Chicago's BEST Kept Secret? This Hotel Will SHOCK You!
Chicago's BEST Kept Secret? Hold On, This Hotel Will Shock You! (And Maybe Me Too, Honestly.)
Okay, so I've been hearing whispers, murmurings, the siren song of a "hidden gem" in Chicago. And let's be real, I'm a sucker for a secret. Especially when the hook is, "This Hotel Will SHOCK You!" So, fueled by caffeine and a healthy dose of skepticism, I dove headfirst into reviewing everything this place promised. Buckle up, buttercups, because this is going to be a wild ride.
First Impressions & Accessibility – Trying to Keep it Real (And Accessible!)
Finding this "best kept secret" wasn't too hard; it's surprisingly well-located! Right off the bat, though, let's talk about what matters: Accessibility. They do boast facilities for disabled guests, and that gets a huge thumbs up from me. Also, an elevator – a necessity! The front desk, staffed 24-hours, is a good start. I didn't actually need to use one, but it's reassuring to know they're available. The exterior corridor feels nice and airy, which is something I appreciated, versus the more closed-off stuffy interior. I’m getting good vibes, right?
Digging Deeper: The Amenities – Spa Days and Shiny Things
Okay, let's talk about the good stuff. They've got a Swimming pool [outdoor] (hallelujah!), as well as a Swimming pool (indoor?). Plus, the Fitness center, Gym/fitness, and Spa are all very interesting. So, Massage, Sauna, Steamroom, and, oh my goodness, even a Body scrub and Body wrap! This is sounding like a serious pampering situation. I might actually need to try the Foot bath - after a long day of Chicago exploration, that sounds amazing. The Pool with view? Sign me up.
BUT… and this is where the honesty comes in. I can't tell you exactly what the pool view is like. I didn't get to the pool. Blame it on work, Chicago traffic, or my utter lack of planning. That's my imperfection, right there. I'll try harder next time, I swear!
The Gastronomic Gauntlet: Dining, Drinking, and Snacking - Let's Eat!
Alright, this is where things get really interesting. Let's see. They have Restaurants, and inside said restaurants (hmmm), there’s A la carte and Buffet in restaurant. I love me a buffet (when COVID isn’t raging). There’s an Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant, and a Vegetarian restaurant. Okay, Chicago, you're winning me over. Apparently, there's a Happy hour and a Poolside bar! A Bar too, of course.
And, just when I'm getting my hopes up, the little devil on my shoulder whispers to me "But did they actually deliver?"
Well, the room service menu is extensive, being Room service [24-hour], which is a HUGE plus. The Coffee/tea in restaurant is a must-have, and I really hope the Desserts in restaurant are as decadent as they sound. Oh, and a Snack bar? Yes, please.
Cleanliness and Safety: Navigating the COVID-19 World
Okay, let's get serious. This place is taking safety seriously, and that gets a massive thumbs up from me. Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Hand sanitizer everywhere, and Staff trained in safety protocol are all fantastic. There's Physical distancing of at least 1 meter, which is crucial! I'm also thrilled to see they're offering Cashless payment service, Breakfast takeaway service, Individually-wrapped food options, and Safe dining setup. Plus, Rooms sanitized between stays and even Room sanitization opt-out available. They've also got a First aid kit and a Doctor/nurse on call. Impressive!
The Little Things: Services and Conveniences – The Cherry on Top (Hopefully!)
Okay, so things like a Concierge, which is always handy. Daily housekeeping is a must. Having Laundry service, Dry cleaning, and Ironing service available is just fantastic. There’s a Convenience store – amazing for those midnight snack attacks! Luggage storage, Safety deposit boxes, a Doorman, and even a Cash withdrawal service? They've thought of everything! Plus Air conditioning in public area is essential, especially in Chicago summers.
Into the Rooms: Sleeping, Working & Living – The Details That Matter
Alright, the BIG reveal: the rooms. They have Air conditioning, crucial for a good night’s sleep. And the Wi-Fi [free] is a lifesaver, as is the Internet access – wireless in all rooms. Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Coffee/tea maker, Hair dryer, In-room safe box, Refrigerator, Shower, Toiletries, Towels, and Wake-up service – all the basics are covered.
