The Talbott, Autograph Collection

My wife and I have done it before and always found the experience to be relaxing and restive and invigorating. Spend a weekend, especially a holiday weekend, in a luxurious hotel in downtown Chicago, shop on the Magnificent Mile, see a show, go sight-seeing, take a boat tour and dine at some Michelin starred restaurants. Truth be told, we haven't spent a weekend in downtown hotel -- we live only 12 blocks from the Loop -- since the elegant Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel closed in 2011. So we were really looking forward to our three-day stay at the Talbott Hotel over the recent Memorial Day weekend. Located at 20 East Delaware Place, this 149-room upscale boutique hotel, with its Michelin Guide recognition, only steps from the Magnificent Mile, os fresh off a massive renovation at the hands of local designer Kara Mann and Joie de Vivre from the West Coast. Revitalized rooms, a state-of-the-art fitness room and a full-service, 100-seat restaurant are all part of the new look. Other amenities include 24-hour front desk, valet parking, free wi-fi, concierge, bar, 24-hour room service, library, laundry, business center, luggage storage, doctor on call, multi-lingual staff and available bikes. We reserved a 475-square-foot Premium King Room with a king-sized bed, living/sitting room, HDTV, mini-fridge, coffee/tea maker and safe.

We were warmly welcomed by Michelle Escobar at the reception desk, and her gracious demeanor immediately set the tone for our stay. She was exceptionally courteous and professional, and thanks to her, we knew right away that we were in for a wonderful experience. Michelle truly made us feel valued from the moment we arrived!

My sister's daughter and her husband, who live in Dallas, Texas, were coming to Chicago for a visit and were looking for a downtown hotel convenient for shopping and sightseeing. There is nothing more convenient than the Talbott Hotel, which has just undergone a massive year-old renovation by local designer Kara Mann and West Coast expert Joie de Vivre. Located at 20 East Delaware Place, steps from the North Michigan Avenue shopping mecca, this 149-room upscale boutique hotel on Chicago's Gold Coast already has earned recognition in the Michelin Guide. It offers a plethora of amenities, including 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, valet parking, free wi-fi, a classy all-day restaurant, bar, lounge, revitalized rooms, a state-of-the-art fitness studio, business center, concierge, library, luggage storage, doctor on call, multi-lingual staff and bikes available. The Texans chose a Premium King room with 475 square feet of space, king-sized bed, living and sitting area, desk, wireless internet, HDTV, safe, mini-fridge and coffee/tea maker.

I’m a Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite member so stay at Marriott properties frequently and globally. While the Talbot in Chicago is a nice, clean hotel with a good restaurant, it has been many years since I’ve seen a hotel with zero TV streaming and no HD cable channels. To me, this is a deal killer and I wouldn’t stay here again, there are too many options in Chicago. Poor marks for an Autograph property