I’m writing this review on TripAdvisor because it is the one that represents reviews on Apple Maps when searching for The Peninsula Hotel Chicago.||Thank you, Peninsula Chicago, for turning a travel nightmare into something I will always remember...