Item for the Wish List: Hotel Everland, Paris

Image Source: Trend Hunter Magazine

I learned of the Hotel Everland while reading the Economist's Paris city briefing, which I will include below because I think the link will be overwritten with the next briefing update.

"Business travellers tired of their usual hotel can spend a night on the roof-top of the Palais de Tokyo. Hotel Everland, a capsule hotel created by two Swiss artists, perches 30 metres above ground level and overlooks the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. The one-room hotel, which comes with a luxurious bathroom and 24-hour room service, doubles as an art installation, and has already travelled to cities in Germany and Switzerland. Paris is its last port of call. Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann intend viewers to become part of their artwork (for about €400 or $560 a night). The thrill of walking through a contemporary-art museum to reach your bed might just be worth it. The hotel can be booked online."



Image Source: FunForever.net

The Palais de Tokyo itself is a cool space.



It is situated just across the Seine from the Eifel Tower. You can get some pretty cool views from right nearby the museum. The views you'd enjoy while staying a night at Hotel Everland must be simply amazing.

Review: May St. Cafe, Chicago

Note: This also appears with my reviews over on Yelp

Overview:
May St Cafe was pleasantly unusual. It's dark, snug, lively, loud and idiosyncratically laid out. They serve worldly dishes with a uniquely local feel. It's urbane, yet unpretentious - haute cuisine, neighborhood style. The food is delicious and the presentation is excellent.

Highlights / Lowlights:

What was great

- Food. We tried some classic combinations (pork chop, black beans and rice) and some clever innovations (two types of quesadillas to start: mango & shrimp, and brie & pear - both really well done). The salmon entree was also very, very good.



- Seasonal touches. The kitchen demonstrated a bit of its range and imagination in the way they incorporated pumpkin into the menu on the night we visited. The pumpkin mashed potatoes were subtle, not sweet like you might expect - very nice. And the pumpkin flan was excellent, with good flavor and balance, not overpowering - really well done. It surprisingly overshadowed a very good 'warm lava cake', in my opinion.

- Service and attitude. Welcoming from the moment we approached the restaurant. Pulling a quick u-turn on Cermak after we passed the parking lot, we saw someone give us a friendly wave as he pointed us to an open spot. Later, when the Executive Chef, Mario Santiago, made the rounds of the dining room, we realized it was him whom we had seen in the parking lot. Somehow I don't picture Mario Batali doing that, but maybe I'm wrong. In addition to Chef Santiago, we also had good experience with our waitress, who was very on top of things.

- The kitchen. Kudos to those in the kitchen on this night - they turned around high quality food very quickly.




- Ambiance. Two things about the ambiance in particular are worth noting. First, the very interesting artwork on the walls that evinces a hand-crafted, personal kind of expression - a nice complement to the spirit of the restaurant. Then there is the lighting, which is very dark and intimate. The house lights are dimmed to nearly off, and you're left with a combination of the flickering votive on your table and the light of the street lamps diffused through the window treatments. I'm still kind of new to Sweetest Day as a holiday, but for a smoothly romantic setting on Sweetest Day, this was good.

What wasn't great

- Space and acoustics. The dining room is by no means large. Seats 50 people, tops, in one relatively small room. And on this night there was some party of 10 or 12 stretched across two perpendicular tables. Their presence unmistakably impacted the layout and the atmosphere, offsetting some of the positive ambiance points. But I am willing to chalk that up as a one-off. I'm guessing it isn't common for ~25% of their patrons to account for ~85% of the noise. We were fortunate enough to get a 4-top along the south wall of the restaurant, near the window onto Cermak. That felt like the best place to be in terms of space. Even there, though, we couldn't escape the drunken cackling of this large party's doyenne hostess, who seemed to believe she was entertaining in her own private salon, either completely oblivious or unconcerned about how her idiotic bleatings might detract from the enjoyment of her fellow diners. There was a tangible difference in the room's vibe once she finally left, but unfortunately her stay coincided with most of ours. At least we had dessert in peace.

Scorecard:

The 2 critical questions

- Would I eat here again? Definitely. Just wish it wasn't such a trek, as Edgewater to Pilsen isn't a casual jaunt.

