TRIP REPORT: Indirect Travel Fun – The Hyatt Regency O’Hare

The Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont
Indirect Travel Fun

• How much is it this time???
• Early Morning National Express, Mid Moring Terminal 3
• Elegantly Lounging around Terminal 3 (Cathay Pacific and American Airlines Lounges)
• American Airlines AA99 London Heathrow to Chicago (Main Cabin Extra)
• Into the USA, Crowne Plaza O’Hare
• Hyatt Regency O’Hare
• Airplane Art Extra: From the Hyatt Regency O’Hare
• Chicago Classics: Mannys Deli and Cafeteria
• Bench Test and First Impressions: Canon EOS R50
• Rebuilding a Legacy: Central Camera, Chicago
• Chicago Classics: Peaquod’s Pizza
• Back to O’Hare, Swissport Lounge Chicago T5
• Finnair AY10 Chicago O’Hare to Helsinki Vantaa
• A quick ground-side visit, and an even quicker stop at the Finnair Lounge
• Finnair AY1337 to Helsinki Vantaa to London Heathrow
• The Unexpected Coach Home
• Expect the Unexpected

Transition

In the past, I’ve taken a cab one block with the amount of luggage I have. Sometimes I’ve walked it. Travelling light is a skill I have – but not for Chicago trips. They have to be heavy.

And besides, it’s good movement cardio – if the amount of sweat generated moving everything.

Since moving to a spinner-type suitcase, things are a little easier, as it’s a matter of wheeling one bag, with the other on top, and the backpack/day bag finding homes around me. That’s good in theory. In practice… a little harder as I have to deal with pavements (dear deity – this country does not know how to create a pavement), and also roadworks – last time I had to carry my bags over building work.

Oh and the laughably short crossing times over a stroad. That just makes it entertaining with lots of luggage.

The glamourous life of a traveller. I guess I should be grateful they put in some tactile paving on the pavement.

Thankfully, there was no building work and slow, steady walking wins the day – even over North River Road.

Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont

I headed into the Hyatt Regency O’Hare with my trash and headed up the escalator. Ahh. It’s good to be back in the land of the Tentical Monster.

And if you want something entertaining, look it up in Pokemon Go. That’s all I’m saying there. 

I headed over to the front desk to be processed. With the rate confirmed and a confirmation I was arriving early (so they wanted an extra $25 out of me), I pulled out the credit card and let it do its thing.

It’s just annoying more than anything else at this point in the game.

With all the formalities complete, and keys issued, I headed up to the 8th floor – although there was a wait for the lifts.

That would be more of a problem as the weekend progressed.

Arriving at the room, this time I had a room facing the Kenedy Expressway, Rosemont station, and to the side of 27L.

This is no bad thing, as there’s plenty of air traffic to watch – but more on that in another post.

As for the room itself… well, have you read an Economy Class and Beyond long-haul Chicago Trip report before

 

I went for a double-double room, as I would be sharing this with my friend – so a bed for each of us (space is a wonderful thing).

The room has a TV that … I’m scared of if I’m honest. The angle it’s set at doesn’t inspire confidence.

I mean… it’s a bit angled… 

There’s a noisemaker and alarm on the bedside, with a work surface, charger and coffee/tea-making facilities

Noisemaker and alarm by the bed.

Why yes? I have taken over the desk on arrival. 

Heading into the bathroom there are some changes. Whilst the soap and cuticle cleaner are individual, the main bath items are now all bulk items.

I’m mixed on this – the ecological impact of less plastic is always an important thing, but the ability to take little things away is always a fun reminder of a trip. And I suspect bulk items are a lot cheaper than the individual amenities – if we’re bunt.

There was also an iron, as well as extra bedding in the cupboard.

Of course, this hotel room being in the main block has a lovely feature – a balcony. Good for those who need “air” or since we are near an airport – good for watching aircraft and taking pictures of them.

I tease, of course.

More of that in a bit. Try in this trip’s next post when it goes live.

One of the bigger issues at the hotel was broken lifts, resulting in long waits for a lift, or lifts crammed beyond safe capacities. This turned into a problem on Sunday when multiple parties were leaving the hotel, and there was one active lift working the main block – which normally has four lifts available for guest use.

Put it like this: I found the emergency exit shafts, as well as that I could just about walk down eight flights of stairs on my knee.

With the state my right knee is in… that’s the only option I had. I did hear some people resorted to carrying suitcases downstairs via the steps due to the broken elevators. 

On the ground floor, the furniture had been shifted around to allow a dining space for the Perks Cafe. In addition, a new vending machine was installed by CVS, as well as one by BestBuy.

I didn’t test it to see if it would generate a five-mile-long receipt for two items. There was also a BestBuy vending machine too for those who had forgotten cables or needed earphones.

The food options in the Red Bar didn’t inspire me – as did much of the food locally that weekend. I did have a cola when I needed to work in the bar (as working when there are people around can sometimes be a helpful thing) – sometimes working in a quiet bedroom can be productive, but can be awfully lonely.

I spent my weekend catching up with friends, using the room as a base – although it seemed there were no set times for the rooms to be serviced – one attempt was at 9am in the morning – and the other was nearer to 4pm in the afternoon.

A little consistency would have been nice.

Check-out was a breeze, with everything accounted for correctly. With that, I was able to store my luggage at the hotel, until I needed to take it back to the airport.

Overall

The hotel improves in little ways each time I pass through here – and that’s good to see, However, the term “two steps forward, two steps back” comes to mind with this hotel some days, especially with the debacle over the broken lifts.

Trust me – with my knee, that’s not a good thing to go down eight flights of stairs on (although going up is slightly easier).

Consistency is a wonderful thing for any place to strive for, as well as a good hotel experience – I hope the Hyatt can be a little more consistent in the future.

Next: An Airplane Art Special from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare