Hotel Review: W Chicago—Lakeshore
There are two W hotels in downtown Chicago — City Center and Lakeshore. W Chicago — City Center is located close to the Sears Tower, and W Chicago — Lakeshore is positioned a few blocks away from the Magnificent Mile and has amazing restaurants nearby. The W Lakeshore also overlooks Lake Michigan and Navy Pier. Since we stayed at Marriott Marquis Chicago the night before, we chose the W Lakeshore because we were attracted to open views of Lake Michigan from the hotel. The W Lakeshore welcomed me with fun W vibes, but the quality of my suite and hotel amenities fell short of my original expectations. Should you visit the W Lakeshore when you are in the Windy City? Let’s find out!
W Chicago Lakeshore is located at 644 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60611.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and a free night certificate redeemable up to 85,000 points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. The elevated sign-up bonus ends on 5/18/2021, so apply sooner rather than later to secure the bonus! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee.
The Bonvoy Brilliant Card does come with a hefty $450 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, the mid-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
$300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit that can be applied towards your room rate
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
Access to Priority Pass lounges
15 Elite Night Credits that can prove helpful for chasing Bonvoy status
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Bonvoy Brilliant Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSMaWs?xl=cp01
I have another Marriott Bonvoy credit card: the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. The elevated sign-up bonus ends on 5/18/2021, so apply sooner than later to secure the bonus! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The Bonvoy Business Card’s annual fee is $125 and offers decent benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
15 Elite Night Credits that will help you achieve a higher Bonvoy status
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Card is the only Marriott business card on the market.
As you can see the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the Bonvoy Brilliant Card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual free night certificate perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 Elite Night Credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Bonvoy Business Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSasEu?xl=cp01
Lobby & Check-In Review
When I entered the hotel, the lobby didn’t give me a “wow” moment. However, the floor’s glossy finish and loud music reminded me that I was at a W property.
The bar would get crowded with hotel guests enjoying craft cocktails at night.
Both the bar and the breakfast space were closed for service in the afternoon, but people still occupied tables either working or having a conversation because there weren’t many indoor seating options.
The glossy floor suited the hotel’s W identity well.
There were three C-shaped couches, but those were all taken by families.
There were a few C-shaped lounge couches that were perfect for small groups.
Luckily, outdoor seats were available for breakfast and lounging, accompanied by a huge W sign.
The W sign was recognizable by anyone driving on Lakeshore Drive.
It felt a bit hectic, in my opinion, due to cars driving on the iconic Lakeshore Drive.
It was too noisy for me to sit outside because of the traffic, but the outdoor seating area was popular among guests.
We arrived a bit earlier than expected, but my room was ready, and I was upgraded from a Wonderful king bed to a Marvelous one-bedroom suite.
The art installation behind the check-in desks periodically changed its color,
The front desk agent acknowledged my Titanium Elite status and offered me breakfast, but I took points instead since I had an early flight the next morning. After receiving my room keys, I went up to the 20th floor, where my suite was located.
Living Room Review
As soon as I entered my room, I saw a festive collection of treats and gifts on a desk — a koozie, a luggage tag, a cocktail shaker, and a tray full of cupcakes and candies. The goodies were decorated with ribbons and balloons.
What a fun surprise! This welcome amenity perfectly represented party vibes at W hotels.
Though the cupcakes and candies were subpar, I never received such a celebratory gesture from hotels, and I applaud the hotel staff for bringing the W’s signature party vibe to my stay. The living room had a mini-fridge and refreshment area, which appeared more spacious with mirrored walls.
The refreshment area would’ve been great if there was a coffee machine.
The main seating area in the living room was minimally decorated. A gray sectional was big enough for an adult to spend a night, but I wouldn’t personally sleep there more than one night because the seats were rigid.
The living room felt monotonous and too mature, which felt starkly contrasting to the youthful welcome amenity I received.
There were glass pendant lights at the corner, but one of the light bulbs was not functional. Fortunately, the room would get plenty of sunlight.
I doubt that one light bulb died as soon as I checked in.
I was impressed with the welcome gift, but the rest of the living room fell short; the furniture was generic and muted, which didn’t align with the overall W hotel branding message. Lastly, I noticed that the suite didn’t have a coffee machine. I had the same experience at W Austin, where I had to request one. Now, I start to wonder if all W Hotels do not provide coffeemakers at all.