- Did it seem like good value? Pretty good. Our bill for two appetizers, two entrees and two desserts was $86 before tip. It's byob, which is nice. It isn't inexpensive, but the quality merits the price.

Essentials

Food - Excellent

Service - Very good.

Amenities

Space - Nice, but small

Bathrooms - Pretty cool - I envied them their stone sink and counter tops.

Parking - Excellent. Couldn't be any easier.

Review: Whym, Manhattan

Image Source: JoonBlog New York

Note: This also appears with my reviews over on Yelp

Overview:
Maybe it was the company, maybe it was the context, but Whym felt "just right" when I ate there with some business colleagues in late September. It was sophisticated, yet not stuffy. Classy, but not fancy. Intimate, but not cramped. It has an approachable feel. Aspirational, yet familiar - and maybe the fact that it has sort of a Room & Board or West Elm kind of aesthetic has something to do with that. Over the course of the evening I felt more like I was at a dinner party hosted by a friend of a friend rather than at a restaurant.

Highlights / Lowlights:

What was great

- Service. Very good across the board. The hostess, the bartender, our server - everyone was friendly, competent and comfortable. I didn't get a sense that they would rather be somewhere else or that they would prefer we weren't there at all (I know this might seem like a low expectation, but in a world of indifferent service simply being present and friendly can be a nice experience). There also were no hints of dining-as-performance carried out by actors in training using your meal as an opportunity to polish their articulation and projection exercises. Just nice people, not putting on any airs, serving you some good food.

- Dessert. The Smoreswich had some ingoing hype as someone in our party had tried it before. Even with the advance billing, it delivered. Good stuff.

What wasn't great
- Nothing stands out as needing comment here - they had a good night.

Scorecard:

The 2 Critical Questions

- Would I eat here again? Gladly

- Did it seem like good value? Yes. Appetizers, dinner/wine and dessert for 5 people under $400 in Manhattan - pretty good indeed.

Essentials

Food - Good / very good. Entrees at our table included tuna, pork chops, short ribs and roasted duck breast and everyone was happy.

Service - Very good.

Amenities

Decor - Solid. Smooth and comforting. Stylish without feeling like it's trying too hard. Nothing deliberate, distracting or over the top. Just a nice setting for a good meal.

Random note:
The Hudson Hotel is nearby, which could come in handy for either pre-meal or post-meals drinks and people watching. Certainly a 'scene' kind of place, and pricey (~$15 for odd drinks with hip names), but if you're expensing your trip and need some visual stimulation, check it out.

Review: America's Dog, Chicago

Note: This also appears with my reviews over on Yelp.

Overview:
America's Dog was more than I expected, yet didn't seem to be trying to do too much. The menu struck me as a nice balance of focus and variety. Hot dogs are obviously the main event, but there are at least 17 different ways to order one (including a veggie dog). Beyond that you've got burgers, sausages, chicken sandwiches and 4 different salad (!) options.

The restaurant itself is clean, well-lit and features a full wall of photos depicting various American slice-of-life shots. The pictures serve as a nice thematic complement to the menu of wide ranging dog styles hailing from Atlanta to San Francisco with multiple stops in between.



Sure, it isn't the healthiest lunch option, but at least the portions are reasonably sized (talking about the regular hot dog here, not the jumbo). It won't be an everyday affair for me -- although it would be interesting to do a Morgan Spurlock-esque month through the America's Dog menu -- but this will be a nice change of pace when the Quizno's-Burrito Beach-Potbelly's troika seems a little old.

Highlights / Lowlights:

What was great:

- Variety. If you like hot dogs at all, you will have no problem finding something here for you. And even if you don't like hot dogs there's a good shot you'll find something you like.

- Atmosphere. Good colors, good layout - just feels like a good, comfortable place to grab a quick bite.

What wasn't great:

- To-go packaging insulation. I had about a 4 - 5 minute walk back to my desk once I had dog in hand, and by the time I dug in it had cooled just a bit, to the point where you notice but you'll still eat it. It was tasty, and I suppose I could have microwaved it to bring it back to hot. But maybe they could go with a foil-based wrapping technique rather than the kind of skimpy styrofoam dog sleeve they use (which might be more Earth-friendly too, no?).