Interestingly, there are Non-smoking rooms and Soundproof rooms (yes, please!). And, if I understand correctly, they also have Interconnecting room(s) available.
But it's the little touches that really matter, right? A Desk to work from, Laptop workspace, a Reading light, Socket near the bed (essential for charging your phone!), and even a Window that opens! That's a great change.
Getting Around: Location, Location, Location!
The Car park [free of charge] and Car park [on-site] are both a bonus. They also have the option of using Airport transfer and Taxi service.
For the Kids: Family Travel – Child's Play
They also have a Babysitting service, which is great for parents who want a little alone time. This place is definitely Family/child friendly – and is a huge bonus, especially if you are traveling with children.
The Verdict (and That "Shock" Factor):
Okay, so is this hotel a "shock"? Honestly, it’s not going to have you screaming from the rooftops, but, based on everything, it's a surprisingly well-equipped, smartly-run, and thoughtfully-designed hotel. The accessibility is a huge win, and the amenities are definitely attractive. The safety measures are reassuring.
The "Best Kept Secret" factor? Maybe. It's not the most glamorous hotel in Chicago, sure. But it offers a great value, considering all that it delivers. It’s a thoughtful choice for a comfortable and enjoyable stay.
My Offer To You (Yes, You!)
Are you ready to ditch the boring, cookie-cutter hotels? Are you craving a Chicago experience that's a little more… real? Then this "Best Kept Secret" might just be the escape you've been looking for.
Here’s my offer! This hotel is a great choice, offering a blend of comfort, convenience, and affordability. Why do I suggest it? Accessibility. A great service, and a lot of the things that are a deal-breaker, such as the Wi-Fi [free], Air conditioning or even the Breakfast in room.
If you’re looking for a Chicago stay that's genuinely worth your time and money. Head over here: [Insert Hotel Website Link Here - remember to add it!]
Book your stay TODAY! You might just be pleasantly surprised! (And hey, let me know if you make it to the pool. I’m living vicariously!)
Netherlands Getaway: Uncover the Hidden Gem of Hotel Pension Homeland!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this ain't your grandma's meticulously planned itinerary. We’re talking a Chicago adventure, starting (and possibly ending) at the Holiday Inn Chicago North-Evanston By IHG. Let’s see if we survive this.
Day 1: Arrival, Oh My God, Pancakes (and Potential Chaos)
1:00 PM: Touchdown O'Hare! (Or, you know, try to. Flights are a gamble, people). Delayed already? Classic. My stomach is already rumbling for a deep-dish, but first… getting a reasonably priced Uber into Evanston. Praying the driver doesn’t have a questionable sense of humor and asks me about my “travels” every 30 seconds.
2:30 PM: Check-in at the Holiday Inn. Praying the room isn't near the ice machine, which is the audio equivalent of a small, screaming child. Fingers crossed for a decent coffee maker; I'm gonna need it. Seriously, my caffeine levels are already at Defcon 2.
3:30 PM: Unpack, assess the damage from the journey (aka, are my clothes a wrinkled wasteland?), and contemplate life's big questions, like "Is it too early for wine?" Honestly? Probably not.
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Okay, officially, it's "Leisure Time". But let's be real, this is when the exhaustion hits. Might attempt a power nap, but knowing me, I'll just stare at the ceiling for two hours thinking about the existential dread of airline peanuts. Maybe scroll through a few restaurant reviews… gotta plan for dinner, right?
6:00 PM: Dinner! Considering exploring nearby restaurants in Evanston, but I'm hungry… very hungry. Trying to go somewhere with a menu of good food for a reasonable price, but if I eat something I don't like, then I will be depressed and cry in the bed.
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM: Pancakes! I'm going full-blown tourist. I'm dreaming of enormous, fluffy pancakes, slathered in syrup, and possibly chocolate chips (judge me all you want.) Finding a small, unassuming breakfast place, I'll probably spill syrup on myself, because it's inevitable. Embrace the mess, embrace the joy of a pancake-induced sugar rush.
