The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago

The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago hotel has an attractive, spacious lobby with wooden floors, wood-paneled walls, and white marble accents on pillars and desks. A large seating area furnished with contemporary armchairs in neutral hues accented by orange pillows is illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the street. There are several front desks, a necessity for a hotel of this size (over 700 rooms) and the massive lobby is also home to a Starbucks cafe. The hotel is undergoing renovations as of September 2015, which have incited some complaints from guests who remark on carpet stains in the hallways, cleanliness, and noise pollution. Guests are mostly business travelers utilizing the meeting spaces and the Westin Executive Club as well as families and couples touring the city.

This hotel is located on the popular Magnificent Mile, a 13-block area brimming with shopping, dining, and nightlife. Water Tower Place, a mall, is a three-minute walk away, while the John Hancock Center, which is a minute away on foot, has a lot of retail shops and a popular observation deck. Other nearby attractions include the Museum of Contemporary Art (five-minute walk), Oak Street Beach (five-minute walk), and Navy Pier (10-minute drive). The nearest subway station is the Red Line on Chicago Avenue that's an eight-minute walk away. Chicago Midway International Airport is about an hour's drive or 40 minutes via public transportation, while O'Hare International Airport can be reached in about an hour by car or public transportation.

Rooms at the Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago Hotel have trendy decor with a gray color palette visible in the carpets, seating, and some furniture. Large art pieces in bold reds and oranges add a pop of color, as do matching burgundy headboards that frame beds topped with crisp, white linens. All of the spacious rooms include flat-screen TVs, though the renovated rooms have SMART TVs and in-room dining menus. In-room Wi-Fi is an additional fee, except in Executive Club Rooms, which includes free Wi-Fi and access to the Westin Executive Club Lounge. Suites offer added amenities like separate sitting areas, dining tables, and even kitchenettes in some. Bathrooms are fairly large and outfitted with shower/tub combos with waterfall showerheads, bathrobes, hairdryers, and an ample amount of counter space. Rooms offer either Lake Michigan or Michigan Avenue views, though guests report that some of the lake views are a bit lackluster. Guests have also reported problems with cleanliness, mold, and maintenance issues, especially in the rooms that have yet to be renovated. Other complaints include bothersome noise due to the renovation and traffic noise in some street-side rooms on lower floors.

The hotel’s most popular feature is its vast amount of event and meeting space -- over 37,000-square-feet of fully equipped spaces, including a newly renovated ballroom. The Tangent room, for instance, offers Steelcase technology, video conferencing, an Xbox 360, and floor-to-ceiling whiteboards. A Fed Ex business center is also on-site. Wi-Fi is free in the lobby but incurs a fee in most rooms, though Executive Club Rooms have free Wi-Fi as well as access to the Westin Executive Club, which includes a free continental breakfast, free Wi-Fi, snacks throughout the day, and evening hors d’oeuvres. 

The on-site restaurant, the Grill on the Alley, serves American classics, and there's also a cafe in the lobby that serves Starbucks coffee and pastries, plus room service is available 24 hours. The large fitness center has a variety of cardio machines and free weights, and guests can rent New Balance workout clothes and shoes. The on-site Body Rituals Boutique Spa offers different spa packages and a variety of treatments using Naturopathica cosmetics and SpaRituals vegan nail care. There’s a pricey valet service and no self-parking available. The hotel’s Green Choice Initiatives is a nice touch in that they offer a $5 credit or 500 SPG points for opting out of housekeeping services.