We were all ready to check out the new JW Marriott Chicago, due to open in October. But it looks like the big day is getting pushed back again to November.
No specific date has been announced yet. Last we heard, there were some delays because of striking construction workers. But it looks like it will be worth the wait, since the hotel will reside in a landmark building from famed architect Daniel Burnham.
Source: www.hotelchatter.com – Go to Source

theWit‘s Russell Kook, sous chef of cibo matto, took on potty-mouthed Gordon Ramsay in last night’s eighth-season premiere of Hell’s Kitchen.
The 29-year-old sous chef joined 15 other contestants to compete for the head chef position at LA Market, a restaurant in the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. The job carries a $250,000 salary. The winner also gets to be a spokesperson for Rosemount Estate Wines.
Source: www.hotelchatter.com – Go to Source

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Is the WiFi free? Does the gym have good machines? All these things get noticed when checking into a hotel, but what about the atmosphere of the place—specifically the art on the walls or on the floor? All this week, we’ll be highlighting properties around the world that do their artwork right, and the specific pieces you should stare long and hard at when next you drop by.
Today: The James Chicago‘s “Room 28″ by Joel Ross. When you check into the James Hotel in Chicago—the original James, as there’s now …

<![CDATA[ Last fall, during a visit to Chicago, we were walking through the River North area with our heads down, looking more at our phone than at the sidewalk in front of us. The reason was all the excellent tips and deals showing up on Foursquare, and when we walked near The James Hotel, their lobby bar deal for two cocktails for the price of one was more than enough to pull us in. Chicago’s James was one of the first hotels to embrace Foursquare, and they continue to do …

We understand you can’t afford a chauffeur take you around town in a Bentley or a Maybach during your next hotel stay and that traveling to The V8 Hotel in Germany might be a bit too much. But if you’re completely averse to hotel bicycles you could consider an alternative method of transportation at The Elysian Hotel in Chicago–a pedicab.
The hotel has just introduced a pedi-cab service for all hotel guests to squire them around the Gold Coast Neighborhood. It’s available only in the afternoon and early evenings and …

During the farmer’s market, these ladies-who-lunch will have to make way for farm vendors.
People in search of fresh fruits and veggies in Chicago usually head to Green City Market. But the Trump Chicago International Hotel and Tower offers a sky-high grocery option. The hotel will host its first farmer’s market September 2 on the 16th-floor terrace. So you’ll peruse produce and get a nice view of the city at the same time.
Trump Chicago is jumping on the market-at-the-hotel trend, joining Manhattan’s Cooper Square and Andaz Wall Street. If this one-time …

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Is the WiFi free? Does the gym have good machines? All these things get noticed when checking into a hotel, but what about the atmosphere of the place—specifically the art on the walls or on the floor? All this week, we’ll be highlighting properties around the world that do their artwork right, and the specific pieces you should stare long and hard at when next you drop by.
Today: theWit Hotel‘s Angel Wing chandeliers by Cheryl Rowley. With the grittiness of Chicago’s Loop El tracks just outside, which consistently cast a …

Chicago’s popular Air and Water Show goes down this weekend, and while it’s fun time, it gets noisy. If you need a respite from the fighter jet racket and the throngs of people, Dana Hotel and Spa will offer a respite with its Tranquil Suites.
The king-sized suites use glass dividers to maximize space and make the room airy. They also have balconies with views of the city. As far as tech amenities, the suites have flat-screen televisions and Zeppelins, iPod-docking stations from Bowers & Wilkins.
Source: www.hotelchatter.com – Go to Source

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And by Chuck and Vanessa we mean Ed Westwick and Jessica Szohr–the on-off lovebirds of Gossip Girl. The pair reportedly split a few months ago but it looks like things were back on during Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival when they checked into a VIP Suite at the Hard Rock Chicago. E! Online reports:

While hanging at the Cabo Wabo tequila lounge (inside the Hard Rock), they even engaged in some PDA. Blame it on the alcohol!
“They were taking shots,” the source says. “They’re definitely a couple. They were kissing and …

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Yesterday we were positively shell-shocked to discover that the Four Seasons Chicago offered free WiFi in the rooms to its guests. So we’ve been on a mission to track down other Four Seasons hotels that offer free WiFi.
Right now, no other FS hotel in the U.S. offers free WiFi EXCEPT The Ritz-Carlton Chicago which is actually another Four Seasons hotel. (Yes, it’s v.v. confusing.) We’re not sure why these two FS Chicago properties are doing it for free. Maybe it’s a perk bestowed to guests by the hotel owners …