Four Seasons
Chicago
On the hotel's high floors, you can see north to Wisconsin and south
to Indiana. Lake Michigan stretches in both directions in a curving
arc toward both neighboring states; its pale blue waters extend as far
as the eye can see to the east. The Four Seasons Chicago offers more
than views of the lake, however.
With its main entrance just steps off of Chicago's famed Miracle Mile,
a conglomeration of the world's greatest retail stores, this hotel has
one of the best locations in the Windy City. Although it's a new
addition to an already crowded luxury-hotel scene, the Four Seasons
has quickly climbed to the top rung--it's not always easy to get a
room. There are 343 rooms here--177 singles and doubles and the rest a
variety of suites with one and two bedrooms.
Success rests on a simple formula: full service. There is excellent
24-hour room service, twice-daily maid service and two-line telephones
in the rooms. You can also take advantage of the city's nickname and
open the windows to get a full blast of the wind off the lake. There
is also a health spa that has an indoor swimming pool, aerobics room,
outdoor jogging track and a sun deck.
Other touches aren't so obvious. On one recent check-in, a well-known
businessman was greeted by name at the front desk and the concierge
station. Although he'd been at the hotel before, it hadn't been more
than a couple of times in the previous 12 months. Curious about how
the hotel accomplished such familiarity with its guests, he asked the
manager for the secret. It's simple, he was told. Every day, a list of
the VIP visitors is passed around to the staff, if possible, with
pictures. Voilà! In comes the important guest, and he or she is
made to feel like a member of the family--immediately.
Like many of the new generation of luxury hotels in America,the Four
Seasons Chicago also houses an excellent restaurant. The stoves at
Seasons are run by Mark Baker, who specializes in American
cuisine. The dining room is an elegant space with wood paneling and
high ceilings. While daily specials are put on the menu, Baker also
sticks to old American favorites with a modern touch: roasted
free-range chicken, prime rib-eye steak with onion-baked potato and
salmon braised in white wine served over fennel-herb risotto. The
hotel restaurant, like all Four Seasons now, caters to those seeking
lighter, lower-fat dining with its "Alternative Cuisine" menu.
For less formal dining or drinking, the cafe and the bar offer
comfortable seating just off the main lobby. The bar is a welcome spot
for cigar smokers. The barman keeps a humidor with Davidoff cigars,
and the rule is simple: smoke in peace. There is a solid selection of
after-dinner spirits including Cognacs and Ports.
The Four Season's cigar-friendly status was highlighted this past
spring when it hosted a Cigar Aficionado Big Smoke. More than
900 people attended the night of cigars and spirits and good food.
Travelers don't usually spend a lot of time in hotel rooms during a
busy visit to any city, but when they do, the accommodations can make
or break the trip. If the rooms are quiet and luxurious and the guests
know that their momentary whim is just a phone call away from being
fulfilled, it can be a great stay. The Four Seasons fits the bill.
-- Gordon Mott
Four Seasons
120 East Delaware Place
Phone: (312)
280-8800
Fax: (312) 280-9184
Rooms Rates: single $285; suite
$355
Cigar Aficionado RSS Feed