Looking (Mostly) Alright: London House Chicago

In a recent school reunion, my friend and I chose to stay at the London House Chicago: we had walked past it many times in our years living in Chicago. And chose to book a suite! The room itself could use a renovation, but overall the hotel is a solid place to stay whilst in Chicago.

Location

Frankly, the location is unbeatable for anyone wanting to stay in Chicago. Perched right by the waterfront and overlooking the Chicago skyline, one can’t feel bless both by the walkability from the hotel, and the views. One is minutes away from Chicago’s main attractions, including Millennium Park, Theater, Navy Pier, and (I frankly eat too much from here) grocery store Jewel Osco.

 

Check In

I think the key theme for this hotel is that visually, most of the place is absolutely stunning. The building on the outside was formerly known as the London Guarantee Building (an insurance company), only to be re-opened in 2016 as the LondonHouse Chicago.

One small note that is that check is in on the equivalent of the 2nd floor (i.e. you have to go up one set of stairs) from the entrance.

Check in was swift and professional, with the team confirming the Hilton $30 Food and Beverage Credit - however, the credit could only be used at the kitchen. Which thankfully was a good thing as we would later find out. Note the Londonhouse Chicago has a rooftop bar that does require reservations - if you are stay at the hotel, they will prioritize you for walk ins, but it’s best to reserve ahead of time and it’s super popular. To get to the rooftop bar, go downstairs, and take the dedicated elevators up.

The check in area also plays host to the Lobby Bar and a restaurant, which was buzzing late at night, along with a steakhouse called Ocean Prime.

The Room

First of all, I found the key cards cute, yet exuding luxury. We booked a 1 King Bed 1 Bedroom Suite that was 530 sq. ft. in size.

This was a proper suite, with a separate living room and sleeping area - given the design, it felt a bit bigger than 500 sq ft.

It started with a long hallway that connected to the bathroom. I really liked the bathroom’s design, although it was a bit small for the suite (through better than being too large like the Gwen).

Next up was the living room, which also contained a sofa bed. It was decently spacious, although I have to say I wasn’t a fan of either the carpet (too distracting) nor the decor here. It felt very much like early 2000’s vibes.

On the bright side, there was a good Nespresso machine on a solid feeling desk.

I did find it hilarious there was both paid and free bottles of water on the desk. Thankfully there was no minibar, only a free fridge which I appreciate.

Next up we transition to the bedroom. This room was much better appointed and designed - it contained a comfortable foot bench, as well as a large king bed.

The slightly confusing thing was that there was seating at the bottom of the flatscreen TV, although on second thought this might have just been so families could talk to each other. The bath robs and slippers provided certainly felt very luxurious. I didn’t take any pictures from the room, and that was because it would have been disappointed: it didn’t face the river, rather the cityscape. Nevertheless, this wasn’t a big issue given our access to the lovely rooftop bar.

Amenities

The hotel, for a city hotel, has an extensive set of amenities, including a spa, multiple restaurants, the rooftop bar. Starting with the restaurant, my sad friend ordered takeout from Land and Lake, as she was working a lot during our stay.

The food was surprisingly good, so I guess the restaurant did live up to it’s name. Specific shoutout to the fries.

Next up was the gym, which was again surprisingly comprehensive for a hotel gym.

Finally, the spa that was not open when I was at the hotel.

The Point

I didn’t interact with many people during my stay, so I can’t comprehensively speak to the service. However, the staff was professional, and the hotel did not disappoint. I recommend the Londonhouse Chicago to anyone traveling to Chicago given it’s great location, decor (most of the time) and if one is hungry the comprehensive food and beverage facilities. And of course, the most beautiful thing at the hotel, the views!