Hotel Palomar Chicago
Poshbrood recently stayed for several nights at the Palomar Hotel during Thanksgiving week. When we checked in, the girls were thrilled to see hot cocoa, marshmallows and hot cider in the very hip lobby lounge. The Living Room lounge has several areas of comfy cool seating and fireplace to keep you warm. We were greeted by the front desk by Palomar Hotel with Kimpton Kids welcome bags that included: colored pencils, coloring books, kaleidoscopes, kids' menus and coupons for milk and cookies (Redeem your cookie coupons and room service delivers the kids milk and cookies upon request -- the biggest, gooiest cookies ever.)
We stayed in a 725 square foot luxury one-bedroom suite that had a genius layout with two sets of double doors with a bathroom and vestibule/dressing area/bathroom in between the living room and the master bedroom. Both the living room and the master bedroom had flat screen TVs, desks, dressers, minibars, arm chairs and sitting areas. The living room has a large queen sofa that turns into a pullout bed at night. The bathroom was huge and our girls' favorite feature was the gigantic Fuji whirlpool tub. 
Seriously. My kids have never been so clean.
The hotel was designed by renowned interior designer Orlando Diaz-Azcuy. The rooms are contemporary chic with interesting art but it's a bit more IKEA than Design Center in quality. The bed was outrageously comfy -- I love the crazy layered Frette bedding that makes you cozy and never hot. The pillows too were decadent.
The hotel is located in Chicago's River North area, just blocks away from the famed Michigan Avenue shops and the Chicago River. It is a perfect location for family travel in Chicago. We were able to walk with three small children a few blocks to view the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade, explore the Gold Coast, Michigan Avenue and visit the amazing Museum of Science and Industry. (Tip: Buy tix ahead of time so you can participate in special exhibits, coal mine and submarine tours that require advanced notice.)
When it was too cold to continue to explore outside, our gang went for some exercise in Palomar's indoor pool. 
Such a wonderful amenity for guests and families. The exercise facilities had state-of-the art cardio equipment: treadmills, elliptical machines and recumbent bikes, all with individual LCD television screens.
A huge perk of staying at the hotel is its in-house restaurant, Sable. Sable is an American gastro-lounge that artfully reinstates the cocktail to its rightful throne. We dined at Sable with the kids and grandparents and all had a wonderful meal. The tiny plates are perfect for sharing and sophisticated enough for the adults. Our kids went gaga for the buttermilk drumettes. Poshbrood loved deviled eggs and bacon wrapped dates. To. Die. We also enjoyed the nearby upscale "diner" Eatt, a fun, chic restaurant that offered yummy comfort food/breakfast and a kid-friendly atmosphere. Our whole gang enjoyed the omelets and pancakes.
The Hotel Palomar Chicago is new -- just opened in March 2010 -- and we did have some minor feedback. 1.) When there are five people in a suite, please make sure there are more than just four bath towels and one extra pillow. 2.) Although we reserved the hotel's Kids/Family package, there were no cute teeny weeny Kimpton robes per the website. These things did not in any way adversely impact our stay and we will def be back but we're also committed to giving you the full mom scoop!
Nightly rates start at $289 a night but last minute promotions can offer even lower rates. The rates include evening wine and "mocktails" for the littles (holla!), complimentary morning coffee and tea in the Living Room and a pet goldfish upon request. The hotel is now offering a Cocktail or Complimentary breakfast daily for just $1 more than the best available rate.
877-731-0505
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