The Hyatt Regency O’Hare
TRIP REPORT: Still for the Friends
Time for a classic hotel stop on the Economy Class and Beyond roster- the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. But is there change afoot? And if the hotel offered a low-floor room, should you take it?
- Still for the friends
- But first. A trip to Liverpool, North West England. But why?
- To the… daytime Heathrow run?
- Lounging around with Cathay Pacific and American Airlines
- AA87 London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare (Main Cabin Extra)
- Into the USA, A Scammer Taxi driver and the Crowne Plaza O’Hare
- The Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Airplane Art Extra from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Exploring a craft at the Museum of Contemporary Photography
- The Gundam Base, Chicago
- Quick Food Adventures
- An Early Return to O’Hare and the American Airlines Flagship Lounge
- AA882 to Chicago O’Hare to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (Exit Row)
- A Quick Atlanta Transit
- BA226 to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport to London Heathrow Terminal 3 in World Traveller
- Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
- Still for Friends
Hyatt Regency O’Hare
An evening photo. Are you happy, dear reader? No? You want it at night? There’s no pleasing some people.
With my time at the Crowne Plaza done and dusted, it was time to head over to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. Given that they are a block away from each other, and that my luggage has directional wheels, it was time for the great push and pull across one block vertically and horizontally.
I could have paid the $7 for an Uber… but honestly, I needed a lunchtime workout, even if the suitcase on American pavements is… not a good idea, especially when there’s a stroad to cross too. That’s also fun when you have to push the suitcase.
Because dragging the damn thing when it’s loaded with the skibag on top doesn’t work out well.
I made it safely across the road, then over to the other side, where the hotel is located.
Heading indoors, one of the escalators was out, never a good sign. I plodded onwards, noting there was a lot of noise for what’s normally a quiet property.
Repairs in progress
Hello, tentacle monster.
It turned out that the hotel was having a major refurbishment through 2026.
I’m going to be blunt – I’ve been coming here for years, and I can say it’s about time. Whilst some of the rooms I’ve stayed in have been presentable, others have been… seen better days is the only term I can use to describe them.
I headed over to check in and was processed through, with a room for four nights. That’s all good in the grand scheme of things. What was interesting was that whilst I was assigned a room in the main building (as opposed to the Premium tower), I would be on the third floor of the hotel – literally above reception.
Hmm. Not ideal. But I’d take it at this point, as I had many other fish to fry at this point.
With the hotel partially refurbished, the rooms on the 3rd floor were some of those that had yet to be refurbished, so we have the classic Hyatt O’Hare rooms.
Heading out of the lift bank
Looking back, carpet is hell on suitcase wheels.
On the left is the bathroom. This has a ¾ tub in it, with a shower attachment (with controls that make sense to few people). In the centre, the toilet and to the right, a sink. The Amenities are mostly bulk-packed, save for a bar of soap.
Soap and towels
Lotion
Cleaning supplies.
Bathtub.
On the right-hand side is a cupboard. And yes, it has an iron and an ironing board.
I don’t get salty about this when travelling in Germany at all.
Making my way into the room, on the left is the massive TV, and on the left – two queen-sized beds. The beds, as usual, were their usual comfortable selves. Which, when you’ve been on the raz until 2am in the morning, helps… a lot.
Overview
The bed on the left.
Two Queen beds and a recliner chair
Meanwhile, the TV was at an angle that still scares me – but is seemingly safe.
That angle of tilt scares me.
Remote
Tea and Coffee facilities in the room are there, with the Keurig-style makers making it a little easier when you’re only half asleep and need caffeine that comes from a pod. Tea was in tea bags.
Glass-topped table.
Coffee, podular – Tea, Bagged.
Water for elites
Underneath the TV, there was a safe and a fridge.
This time, the room faced the Kennedy, Rosemont L station. Being on the 3rd floor, there wasn’t much of an angle for shooting- although, as usual, this is wind-dependent.
At least the L Station was visible… well, more the yard.
Being as low as the room was in the hotel, there was a lot of reflective sound from the atrium outside, as well as sound reflecting generally. It was one of the few times I reached for earplugs in this hotel – and I can sleep like a log without prompting some days.
China Airlines Cargo Boeing 777F.
KLM Boeing 787-9
Lufthansa Airbus A340-600. Soon to be very rare. We’ll have more images in an Airplane Art section soon.
In terms of service, the room was made up daily, and it seemed that the restaurant was being used for more than breakfast, which is good to see.
The Red Bar seemed to be where most of the action was taking place most nights, with it busy each time I passed through – again, good to see that things were busy at the hotel and that people were connecting. I stopped by for an O’Hare Burger to ensure I was properly one night whilst in Chicago (that’s a challenge unto itself some days).
The menu
Service was a little sluggish, as the number of people working the bar was down. It didn’t help that there were multiple conferences in the hotel that weekend.
I never pressed publish on that article. Ho hum.
The burger was cooked to a medium, with a selection of toppings (although the raw tomato was requested to be removed… even after all these years, it’s one thing I’ll pick out of a burger).
On the ground floor, the Perks cafe was doing good trade too, although like most onsite concessions, there are ebbs and flows in people traffic. On a Monday morning post-check-out rush, it’s a little quiet.
Check-out was a simple affair – with the charges confirmed. After some pleasant interactions with the staff, I was on my way out, after dropping off my luggage for a while.
I’d need to pick this up before I went home.
Overall
I’m glad to see the property is improving in multiple ways, with the focus on refurbishment being a good one- it’s something that’s needed to happen in the main block for years, with the interiors showing their age.
It’s still a reliable property in the O’Hare region, with unbeatable connectivity to the airport (with an every-15-minute shuttle to the airport).
Hopefully, when I pop back here in six months, things will have changed with the room- I’ll be excited to see the changes.
Although I’ll aim for a higher floor next time, the noise level on the 3rd floor penetrates the walls of the room.
Next:
If you’re following this at the time of publication, we’re off to enjoy a craft in play at the Museum of Contemporary Photography.
If you’re here post-publication, it’s time for some Airplane Art Extra from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare.
And who says I don’t provide adventures for all?
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