Day 1: Hotel- Hyatt Regency Chicago

Main Floor

The Hyatt Regency Chicago is located in Downtown Chicago; walking distance to parks and attractions. It is a 4 star hotel with suites, single bed, and double bed bedrooms. With Priceline and other hotel price bidders, it is on avg. $50 per night. Hyatt Daily rates would range from about $200-$500 per night.

Main Floor at night (water)

Hotel in General: I got to see the city of Chicago just in our hotel: busy and diverse. People from all over came in and out at all times. It felt more like an airport with the escalators, restaurants, multiple levels, check-in/check-out counters, ect.  

Main Floor: With couches and places to rest, it seemed like a comfortable atmosphere. The breakfast buffet is located towards the back of the level surrounded by a stream of water. Next to the breakfast buffet, is one of the ballrooms where I saw a Pakistani wedding for the first time. At night, the lights are almost turned off all the way. The colored florescent lights take the place of the sunlight during the day. The stream changes color every minute and the breakfast bar has a couple lights turned on. Otherwise it is dark.

BAR at 151

Second Floor: The second floor contained counters for check-in and check-outs. Like an airport, the lines were winding around. There were more couches and sofas for family members to sit and wait. On the right side of the counters, there is a bar stacked with empty colored bottles against the wall of the bar. I found out it's name (BAR at 151) after I got back because it never opened when I saw it.

Bronze Level: The lower floor (bronze level) had multiple meeting rooms, restaurants, and more ballrooms for weddings and parties. Even though I haven't been there, there is a fitness center.

Gold Level Consists of the parking garage. For $50/day, they have valet parking (where they park the car for you). When you need the car you ask them to bring it around for you and you can go in an out whenever you want.

Advice: bring $1 bills to tip the drivers

Rooms: There are a total of 36 floors of rooms with an ice machine on each floor.

• They include everything hotels include TV's (flat screen), hair dryers, shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, safe, mini refrigerator (I will talk about this later on), hangers, ect. 
• Daily room service is available. Many of the cleaners are multilingual. My family was lucky enough to meet a couple of Cantonese speakers who gave us tips on traveling the city. 
• The view of the room I stayed in looked over the city streets and buildings. The best views of the lake cost more.
• Bathroom was really clean for a hotel
• The space was ok.The hotel I stayed in Vancouver had more space for one more person. The space was filled with furniture. The one wall by the bathroom was extended out so when someone tries to come in, they would have to go around the wall (or run into it like I did).

WARNING: If you want to use the mini fridge, you have to pay. Putting things in, moving items around, and taking them out costs $25 each time you do it. How do they know? They have motion sensors and cameras installed in the fridge. Apparently we were charged for moving a can of soda for more than 2 seconds. Luckily, the cleaning lady checked it and took the charge off. The tricky part is that they send you the bill AFTER you leave the hotel, so you can't argue with them. If you do, they have proof: the pictures on the camera. SO DO NOT USE THE MINI FRIDGE.

Hotel Overall...

Pros: In the heart of Chicago, walking distance to almost anywhere, huge, great for parties, weddings, and meetings, multilingual, nicely decorated, good service, 6 elevators, quiet

Cons: The refrigerator, expensive parking, cold rooms, long waits to get car from garage, guests who park there don't know where the staff parks their car

Advice: Don't use the fridge, park at the $6 garages (they only charge when you park during the day. Afterwards no charge and you can leave and comeback anytime), if staying for more than one night get a room on a higher floor

Overall: 4 of 5       

For more info: Hyatt Regency Chicago