Chicago Travel Guide Ft. My Stay At Conrad Chicago

I recently got back from Chicago and could not WAIT to share this guide with you all. It was my first time in the city and I immediately fell in love with it. It was so beautiful, the energy and vibes were amazing, and I was really surprised to see how clean they city actually was. Also… the weather… I mean I could not have asked for anything better. I was so glad to leave gloomy Orange County for sunny Chicago (although it seems like it should be the opposite haha). Everyone was telling us we went at the perfect time, because the weather had just warmed up for MDW. If you know me, then you know I HATE the cold and literally can’t function when it’s cold. Warm weather + the sun literally give me life so I was very happy about that.

Okay now on to my stay. I had the pleasure of staying at the beautiful Conrad Chicago. I was so excited to have the opportunity to partner with them on my stay. All I can say is that it was simply just perfect! Everything from the hotel to my suite to the restaurants… it was all so amazing! Conrad Chicago is located in the heart of Downtown Chicago, just steps away from Magnificent Mile, basically the Rodeo Drive of Chicago. The location was so prime and could not get any better. When I’m visiting a city I like to make sure my hotel is located in an area with a ton of walkability, and the Conrad Chicago was just that! There are so many shops, restaurants, bars, and even the Riverwalk just minutes away. Since the weather was so nice we were able to walk to a lot of spots, day and night, and it was so convenient.

Now a little bit about the hotel and it’s amenities. When I arrived at The Conrad Chicago I was so impressed! The hotel is stunning. The lobby is on the 20th floor, which I thought was so unique and cool! The property offers stunning 360 degree views of the city as well as smart technology in all the rooms. They also have two restaurants, Baptiste and Bottle and Noyane. Baptiste and Bottle is a bourdon centric restaurant serving an elevated American menu. We dined here our first night, and everything was so delicious! From the cocktails to the starters and the main course, we really enjoyed every single thing we ordered (I’ll talk about this a little more below). The 20th floor restaurant also offers stunning views of the city! Noyane is another great spot located on their rooftop. It is a seasonal rooftop restaurant that offers a contemporary Japanese cuisine with amazing cocktails and an even better view of the city. We stopped by Noyane for sunset drinks before our dinner at Baptiste and Bottle and it was so great. Good drinks and good music accompanied with a spectacular view of the city…. it could not get any better!

The hotel also offers a fitness center as well as rooms for meetings and events! Now a little bit about our room. We stayed in a corner suite which offered beautiful floor to ceiling glass windows with a view of the city. The room was so spacious with a living room area as well as a separate bedroom. The closet space was also amazing! I always have an issue with closet space when traveling so I was really happy about that! The bathroom also had two sinks which made it so convenient when getting ready in the mornings. Also, one super important thing to note: the customer service was so great at the Conrad. The staff was so attentive and helpful whenever we had any questions or needed assistance with anything. The concierge also did a great job of helping us book our activities and share suggestions on things to do and see in the city! Overall our stay was so pleasant at the Conrad Chicago, I highly recommend staying there if you plan on visiting the city soon.

Now a little more about Chicago, what to do, where to eat/drink, and places to see! Chicago is known as the windy city and the winters can be pretty brutal with the snow so I would recommend visiting sometime in the summer. I think we got really lucky when we went because everyone was telling us the weather had JUST warmed up a couple days ago. It was in the 80s while we were there and it was seriously perfect! Also there isn’t a big temperature difference between day and night which I loved even more. So I basically packed a summer wardrobe with cute yet comfortable clothes + shoes because we did a lot of walking and I wanted to make sure I was comfortable.

WHAT TO DO:

• Visit Willis Tower and check out Skydeck for insane views of the city and a spot for a cool photo op on the glass ledge

• Walk around Millennium Park and visit Cloud Gate AKA the bean!

• Check our Riverwalk and do an architecture boat tour. We LOVED this! It was so fun and a great way to see the city and learn more about the architecture and history behind all the buildings and towers. We booked with First Lady Cruises and could not have been more happy with our tour (make sure to try the vodka lemonade, so good and refreshing).