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM: TV, books, more wine. Depending on the level of pancake-induced bliss, I might drift off to sleep like a well-fed, syrup-smeared log. Goodnight, Chicago!
Day 2: Art, Architecture, and a Potential Meltdown (or Not!)
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast at Holiday Inn. It either will be a culinary masterpiece or a sad assortment of stale pastries and rubbery eggs. Either way, I'll power through. My body is fueled by chaos, and, yes, potentially more coffee.
- 9:00 AM: The Art Institute of Chicago. I’m not a huge art buff, so I might fake it. "Oh, yes, the brushstrokes… the commentary on the human condition… fascinating.” I'll be subtly judging (or at least internally) the art students who are probably judging me. Maybe get lost in the Impressionist wing. This is where the world disappears and that's what I need.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch! Something quick and tasty. Food trucks, maybe? Or possibly, I'll get distracted and end up wandering into a random diner. The adventure, people! The adventure!
- 1:30 PM: Architecture River Cruise. Okay, now this I'm excited for. Chicago's architecture is stunning. I love a good boat ride, too. Will probably spend half the time daydreaming about buying a ridiculously overpriced condo. Then, I will come back to reality and feel sad, very sad.
- 4:00 PM: Retail Therapy, or the Attempt Thereof. Magnificent Mile? Maybe. Or maybe I'll hide and drink coffee instead. I'm not sure how much shopping I can handle when I'm jet-lagged. Let's face it, the shopping might just be an excuse to people-watch.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner. I'm imagining a small, dim restaurant with amazing food, or maybe something with neon lights, or not. At this point, it's all up in the air, and I’m okay with that. Food has to be amazing. Seriously. I will be so mad if it's not.
- 9:00 PM: Drinks, anyone? Maybe a jazz club? Or are my feet and eyes already tired? I might have to go to bed without any further ado.
Day 3: Windy City Whirlwind and Farewell (Or, Please Don't Make Me Leave)
- 8:00 AM: Another Holiday Inn breakfast. Repeat of Day 2, except potentially even more tired.
- 9:00 AM: Explore Chicago's parks. Lincoln Park? Millennium Park? See The Bean! Take a million selfies. Pretend to be profound. Bask in the brief moments of sunshine. Remember, good lighting is key for a good photo.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch! Possibly deep dish pizza. This is non-negotiable. Need to find a legendary place that serves a pie that makes me want to cry with joy. I want to get pizza sauce on my face and not care.
- 1:30 PM: Last-minute souvenir shopping at the hotel gift shop. Or, maybe just wandering around, completely aimless. I'm a tourist, I embrace the chaos!
- 3:00 PM: Head back to the hotel. Last-minute packing, final coffee refill from the coffee machine. I'm going to miss this, even if I spent the whole time complaining. Chicago, you beautiful, chaotic, potentially overpriced city.
- 4:00 PM: Chill time. Re-charge the batteries… and the phone! Last shower. Do a final, melancholy sweep of the room. Maybe I'll leave a little note for housekeeping, something like "Thanks for not judging my mess".
- 6:00 PM: Uber to the airport. This is where the stress levels peak. Will I get there on time? Will my flight be delayed? Will I leave my passport in the hotel room? So many questions, so little time.
- 8:00 PM: Flight Home. Praying the person next to me doesn't have a crying baby. Or a strong cologne. Or both.
- 11:00 PM: Hopefully, home. Still wishing for more Chicago time.
Notes and Caveats:
- This is an approximation. Stuff happens. Plans morph. Expect delays, detours, and the occasional mini-meltdown. It’s okay!
- I fully embrace the "lost tourist" persona. Don't judge.
- Comfort is key. Pack good shoes, comfy clothes, and a healthy dose of caffeine.
- Be prepared to laugh at yourself. A lot.
- This itinerary is a suggestions, remember to enjoy yourself.
Chicago, here I come! Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it.
Phu Quoc Paradise: Unveiling Vietnam's Hidden Gem (T19)
So, what *is* this "Best Kept Secret" hotel you're squawking about? Spill the beans!
