Once in a while you just have to spoil yourself with a nice hotel stay. And if you go to Chicago, The LaSalle, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, is definitely recommended. In this review you can read all about our experiences with The LaSalle Chicago and the beautiful Executive Suite we stayed in. Also, don’t forget to check out the YouTube video we made!

Central location in Chicago

A city like Chicago has a lot to offer when it comes to hotels. Next to independent hotels, you will also find brands that fall under loyalty programs such as Hilton Honors, Accor ALL and IHG One Rewards. Of course, Marriott Bonvoy is also well represented in Chicago. There are even more than 120 hotels in and around the city that are a member of Marriott Bonvoy. Most of these hotels are located in and around the city center or one of the airports (Chicago O’Hare or Chicago Midway).

One of Marriott’s more recent additions is The LaSalle Chicago Autograph Collection Hotel, which this review is about. The LaSalle is located on South LaSalle Street in the heart of downtown Chicago. Some interesting sights are within walking distance of the hotel. Several metro stations are also located near the hotel, making it very convenient to visit other areas as well. The LaSalle Hotel is located in the same historic building as the JW Marriott Chicago.

The hotel is easy to reach by both car and public transport. With a rental car or taxi, it takes about half an hour to drive from Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD) to the hotel. And it is just under an hour by public transport. You can take the Blue Line train from O’Hare to Monroe. Then you can walk to the hotel in just a few minutes.

Check out our YouTube channel for a video impression of this review of The LaSalle Chicago. Did you know that you can view many more reviews, InsideLooks and trip reports on our YouTube channel? We post new videos every week, so follow our channel and don’t miss a thing!

Welcome at The LaSalle

It is 1 PM in the afternoon when we arrive at Chicago’s stately Union Station. Although the grandeur of Union Station only becomes clear when we enter the large station hall, as the arrival by train is ‘underground’. The station hall reminds me of the famous Grand Central Terminal in New York. From the station it’s only a couple of minutes by foot to reach the hotel. 

In the ground floor lobby we are welcomed by an employee of the concierge desk. He directs us to the elevators to go to the 21st floor, where the hotel reception is located. When we get out of the elevator, we are warmly welcomed at the reception. A friendly young man checks our details and asks for a deposit for the room and any expenses. I use my American Express Flying Blue Platinum Card for this. This way I also earn Flying Blue miles on any purchases during my stay.

After receiving the room cards, I get some explanation about the hotel and its facilities. There is also a concierge desk opposite the reception where I can ask questions about the city. The LaSalle also has its own bar and restaurant called ‘Grill on 21’. In addition to breakfast, you can also enjoy lunch and dinner here. Because we haven’t eaten yet this afternoon, I reserve a table for lunch right away. You can read more about the facilities and restaurant of The LaSalle Chicago later in this review.

The rooms at the hotel

As some hotels have dozens of room types, The LaSalle has decided to keep it simple. There are four types of regular rooms and three different suites, 232 rooms in total. First of all, there is the Superior King Guest Room. This room features a king size bed. Next, there is the Superior Queen Guest Room. This room has two queen size beds. The Luxury Room is also available in a type with a king size bed and two queen size beds. The Deluxe Room mainly distinguishes itself with the larger and more luxurious bathroom. In addition, these rooms have a nice view of the city.

If we look at the suites, there are three types. The Executive Suite features a separate living room area, a bedroom and a large bathroom. The Corner Suite is a little larger and designed slightly differently. Finally, there is the beautiful Presidential Suite of over 1,615 sq. ft. or 150 m2. This suite features a separate sitting area, study, bedroom and an extensive kitchen. There is even a separate pantry for the butler.

During my trip to the US I was given the opportunity to stay at The LaSalle Chicago in the Executive Suite, which you will read more about in this review.

The LaSalle Executive Suite

The Executive Suite has a size of almost 540 sq. ft. or 50 m2. This is considerably larger than the other room types, which are about 323 to 431 sq. ft. or 30 to 40 m2. The size of the Executive Suite is immediately clear upon entry as the room extends far to the back. This Suite consists of four parts: the hallway and the access to the bathroom, a living room area and of course the bedroom.

First of all, there is the hallway when you enter the room. Here, you have access to a large wardrobe, coat rack and of course the bathroom. The wardrobe has two comfortable bathrobes for usage during the stay. There is also a small coffee corner with a minibar. The coffee corner is fitted with a LavAzza coffee maker with cups. Unfortunately there is no kettle, but I actually see this is the case in many American hotels. Whereas Europan hotels tend to offer a kettle even in standard rooms.

In the coffee corner you can find a tray with snacks, such as candy bars, nuts and vegetable chips. In the cupboard you can find the minibar with even more snacks and drinks. Although there is no price list in the room, even when I ask for it, it is good to know that these items are not included in the room rate.

When you pass through the hallway you enter the spacious sitting area. The comfortable sofa can also be used as a sofa bed. A coffee table has been placed in front of the sofa. On the other side of the sitting area there is a sideboard and a large television on the wall. Next to the television you can find a desk with a chair. Great if you need to do some work!

