By Shawn Gallagher
Welcome to another hotel review! I recently got to stay at the Thompson Chicago, which I enjoyed a lot. This mid-sized hotel is located in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago’s North Side, right along Rush Street with many places to dine and shop.
Let’s go over my stay!
Booking
The Thompson Chicago is a Category 5 hotel. To book a Category 5 with points, it’ll cost 17,000 points during off-peak, 20,000 during standard, and 23,000 during peak periods.
Cash rates largely depend on the season. During off-peak winter months (January, February), you can see this hotel in the mid $100s, while standard and busier times will push it up to the high $200s and $300s.
Related: Full guide to the World of Hyatt loyalty program
Checking In
I checked in online pretty early, and a room was ready for me almost immediately. I got there at around 11:30am.
Related: How to check-in early at a hotel, a few tricks
The lobby had a nice vibe; a typical look for a Thompson Hotel. I stopped by the front desk for my keys.
More from the lobby…
Room Impressions
When stopping by the front desk for my keys, they changed my originally assigned room to a city-view room facing the south, further away from the elevator. I got room 1404, on the 14th floor, which is a standard king room.
This room had a lot of character in a classic Thompson Hotel fashion. The art on the walls, magazines, and the overall theme of the room adds to the positive, welcoming feel.
Facing the bed were the TV and desk.
An L-shaped couch was placed in the corner of the room.
This bed at Thompson Hotels seems to be a theme across the brand. It was very comfortable.
As I said earlier, I got a room facing south, so I had plenty of natural light with the sun in my room. Despite it being winter in Chicago, the AC had to kick in a few times in the afternoon to keep the room at 70F (21C).
The view from the room was fantastic.
The closet had all of the usual stuff, including a safe, an iron/ironing board, hangers and an umbrella.
Across from the bed and under the TV was a minibar. Inside were mainly snacks and alcoholic beverages. There was no minifridge provided in the room, although you can get one upon request at the front desk.
Above the minibar were a couple of waters, cups, and a coffee maker.
I loved the bathroom in my room. It was very spacious and well designed.
The bathroom included a large walk-in shower with a fantastic waterfall shower.
Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash were by D.S. & Durga.
More of them on the bathroom sink.
The toilet was in the corner.
Overall Hotel Experience
Sound wasn’t much of a problem during my stay. I could hear conversations out in the hallway when I was about to check out at around 10 in the morning on my last day, but room-to-room or outside was pretty much soundproof (aside from the occasional ambulance sirens).
Tavern on Rush is the onsite restaurant at the Thompson Chicago. I had planned meals in other parts of the city so I didn’t get a chance to eat here, but it seems to have a good reputation.
The hotel is located right by Rush Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. This area has a lot of high-end shops and plenty of dining options. A CTA Red Line station is located close by as well, which I utilized a few times.
The view from the room was even better at night.
Concluding Thoughts
I loved my stay at the Thompson Chicago. The room, despite only being a standard king room, still felt very spacious. I can’t compare this particular one to the other Thompsons out there since I’m still new to the Thompson brand, but I did like the overall design and vibe of the place.
I’ll definitely be looking forward to staying at other Thompson Hotel properties sometime soon.
All photos taken by the author.