The Gwen a Luxury Collection Hotel Michigan Avenue Chicago

I’m willing to bet this is the best hotel to stay at in Chicago! We haven’t stayed anywhere else, but this hotel is great. Customer service was phenomenal. Sam at the front desk was so sweet and personable; she genuinely seemed to care that we enjoyed our stay! Our room was gorgeous, spacious, and thoughtfully designed. The tickets to the John Hancock tower included in the resort fee were also an awesome perk! We certainly recommend taking that opportunity. Location is walkable to lots and lots of shopping nearby, and close to the pier as well. Would absolutely stay here again. This was a great experience that turned a much delayed flight leaving us stuck in Chicago for a night into an unforgettable cherry on top of our trip!

Another outstanding stay at The Gwen. Russell at the Concierge desk went that extra mile to make sure our stay was nothing less than wonderful. His attention to detail and his willingness to ensure our comfort was appreciated. His hospitality is a true benchmark of service and makes The Gwen shine. Another employee I would like to single out for phenomenal service is Mandy, one of the lovely servers Upstairs at the Gwen. Her beautiful personality and the amazing service she provided will be remember fondly. She made us feel as though we were at our home away from home. Looking forward to our next stay.

For the price, The Gwen was definitely not worth it. There’s an odd scent throughout the building. It smells old and dusty but as if they try to cover it with an artificial fragrance. It was stronger in the rooms. Be mindful of this if you have a scent sensitivity. Staff at the front doors did not help me with my luggage or even offer to. I thought this was unusual for what I thought was going to be an upper scale level of hotel. The best staff member was the very tall gentleman who checked me in. He was pleasant and friendly. Unfortunately, the reason my experience was disappointing was due to the staff at the bar. They were not friendly or hospitality minded. I arrived at 9:50 PM and before greeting or asking how they can assist, they were already rushing me by stating how they are closing very soon. I said, “you close at 11, right?” She said “Yes.” I knew this before heading to the bar. I wouldn’t want to keep the staff there later than they need to be. I got my drink and went to the beautiful rooftop. I was enjoying my time when suddenly the staff turned on the lights & turned off the music at 10:15. At 10:30 on the literal DOT, a gentleman kicked everyone out of the rooftop. He said they were closed. This was very disappointing. Another thing that was very disappointing was no room service after 10:00 PM. I took my drink from the bar, got my Uber Eats (due to lack of room service) & headed to the lovely tub in the suite. I can say I loved the bathroom! This was not the best experience and I hope it was just an off day.