Bedroom

The bedroom is found in the back of the room. You can close the sliding doors for extra privacy. The bedroom offers a big king size bed and a small sitting area. On each side of the bed, there is a reading light. There are also individual light switches and power plugs to charge your mobile devices. Some of the lamps even have integrated USB ports, which come in very handy when you forget your international power plug adapter. 

Opposite the bed there’s another big television on the wall and a small desk with a chair. The bedroom offers a nice view of the surrounding streets. 

The Executive Suite is very well furnished with a wooden floor and wooden wall panels. The dark colors are well coordinated and the lighting is also very pleasant. There is also a beautiful rug in the sitting area and in the bedroom.

The bathroom

In this Executive Suite you can access the bathroom from the hallway. The hotel has installed somewhat inconvenient sliding doors. When you enter the bathroom you can find the toilet to the right. The toilet can be closed with a door. In front of the entrance there are two sinks with a large mirror. There is also a separate shaving mirror. Under the sink there is a chest of drawers with bathroom amenities and a hair dryer. The soap and care products are by the luxury brand L.U.E. 

The left part of the bathroom is occupied by a large shower cabin. There is a generous rain shower and more amenities by L.U.E. The shower is also equipped with a small wooden stool of which the use is unclear to me. 

The bathroom has white Indian marble tiles and contrasting darker colored walls. This gives a luxurious look and feel. There are sufficient high quality towels. 

Room comfort

Especially the big size of the room makes a stay very comfortable. There is for instance plenty of room to open your luggage. The possibility of closing the sliding doors to the bedroom also helps to create more privacy when needed. The bathroom also has a good size, which is nice when you travel with two people. On the other hand, I think that the toilet area is very small relative to the rest of the room. 

In the bedroom I was impressed with the comfort of the kingsize bed. The soft linen and pillow by the luxury bedding brand Frette really made a difference for me. The mattress is also very good. The LaSalle offers a turndown service when you stay in this suite, which makes you feel even more welcome. When you return to your suite at night, chocolates await you and the bed is prepared for sleeping. 

In the bedroom I was impressed with the comfort of the kingsize bed. The soft linen and pillow by the luxury bedding brand Frette really made a difference for me. The mattress is also very good. The LaSalle offers a turndown service when you stay in this suite, which makes you feel even more welcome. When you return to your suite at night, chocolates await you and the bed is prepared for sleeping. 

I enjoyed the coffee corner in the room very much. It’s too bad there’s no kettle to make a cup of tea. The climate control in the room is very good and the WiFi service is also stable and fast. All in all a very comfortable room!

Houskeeping

According to the website of the LaSalle hotel there should be two housekeeping services per day. During my stay I only had one service per day. For me this is fine, but it was advertised differently. Housekeeping staff I talked to was not particularly friendly and also not very knowledge of the hotel. This is something the hotel could improve on.

Hotel facilities

The LaSalle Chicago has its own restaurant and bar, of which I will share more later. There’s also a fitness center with state-of-the-art gym equipment and free weights. The fitness center also features a separate changing room with toilets. Towels and bottled water are also available for free. The LaSalle also offers meeting rooms and they even have a ball room. 

Opposite the hotel reception you can find the Concierge desk. A very friendly and knowledgeable man gave us some good tips on (vegetarian) restaurants, bars and sights around town. One example is ‘The Signature Lounge at the 96th’. Here you can enjoy a great view of both Lake Michigan and the city, while having a drink. And you don’t need an entry ticket!

The LaSalle does not offer their own wellness and spa facilities. The adjacent JW Marriott actually does have this. The LaSalle gives their guests the opportunity to use the spa of the JW Marriott. Check the website for more information and prices. It’s also possible to get a spa treatment in your hotel room. 

Restaurant & Bar Grill on 21

During my two night stay I had breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Restaurant & Bar Grill on 21. There’s a daily a la carte breakfast service in the morning, so there’s no buffet. The menu is quite good with lots of variation. You can also get coffee and tea and you can choose from a selection of fresh juices and smoothies. 

The menu also offers more healthy breakfast dishes as most of the other dishes are quite hearty. Prices are reasonable, but things add up when you need to order everything separately. I had a daily food and beverage credit of $ 50 per person, which was sufficient for breakfast. 

For lunch and dinner the restaurant offers a similar menu. The prices are also quite okay for what you get. The decoration of the Grill on 21 restaurant is well done which makes it a nice place to dine. Service is also good, but the opening times of the restaurant seem to change from day to day. Also, the staff started cleaning well before the last guests left their table, which is not done in my opinion. One time during dinner the waiting staff decided to move a whole lot of chair through the restaurants, disturbing our meal quite a lot. In such a hotel I expect this is done after closing time.

Marriott Bonvoy

Good to mention in this review is that The LaSalle Chicago, Autograph Collection Hotel, is part of Marriott Bonvoy. Members of this program get several perks, depending their status. As a Marriott Bonvoy Gold member I would normally get an upgrade to a higher room category. This was not relevant at this time as I got this stay in the Executive Suite offered by the hotel. Gold members also get 25% points bonus and a free late check-out (when available). Late check-out was also possible during my stay. Having more time to check-out is always a comforting thought in my opinion. 

I also got a welcome gift in my room. A nice plate with macarons and chocolates greeted me when I entered the room.

Photos Review LaSalle Chicago: InsideFlyer – Christian