Bedroom Review
The bedroom and the living room were divided by a cheap gray curtain. Though it was easy to open and close the curtain, it wasn’t ideal if you were looking for privacy. The bed was decent, and I enjoyed seeing a mosaic mirrored wall panel. It visually made the room bigger and created a textual difference to the room.
The unimpeded view of Lake Michigan from the bedroom was spectacular.
Each nightstand was equipped with a distinct bedside lamp and USB ports and electric outlets for your devices.
W Lakeshore used QR codes to make in-room dining more accessible to hotel guests.
The window overlooked Lake Michigan, and I enjoyed the same view from the living room.
Enjoy the view of Lake Michigan from your room.
The bedroom gave me the same subdued impression; it didn’t give me the fun and chic vibe that the W brand is known for.
Bathroom Review
The suite came with two bathrooms. The first one was a half-bathroom located by the entrance. The bathroom featured a sliding door and a single sink vanity.
The half bath used a sliding door, and it decently isolated the noise from the inside.
The glossy tiles around the mirror matched the carpet in the living room and the bedroom. The main bathroom featured a double sink vanity and was practically connected to the bedroom. The bathroom was separated by the same gray curtain that divided the bedroom from the living room. Therefore, privacy was nonexistent if you were using the toilet.
I understand the room's square footage is limiting, but the gray curtain felt cheap and was terrible at isolating noise.
Also, I wasn’t a big fan of the exposed look of the vanity but appreciated the floor-to-ceiling backsplash behind the vanity.
It was interesting to see a scale in the master bathroom.
The toiletries were from Bath & Body Works and skin regimen, which left me somewhat confusing.
It would be cool to see W hotels to have a consistent partnership with another toiletry brand.
When I stayed at W Austin, the entire toiletry collection was by skim regimen. Thus, I initially assumed the W Lakeshore was temporarily using Bath & Body Works items. However, later I found out on the hotel’s website that Bath & Body Works was listed as a toiletry provider for the property. While I don’t have anything against Bath & Body Works, its persona didn’t align with the W brand. The walk-in shower featured a rainfall showerhead.
The shower floor wasn’t as clean as I wanted, but at least the water pressure was satisfying.
However, if you were over 6 feet tall, the shower experience may not be as refreshing as you expected because the ceiling was low. While the water pressure was decent, the overall finish of the shower booth was not executed well, as the floor tiles didn’t look and feel clean.
Gym Review
Unfortunately, the WET Deck was closed due to renovation, so I could only use the indoor gym during my stay.
I wonder how many of these sunbeds actually get used.
The gym was quite compact but had everything you needed to finish a full workout.
Be aware of your surroundings at the gym because every equipment was close to each other.
Cardio machines were separated by plastic barriers to safeguard guests from COVID-19.
Cardio machines were separated by plexiglass sheets to protect guests from COVID-19.
There was one treadmill from Trueform Runner if you would like a low-impact running experience.
Make sure to grab this one and only Trueform treadmill if you want to go for a low-impact run.
Other exercise instruments such as gym balls and a punching bag were scattered on the gym floor.
I’m not sure how comfortable hotel guests would use this punching bag since it didn’t have much room around it.
Because the gym was on the smaller side, the hotel had to utilize every inch of the floor, narrowing the walkway in an undesirable manner.
It was common to see gym equipment on the side of walkways.
The fitness center had two adjustable benches with dumbbells going up to 50 lbs.
The free weight area quickly became crowded during peak gym hours.
There were other strength machines on the floor, but I felt confined during my time at the gym because they were closely packed, and the low ceiling didn’t help. I wish the gym was similar to the one at W Austin since that was spacious and fully loaded with state-of-the-art equipment.
Summary
W Chicago — Lakeshore is close to the Magnificant Mile, attracting visitors who like to shop and dine at amazing restaurants nearby. I stayed at their Marvelous one-bedroom suite, and I was immediately showered with celebratory treats and gifts from the hotel. The welcome gift spotlighted the W Hotels' exciting and fun brand identity. While the view overlooking Lake Michigan's room was refreshing, the suite felt subdued and didn’t fully express its potential. The room's design elements didn’t appear luxurious but felt cheap and dated. I am not entirely confident that I would return to W Lakeshore, but I’m more than willing to give W Chicago — City Center a shot in the future to see if it will provide me with a better lodging experience in the beautiful city of Chicago.
