Sometimes when you can’t get out of town, you just need to grab a hotel room and act like a tourist in your own city! If you follow my IG and Facebook, you know that last Friday I checked in to the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago – Magnificent Mile for a well needed STAYCATION!  If you are familiar with the DoubleTree you know you have not fully checked in until they hand over your keycard and those signature warm chocolate chip cookies!!! 

Located two blocks from Michigan Avenue and the Magnificent Mile, the DoubleTree has embarked upon a $35 million hotel transformation that includes a unique concept called Five Feet to Fitness™, a convenient way for guests to exercise in the privacy of their rooms with more than 11 different pieces of equipment.  This is a convenient way for wellness enthusiasts to get a work out when traveling for work or pleasure. These special rooms include an indoor bike and a dynamic Gym Rax™, which is a functional training station that delivers unlimited strength, core and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) style workouts for guests via a digital kiosk.  It was great for me to be able to just toss on my workout clothes and hit the bike, then use the digital kiosk which led me thru some intense HIIT workouts! 

In addition to Five Feet to Fitness™, the other amazing changes to the Double-Tree include an open-concept lobby with a new lobby arrival experience, renovated guest rooms, meeting space, and a rooftop pool and terrace.  Also, there’s a new restaurant called HotHouse, as well as a grab-and-go Made Market to help meet your cravings at various times during the day and evening.  The transformed guestrooms feature a fresh blue and grey color palette and wood furniture, contrasting against white amenity centers. While in-room artwork pays tribute to Chicago’s great architectural masterpieces, guests can experience Chicago from the comfort of the new built-in upholstered window seats.

Dinner at HotHouse was delicious!  With crafted cocktails and savory plates meant for sharing, it made for a fabulous evening.  We tried the Chef Emo’s Signature ¾-pound meatball served with fresh crushed tomato-basil gravy and house made ricotta, then the seared salmon & lemon basil risotto (full of flavor and cooked to perfection), and of course, I cannot have a meal without brussel sprouts!  At HotHouse, they serve theirs charred with pine nuts, chili flakes, parmesan and then drizzle the sprouts with balsamic.  In addition to those items, we also had the grilled rub wings (sweet heat flavor), which was very good, as well as the chicken caprese sliders and the pork belly bao buns.  Last but certainly not least, “The Cookie” Eggroll served with vanilla gelato was the perfect ending to an amazing dinner!  The menu not only offers a wide variety of options but the price point is great, especially for the location.

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