Thompson Chicago

Chicago

Thompson Chicago is in the Gold Coast neighborhood, one of the nicest areas of the city. While Park Hyatt is my go-to in Chicago, this hotel is a solid luxury alternative, particularly if you’re looking for a more affordable option.

HYATT LOYALTY HIGHLIGHTS

• Globalists will receive complimentary breakfast at Tavern on Rush, the hotel restaurant. However, as of the time of this post (July 2024), the restaurant has been under construction and breakfast limited to an alternative in-room dining.

• Suite Upgrade Awards (SUAs) accepted for the Junior Suite.

• Complimentary valet parking for Globalists on award stays.

• No welcome note or gift.

HOTEL BRAND OVERVIEW

• Thompson is one of my favorite Hyatt hotel brands from an aesthetic perspective. As with other Thompsons, this hotel has darker tones with pops of color incorporated. I typically see adult travelers at Thompsons, rather than families with children.

The Thompson hotels have a more boutique vibe

BOOKING

• This is a Hyatt category 5 (out of 8), meaning a stay here requires 20,000 Hyatt points per night at the standard rate. Cash rates are typically around $150 to $400 per night. I paid a cash rate for my stay.

LOCATION

• Thompson Chicago is in the heart of the Gold Coast neighborhood, just north of the downtown. If you’re looking to stay in a high-end area as opposed to the tourist hub, this is where you want to be.

• Immediately outside of the hotel is a collection of restaurants. During my visit in the summer, these were filled with people enjoying the nice weather and outdoor dining. Fun fact: the triangular intersection next to the hotel is called the “Viagra Triangle” by locals. This is due to the stereotype of it being an area where older wealthy men hang out with younger women. I didn’t notice this to be the case during my stay, but thought that was funny!

CHECK IN

• The lobby is beautiful, and is a great example of why I love the Thompson design. They have shelfs of books and cool decorative items.

• My reservation consisted of two standard rooms. For the second room, I applied a guest of honor (GOH) award so that our guest could receive Globalist benefits, such as complimentary breakfast.

• The front desk was friendly. No recognition of my Globalist status upfront. I inquired about suite upgrade availability, and noted it was my birthday. Unfortunately there was no availability for a complimentary suite upgrade for either room. This was not too surprising, given that it was a summer weekend in Chicago. However, the front desk offered a paid upgrade for $150 extra per night to a premium suite (Skyline Loft Suite). I accepted this, as I wanted to make my stay feel special for the occasion. Hyatt hotels have no obligation to give Globalists a complimentary upgrade to a premium suite, but many do if there is availability and you’re celebrating a special occasion. The last time I stayed at Thompson Chicago a few years prior, I received a complimentary proactive upgrade to the Penthouse Suite. Anecdotally, it seems that they don’t do this as often now.

The lobby decor had interesting details and multiple seating areas

An array of books decorated the lobby shelves

The hallways were darker, which is typical of Thompson hotels

ROOM

• The Skyline Loft Suite was an excellent room to stay in for a special occasion. I’ve never stayed in a hotel before where the suites are two stories. The first floor has a living room, desk, TV, and half-bathroom. Up the spiral stairs, you’ll find the bedroom, a small balcony, TV, and full bathroom.

• If you have mobility issues, note that you may have challenges with the stairs. You can leave your luggage on the first floor, or lug them up the stairs to the bedroom like we did.

• The balcony upstairs had a lovely city view. It’s standing room only, but great to open the sliding door if the weather is nice. I didn’t hang out on the balcony itself (it wasn’t big enough to have furniture), but had the door open at times to enjoy the breeze.

• The main bathroom had a large shower (no bath) and separate little room for the toilet across from the shower. Only one sink. But if you’re someone who seeks bathroom privacy, one person can use the downstairs half-bath while another is upstairs.

• One thing I love is having two luggage racks in the room—there was one in the downstairs closet I carried upstairs so that we could have two in the bedroom.

• There was Chromecast that worked on both the living room and bedroom TVs.

• A minibar is on the first floor of the room, but no fridge to store your own belongings.

The Skyline Loft Suite has two levels, with a spiraling staircase connecting the floors

The living room had plenty of natural light, with a couch and lounging chair

The corner of the first floor had a workspace

On the second floor, you can walk out onto a balcony with city views

The bed was very comfortable and king sized

A bathroom on the second floor had a shower, one sink, and room for the toilet. A second half bath was on the first floor.

Full sized shampoo, conditioner, and body wash were in the shower

Two sets of bathrobes and slippers were waiting for us in the room

AMENITIES

• Breakfast during our stay (July 2024) was limited to in-room dining only due to construction. It unfortunately came in paper bags and disposable boxes and cutlery. However, this should change once the restaurant opens. This was originally slated to happen in June 2024, but is taking longer than expected.

• For breakfast, each registered guest in the Globalist room receives one juice, one hot beverage, and an entree. I enjoyed the eggs benedict and omelet. On our first morning, the orange juice was bottle tropicana, but they switched to a higher quality option the following mornings.

Due to construction in the restaurant, breakfast was room service only and delivered in paper bags

The eggs benedict was great, although I wished I had silverware to enjoy it as opposed to plastic

The French toast was also tasty

SERVICE

• The service was good, but not the level I’ve experienced at other Thompsons such as The Beekman or Gild Hall in NYC. However, the front desk was friendly whenever I interacted with them.

• I experienced a billing issue with my suite upgrade, in which they charged me cash for a third room. When I noticed this on my credit card bill, I reached out to my Hyatt Concierge. At first, the hotel said that I had booked a third room, but there was no record of me having done so. The hotel apologized for the mistake, and reversed the charge same-day. Annoying to have to deal with billing issues, but glad it was taken care of promptly!

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

• In the immediate area of the hotel, I’d recommend walking around the Gold Coast neighborhood. Astor Street is an especially lovely place to wander and admire the beautiful old mansions.

• One of the most beautiful restaurants in Chicago, 3 Arts Club, is a 5 minute walk away in the nearby RH. If you’ve been to another RH restaurant, the menu is the same modern American fare and wine list.

• From the hotel, you’re also a short walk from the beach and the Magnificent “Mag” Mile, which is full of shopping and restaurants.

• We walked down to Millennium Park to see the “Bean” and an outdoor summer concert. Another must-do in Chicago is hopping on board an architectural tour by boat. There are a lot of options on the river, with many located right in front of the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

The Gold Coast neighborhood was lovely to walk around, in particular, the historical Astor Street

We grabbed dinner at the nearby RH, which has a beautiful restaurant called 3 Arts Club

SUMMARY

• Thompson Chicago is a solid option if you’re looking for a luxury hotel in the city, but don’t want to splurge for Park Hyatt. I really enjoyed the premium suite we stayed in - cool experience to stay in a two-level room!

This premium suite definitely made our stay feel special in Chicago!