In the beating heart of downtown Chicago sits the glittering and glamorous Gwen hotel. Just off the city’s Magnificent Mile – home to large designer stores and stunning architecture – it oozes luxury. From the Moet vending machine in the marbled lobby to its shimmering skyline views, the hotel offers the pinnacle of Chicago convenience and comfort, just minutes from the river.
Hotel
It’s a Friday afternoon in late August and thousands of delegates, volunteers and politicians – who for five days descended on the city for the Democratic National Convention – have packed up and left. It’s fitting to be staying in The Gwen around this time, as it’s a space fit for presidents.
The lobby is adorned with stone, marble accents, and even has a gold champagne vending machine in one corner, although in our haste we don’t get a chance to check the price of a bottle to go. The open plan lobby expands across a sprawling, Art Deco room with high ceilings and leads to a restaurant space where breakfast and dinner are served to the soft sound of jazz house music, blending the hotel’s modern and historic vibes.
Room
A lift takes us to the 17th floor and our room – 1709. It’s a corner suite that we’re promised provides panoramic views of the metropolis. It’s a promise that is kept and exceeded. Heavy grey suede curtains that run what seems like the entire length of the room, are drawn back to reveal America’s third largest city in all of its glory. The skyline may be the central feature of bedroom and the adjoining living space, but that takes nothing away from the sleek interior design. Art Deco motifs can be found throughout, particularly in the black and white marble surfaces and illustrated bathroom wallpaper. The living space is classic in its black leather furniture, grey wallpaper and modern in the art, coffee tables and lamps placed tastefully around both rooms.
Ambient light glows from a vogueish chandelier. Beneath it, on a wooden table, sits a bottle of sparkling white wine and a charcuterie board (nice touch). The rest of the living space is taken up by a sizeable flat-screen television plonked in front of a plump L-shaped sofa. There’s an even bigger screen in the bedroom (this is America after all!). Between the glittering skyline, giant flat screen TV and enormous enveloping bed with white silk sheets there is no reason to leave the bedroom, other than to pay a visit to the en-suite. It’s home to a generous, glass-contained shower, an opulent bathtub nestled in one corner and a separate rest room, with the usual array of complimentary toiletries, fluffy white towels and bath robes.
Food and drink
We dined on the Gwen’s rooftop terrace under the golden evening sun. On a hot day in August, be warned, it’s a sun trap, however large umbrellas do provide some welcome shade. As day drifts into night, the patio is transformed into a cool, elevated garden oasis, lit with glimmering fairy lights which echo the glittering city lights all around. The spicy margarita and Aperol Spritz we ordered, were made to perfection and the second charcuterie board of the day was filled with rich, smoky flavours and organic produce. As the sun set, the neon lights of Chicago’s famous architecture lit up the skyline, making for a memorable evening.
To do
The Gwen excels not only in its comfort and luxury, but in its prime city location too. The hotel is within walking distance of the Chicago Riverwalk and its host of incredible restaurants and bars, and a pleasant 15-minute stroll from the lakeshore and home to several white sand beaches. We were impressed by the shimmering green water of the river after years spent living close to the murky water of the Thames, and the swimmers splashing along the coast of Lake Michigan.
The city is home to world class culture – on a scorching summer morning we took shelter from the sun inside the city’s Art Institute and marvelled at its collection of Van Gogh, Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe and Lichenstein.
Chicago is famous for its history too, from its meat exporting days in the 19th century, to its mobster residents – including the most infamous of them all, Al Capone. We enjoyed a walking tour of the city, from its grand Art Deco hotels built in the early 20th Century, to seedy alleys with a reputation for death and murder.
Perhaps the best of our sightseeing experiences came on the city’s famous architecture boat trip run by the Chicago Architecture Centre. We boarded Chicago’s First Lady boat at sunset and glided serenely through the sparkling green river gazing up at the soaring towers above us.
Returning to our room at The Gwen later that evening, we drew back the large grey curtains and were able to pick out a handful of grand and beautiful buildings from the tour. We could see what was described as the world’s most beautiful office building from the corner sofa in the living room. Its neo-Gothic features illuminated in the night sky , an American flag fluttering in the breeze at its highest point.
In a nutshell
The Gwen embodies Chicago luxury with its Art Deco elegance, stunning skyline views, and prime location. Guests are treated to spacious, beautifully designed suites and bathrooms with a gorgeous rooftop terrace for the summer months, and a cocktail menu fit for any celebration. This hotel is the perfect location to start your Chicago adventure, steps away from some of the city’s best cultural attractions, the Chicago Riverwalk and many of its best restaurants.
Factbox
Address: 521 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
Phone: +1 312-645-1500
Website: marriott.com
Hotel photography courtesy of The Gwen.
