Trump Hotel Chicago

Sometimes, a girl just needs to be pampered...which is why I get giddy like a school girl when I get to stay at the Trump Hotel Chicago. Half of my sales team sits in our Chicago office, so when I visit, I'm able to stay at the Trump which is walking distance from our office.

I appreciate good customer service and experience, and consistently, the Trump Chicago has exceeded my expectations. Here's what I love about this hotel...

• They get to know you...when you fill out a profile as a Trump Card Privileges member (free to join), they truly honor your special needs. Favorite magazine, snacks, etc. I specified that I eat healthy and came back to my hotel room one night with a full on exotic fruit spread. It was amazing.
• Each room has a Nespresso machine with both regular and decaf options.
• Turn down service is on point. Bottles of water are left behind for at night slippers are placed by your bed.
• They leave behind a note card each day with the weather for the next day. Super helpful.
• The gym is amazing. Amazing view, large amount of cardio and weight machines, and the locker room is like a spa. They even have takeaway mini booklets with different workout programs, depending on what your goal is.
• They have their own line of amenities that smell great. We were lucky enough to stay in a spa room one stay and got bonus bath and body products, body scrub and body butters...
• The bathroom mirror has a TV in it...enough said.
• Extremely comfortable beds

The Trump realizes that they get a lot of work travelers, so they do their best to make you feel comfortable, pampered and at home. If you're in a city where there's a Trump, I definitely encourage you to splurge. It's a celebratory type of hotel.

Wine on the house because of a reservation mix up

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  View from treadmill

  

  Nespresso machine and mini bar

Bargain Boutique Hotel in NYC

This past weekend my husband and I spent some time in our old NYC neighborhood, the Upper West Side. I miss the city life…a lot! The weather was unreal this past weekend. High 50s in mid-January? I’ll take it!

We stayed at On the Avenue New York Hotel on the Upper West Side. This is hotel is a BARGAIN for NYC. It’s cute boutique hotel, located at W 77th & Broadway. It’s tucked away in a corner and doesn’t stand out. We paid an average of $80/night at this hotel for a Friday-Sunday stay...unreal for NYC!

The rooms were clean, service was friendly, and they have all the standard amenities (shampoo, conditioner, soaps, lotions, hair dryer, coffee, etc.). They have wireless internet in the rooms but you have to pay for it. There is also a small workout room with a few treadmills, elliptical, weight bench and hand weights.

If you want to do NYC on the cheap, I highly recommend this hotel. I know the Upper West Side isn’t in the center of the action, but at this hotel, you are only a few subway stops from being downtown.

Some of our favorite spots on the Upper West Side:
Edgar's Cafe, Amsterdam & W 92nd - Favorite spot for breakfast after a good weekend workout. Jerry Stiller is also a fan of this restaurant (love letter from him framed on the wall!)
Mermaid Inn, Amsterdam & W 88th St. - Great brunch, steak & eggs recommended by my hubby
Good Enough to Eat, Amsterdam & W 83rd St. - Long line, but worth the wait. Creative breakfasts you won't find anywhere else
Pomodoro, Columbus & W 71st - Welcoming Italian restaurant. You feel like family when you're there!
The Dead Poet, Amsterdam & W 82nd - Love this bar, owned by Michigan natives. Total mixed bag on any night, from college students to UWS locals. I recommend the whiskey flight...enough for 2 to share!