• Try a deep dish pizza! I’ll admit, I’m not really into thick pizza. I like my pizza thin and crispy, but I knew I had to try a deep dish pizza while in Chicago and it was surprisingly SO good!
• Visit Navy Pier for fun rides, shops, and food
• Visit a museum. We didn’t have time for this but we heard there are so many great ones in the city!
• Catch a game at the world famous Wrigley Field. I wish we did this as well!
• Explore the restaurant and bar scene (I’ll get more into this bellow) but there are just so many amazing spots to try in the city!
• Go shopping at Magnificent Mile, they had so many great stores
• Check out the John Hancock building for 360 Chicago, they have a tilting glass lookout on the 94th floor

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK:

When it came to food, we were so overwhelmed. The options were endless and everything sounded SO good. Literally every spot was also cute AF! So after a ton of research, these are the spots we ate and drank at.

• Baptiste and Bottle: I already covered this restaurant a little bit above but it was at our hotel, Conrad, and it was so delicious! A great place for amazing American food (the steak was my fav).

• Noyane: A rooftop Japanese restaurant and bar at our hotel, with delicious drinks and an amazing view of the city. Perfect for sunset drinks!

• Giordanos: A local favorite, they have locations all over the city! We went here for the famous Chicago deep dish pizza. We ended up getting personal pizzas and they were actually so good. Just a heads up, it takes about 1 hour to make a deep dish pizza, regardless of size, so make sure you give yourself some time.
• Sushi San: Sushi is our thing and whenever we travel we try to go to at least one sushi spot. We were initially drawn to Sushi San because of the great reviews as well as the ambiance. They promote the restaurant as “hand rolls and hip hop” so we knew we had to go! Everything was so great, from the sushi to the service and the overall vibes. We had a great time! They also have some pretty cool drinks so make sure to have a cocktail or two while you’re there. The sushi was so fresh and sooooo good!

• Beatnik: The ultimate brunch spot! This place is Mediterranean heaven with the coolest decor and the most Instagram worthy spot. I’m talking cute tables, plants and candles everywhere, fun chandeliers, everything! SO trendy. The food was also delicious, the crudite platter is a must! I heard it’s great spot for dinner as well.

• 3 Arts Cafe at Restoration Hardware: This place had been on my bucket list forever so when I finally booked my trip I was SO excited to go here! It did not disappoint one bit, this garden courtyard restaurant is yet another super cute spot. We went for coffee and donuts but the food also looked amazing. It was such a dreamy spot located in the Gold Coast neighborhood, which reminded me so much of Greenwich Village in NYC. Beautiful streets all around!

• Duck Duck Goat: We ate here one our last night – they like to call it a “reasonably authentic” Chinese restaurant, lol! They serve everything from Dim Sum to delicious Chinese food. The dumplings are a must! They also have great drinks and a really fun ambiance.

• Emporium Arcade Bar: A laid-back and chill arcade bar with good music and lots of games! This was right next to Duck Duck Goat so we decided to stop by for a bit after our dinner.
• The Aviary: This spot offers the bougie-est drinks ever (and pretty pricey). But it’s a cool lounge, a great spot for after dinner drinks. They offer a wide array of cocktails, all of them coming with a pretty awesome presentation.
• Three Dots and A Dash: This is a fun Hawaiian themed bar. Another great spot for after dinner drinks but with a more casual vibe. Their drinks are presented in fun Hawaiian themed cups and glasses, overall a cool vibe!

OTHER BARS/LOUNGES ( I didn’t get to try these spots, but I heard they’re amazing):

• LondonHouse Rooftop Bar
• Esquire Champagne Room
• Cindy’s Rooftop
• The Pink Squirrel 
• Prairie School

Also – if you’re looking for an amazing burger, head to Au Cheval. I’m so sad we didn’t get to try this place but I heard they have the best burger in town!

Overall, I had such a great time in Chicago. It was such a beautiful city and I am so happy I finally had the opportunity to visit! Special thanks to the Conrad Chicago for such a warm welcome and a beautiful stay. Everything was perfect and I can’t wait to go back! I hope this travel guide helps you a bit if you plan on visiting the city anytime soon. Feel free to reach out if you guys have any other questions! Also you can see all my IG stories from the trip on my Chicago highlight. As always, thank you for reading! Xo, S.

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