I recently stayed two nights at an Executive Suite at the Peninsula. I almost always like to stay at Four Seasons properties when I travel, I had never been to Chicago, and so I was really torn, but based on the reviews here, and wanting to try something new, I chose the Peninsula.
Arrival went smoothly. Our rental car was met promptly and courteously and the bellhop was quick and very pleasant. Check-in was fine, although the reception was a bit chilly, not the welcoming Four Seasons experience I am accustomed to. In addition, the entire lobby which includes a very large and lovely lobby bar as well as a separate room containing a darker, more traditional bar, reeked of cigar/cigarette smoke. This was not a promising start.
I too, went in with pretty high expectations of the room. For $795 a night, I expect something pretty special. But the first impression of the room, an executive suite with three-way directional views, left me flat. It was fine, but there was no 'wow' factor. The wall-mounted flat screen TV in the living room was nice, the TV at the foot of the bathtub is cool, sorta, but I wasn't overwhelmed. The drapes were not automated, which was annoying. The room was cold, and when I went to turn on the heat, I found baseboard heaters which did not work in the bedroom and in the living room reeked of something burning. We called down to the front desk and asked for the problem to be fixed while we went out to dinner (at Topolobampo, which was FABULOUS).
When we returned, we did not know if a technician had been to the room. The burning smell was gone, but the heaters in the bedroom (which is separated from the living room by a long hallway and the bathroom) were still not working. I called down to the front and a technician came up promptly and explained that he had thought he had fixed the problem. He puttered around then left again saying he would try something else. He never returned and the heaters never worked in the bedroom for the duration of our stay.
The small service missteps continued. I had asked for daily delivery of the Trib, but got the NY Times both days. I couldn't get the TV in the living room to work and felt like an idiot, but then even the technician couldn't get it to work, and that required some work before it was operational. Room service for breakfast was prompt, but the coffee and pastries weren't very good. We ventured into the bar briefly, but the incredibly stiffling smoke drove us out. I dreaded walking through the lobby because the smell prevades the entire floor. For a hotel of this caliber, this is really unacceptable.
The second night we took advantage of the house car, a lovely black Lexus with driver provided free to guests, when available, to go within a 2 mile radius. It was a nice change from the rather harrowing cab ride experiences.
Our room came with the acclaimed Hastings bed, which was indeed, fabulous. The towels and bathrobes, while roomy, were not very soft. The amenities in the bathroom were fine and as expected (bath products, hair dryer, dental product, sewing kit, slippers).
The room is very quiet and effectively blocks most of the city noise and we never heard anything from other guests or rooms. We had a rather packed schedule and did not get up to the spa/pool area. The hotel itself is located within easy walking distance of the Art Instititue, Millenium Park, and some very nice shopping.
If I return to Chicago, I would not return to the Peninsula.
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