Chicago
Illinois


The Experience

Just step into the rooms at the Park Hyatt's flagship property, housed in a 67-story skyscraper overlooking Michigan Avenue, and you'll see a fitting tribute to the architectural heritage that surrounds it: the Brno desk chair by Mies van der Rohe and the sitting chair by Eames. Both pieces are as in style today as they were when they debuted more than 50 years ago, helping to keep the six-year-old Park Hyatt Chicago current and relevant. The entire hotel, actually, is an exercise in restrained luxury, aesthetic refinement and fail-safe discretion, assisted by the brand's emphasis on personal service and unique amenities.

The Rooms

Spacious for a city-center property, the Park Hyatt's 203 rooms are stocked with a never-ending array of gadgets and gizmos such as DVD players, CD players, flat-screen TVs and even mini-LCD TVs -- along with Kohler and Grobe bathroom fixtures and soaking tubs large enough to accommodate a pair of tired travelers. Outside of those other pieces, most of the furniture has been custom designed and built in Turkey, and is centered around rich, dark wood tones, sturdy black granite, mohair furniture coverings and leather accessories. The pieces suggest a stark, yet elegant simplicity clearly reminiscent of architectural inspirations like Wright and Le Corbusier. But even if you're obsessed with design, it's hard to miss the gorgeous lake view -- unless you don't book a lake-facing room. Ask for one on the third floor; these come with small balconies that also serve up the best views of the city's iconic skyscrapers.

The Service

The Park Hyatt is one of many hotels that begin the guest experience well before check-in. Indeed, upon arrival, Park Hyatt guests are immediately escorted to their rooms, thanks to pre-check-in procedures completed before they arrive. The staff continue to ensure that every need -- whether preregistered or unexpected -- is met promptly and smoothly, a luxury allowed by the relatively small number of rooms in such a sizable property.

The Highlights

Since day one, NoMI, the Park Hyatt's signature Asian-French restaurant, has lured diners citywide, who come to try the menu of Chef Christophe David, formerly of Paris' Taillevent and of Park Hyatts in Paris, Buenos Aires and Melbourne. His French-inspired cuisine is served from a dining room with picture-perfect views of the Magnificent Mile and Chicago's iconic Water Tower. The scene from up high is as impressive as the artwork down below in the hotel's lobby, with its masterpieces of late-20th-century art -- including "Piazza del Duomo, Milan," by German painter Gerhard Richter, purchased especially for the hotel from Sotheby's for $3 million. After a trip through any museum, you'll want to end with a massage at the recently launched Tiffani Kim Institute Spa, with its contemporary design and peppermint-water foot baths.

-- David Kaufman

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