A Last Star Alliance Fling? To Chicago with United Airlines and Air Canada
LHR-IAD-ORD, ORD-YYZ-LHR
The Hyatt Regency O’Hare.
Index:
- An Apology and The Introduction
- To London Heathrow, BMI Lounge, Star Alliance Lounge
- United UA923 London Heathrow – Washington Dulles International
- TSA Shenanigans, United UA221 Washington Dulles to Chicago O’Hare
- InterContinental Chicago, North Michigan Avenue
- One Time Exception: Chicago Water Taxi
- Hyatt Regency O’Hare (this entry)
- United UA474, Chicago O’Hare to Toronto Pearson International in United First
- Maple Leaf Lounge, Air Canada AC856 Toronto Pearson International to London Heathrow
- Homeward bound
- No more Star Alliance?
After checking out of the Intercontinental and grabbing a cab (which was one of the most bizarre journeys I’ve ever had in a taxi – The Kennedy Expressway was shut going into the City of Chicago as Vice President Joe Biden was coming into town… so imagine a solid highway on the right, and an empty highway on the left…).
After being relieved of another $50, I the cab pulled up at my usual haunt in Chicago – The Hyatt Regency O’Hare.
Hotel: Hyatt Regency O’Hare
I forgot to shoot an exterior shot for the hotel. This one is from another trip – It’s not like I have no pictures of this hotel anyway… 😉
The Photos:
I was welcomed with a “Welcome to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare” when I got out of the cab (hang on – there’s an improvement there already!), and my luggage again was taken off me as I wandered upstairs to check in. I was seen to immediately and my request for a room in the main block on a high level with a balcony (with a city view) was accepted without any question.
Downstairs – Perks Coffee and nibbles
Art
Reception
After that, it was a case of heading to the high floor, and waiting for a short while for luggage delivery. As the porter had seen me come through the Hyatt many times before he offered the usual amenities.
One little upgrade to the all rooms are the key-cards. Last time, I had some trouble with the keys demagnetizing on me (and thus locking me out of the room). Well it seems this Hyatt is having none of that now as all the rooms have been upgraded to RFID locks (where you wave an electronic key at the door).
The room itself is the typical “nice Hyatt” room. Double-Double beds (as I tend to like the space of the second bed to sort stuff out on). It’s also a sure-fire way to get a bathroom with… a bath in it (the Kings alas only had showers… and I like my baths to soak in;))
TV
Bed
Work Area
And yes, this is typical Hyatt toiletry land – that means of course White Ginger. Some of you like it, other of you hate it. Me? I love the stuff (especially the bath bars). The room itself was spotless and as clean as it normally is.
The view from the room, was spectacular. It was even more spectacular the next day when a Thunderstorm rolled through the city of Chicago.
After settling in and doing a partial unpack, it was time to take the majority of the stuff I had brought downstairs for the weekend… where it would not emerge till Sunday evening.
During these weekends, I spend a lot of time talking to the conference team at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, and there are some Diamonds in there who do go above and beyond when I do weekend events there (least of all when I’m hunting for tables, chairs or other things that don’t exactly fit in the bag) – and they are a great team who run the conferences there.
For me, the convenience of having a room 9 or 10 floors above where I’m working is well worth the premium when I hang up my camera at 1am in the morning. The 24 hour coffee shop helps for that extra jolt on a poor morning when the last thing I have time for is to make a coffee and snack.
The on site restaurant served food in a timely manner and of good quality, and whilst not cheap, wasn’t that expensive (to be honest, I was having dinner with a friend, and whipping out a camera in those circumstances just isn’t right).
After a busy weekend and for once not leaving at the crack of dawn, I took my time repacking my stuff, as well as watching out of the balcony
Well, there seemed to be a little aviation action…
Check out was without any problem as usual, however (something that is common with this Hyatt), my points were not added to the Gold Passport account
Overall: This is more like it. Warm greetings, good staff and a lot more focus than last time. All things I like. I just wish this hotel could get crediting points right in the first place…