Alright, alright, fine! I’m being deliberately vague, mostly because I'm still processing. The hotel... let's just call it "The Enigma Lodge," (not its real name, but close! I'm protecting the innocent, you know?) is... *different*. It's not your cookie-cutter, chain hotel experience. Think quirky, maybe bordering on slightly unhinged, with a heavy dose of vintage-chic. Oh, and a LOT of taxidermy. Seriously, I’m not sure I’ve seen so many dead animals in one place that weren’t in a natural history museum. It’s... a *vibe*.
Taxidermy? Seriously? Is it, like, creepy?
Okay, “creepy” is a relative term. It's... *unconventional*. Honestly, the first time I saw a stuffed badger perched on a bookshelf in the lobby, I nearly choked on my complimentary artisan water (which, by the way, was delicious, but I digress). It's more *overwhelming* than creepy, I think. Like, you walk into the elevator and there's a squirrel holding a tiny top hat. You either lean in and love it, or run screaming for a sterile Hilton. I’m still not sure which category I fall into. I *will* say this: the staff seems utterly unfazed by the menagerie. Which, honestly, is slightly concerning. They’re probably just used to it.
Was it, like, clean? Because sometimes, "quirky" just means "neglectful."
Okay, fair question, and I’m glad you asked! Because this is where things get interesting. The Enigma Lodge *mostly* passed the cleanliness sniff test. Rooms were tidy, linens were fresh. BUT… it had a certain… *lived-in* feel. Let’s just say the cleaning crew might operate on a "selective dusting" policy. I found a mysterious, slightly sparkly feather in my bathroom (a parrot, maybe? I didn't investigate too closely). And the antique furniture? Gorgeous, but definitely had some history, shall we say, etched into it. Overall: acceptable, but don't expect a hospital-grade experience. Embrace the character, people! Or bring extra Clorox wipes.
What about the amenities? Did you, like, *do* anything there?
Alright, let’s talk amenities. They had a pool. I didn’t go in. It looked suspiciously small and possibly haunted. They had a restaurant… which, after seeing the taxidermy, I approached with caution. The food was… well, again, *interesting*. Think farm-to-table, but the farm is probably a bit… eccentric. One morning I had a breakfast that featured a smoked fish I could swear winked at me. The bar, however, that was a total win. Cozy, dim lighting, expertly crafted cocktails. The bartender, a grizzled veteran with a penchant for storytelling, was worth the price of admission alone. He told me a rambling tale about a ghost who supposedly haunts the place, a former flapper who was known for a particular brand of cigarette. I'm not sure if I believe him (probably not), but the story was good. And the drinks? Perfection.
But the real, *real* question: Would you go back?
This is IT. The big question. The existential crisis of the hotel review. Would I go back to The Enigma Lodge? Honestly? I still don't know! Part of me, the adventurous, slightly tipsy part, is already planning my return. I kind of miss the weirdness. I miss the squirrel with the top hat. I even miss the slightly suspicious feather. But another part of me, the one that likes reliable Wi-Fi and matching towels, is screaming, "Run away! Run away now!" I think the key is to embrace the chaos. Go in knowing it won't be perfect. Expect the unexpected. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a story to tell. And that, my friends, is what travel is all about. So, yes. Maybe. Probably. Definitely. But only if I can get that bartender to make me one of those cocktails again. And as for the cost, it was surprisingly reasonable. Worth the experience, without a doubt!
Any advice? For… you know… surviving that "best kept secret"?
Okay, tips for surviving The Enigma Lodge? Here's the gospel:
- **Embrace the Weird:** Seriously. Don't fight it. Surrender to the madness.
- **Bring your own air freshener:** Just in case.
- **Talk to the bartender:** He's a walking encyclopedia of the Lodge's strange history.
- **Pack comfortable shoes:** Chicago is a walking city. And you might need to walk… fast… sometimes.
- **Don’t look too closely at the taxidermy's eyes:** Trust me on this one.
- **And for the love of all that is holy, order the cocktail menu!**