Scorecard:

The 2 Critical Questions

- Would I eat here again? Yes. Not all the time, but occasionally, yes.

- Did it seem like good value? Yes, it's decent value. I suppose in some ways $2.86 for a regular hot dog might seem a little much. But when even the small sub at Quizno's is north of $5 and a large will set you back $9 or $10, $2.86 is a relative bargain.

Essentials

Food - Good. I got the Kansas City dog (melted swiss cheese with sauerkraut and yellow mustard)

Value - Good.

Amenities

Decor - Very good. Clean, welcoming.

Mini Review: Angel Food Bakery, Chicago

Image Source: faerybliss48

Note: This also appears with my reviews over on Yelp.

Overall Impression:
Angel Food Bakery is pleasant enough, I suppose. My wife somewhat liked it (but honestly, she is not the toughest critic in the world). To me, however, the atmosphere felt a bit contrived, like they were knowingly trying to be quirky-quaint in the annoying "Ace of Cakes" kind of way.

We tried them for lunch one Saturday afternoon. Our lunch orders had highs and lows for an overall average kind of feel. But the desserts were very good.

Highlights / Lowlights:

What was great

- Reading materials. Having the Reader and The Onion on hand was much appreciated.

- Soda options. Despite their old-timey label I don't think Stewart's is really a mom-and-pop soda company (at least not anymore), but it was nice to have some flavor options other than cola, lemon-line and diet cola. Beware the ginger soda, though. Tasty, yet not refreshing.

- Mac and cheese. This was the one lunch item that would be worth ordering again.

- Desserts. We tried a couple there and took a few more home with us. Definitely liked some better than others, but that's a matter of personal taste more than quality. All were good. At $3 - $4 per item they aren't cheap, but for made-from-scratch stuff of this caliber, it's fair.

What wasn't so great

- Music. Their soundtrack was an assortment of less popular 50s music. No one could like this stuff. It felt very deliberate. Like, look at us; we have eclectic musical tastes.

- Decor. Walls were empty except for a shelf of deliberately selected oddball knickknacks. The shelf was probably at the 11-foot mark on a 12-foot ceiling, leaving the rest of the wall conspicuously bare. Would be a good place to display local artwork (maybe they do and we were just there during in the midst of a switch?).

- Food. A nit, perhaps, but the cabbage side dish served with my wife's chicken sandwich seeped all under the bun, leaving it soaked and purple. Probably should be served in its own little dish or something to prevent that.

Scorecard:

The 2 critical questions:

Would I eat there again? Yes, but only for dessert.

Did it seem like good value? Yes, but again, really just for the dessert.

Essentials:

- Food: Good / okay. Mac and cheese was solid, shoestring fries got mixed reviews. Desserts were damn good.

- Service. Good, pleasant.

Amenities:

- Music: Horrible

- Reading materials: Excellent.

Review: San Jose Marriot, San Jose, CA

Note: this also appears with my reviews over on Yelp.

Overview:
Staying here will quite possibly be the most nondescript $269/night you ever spend on lodging. The place has a design aesthetic ripped from the pages of an 'everyday low prices' suburban furniture store circular. With respect to service and amenities, there were a few small items that are aggravating irritants to me, but depending upon your tastes you could find this place to be anywhere from functional but somewhat disappointing to perfectly safe and pleasant.

Highlights & Lowlights:

What was great

- Space. Rooms are big. Actually much bigger than I needed with 2 double beds.

- Location. Could not be more convenient if you are attending something at the San Jose Convention Center, as it is directly connected to it.

What wasn't so great

- Ventilation. Every time I returned to my room [# 2023] I could feel an immediate difference in air quality. The windows do not open and there was only one ~12" x 12" vent, which was at the opposite end of the room from the work area. I had the temp set to 60 with fan on high and there is no way the room ever got below ~70. First day I made the mistake of leaving the curtains open and the room baked during the day, so I was hoping the second day when I had everything closed there would be a discernible difference, but no dice.

- The Internets. LAN only access, far away from the a/c vent. Like working in an attic.



- No mini-bar or fridge. Maybe it's a Marriott thing because I had the same issue at the Marriott Marquis in NYC. Seriously, wtf? It makes absolutely no sense to me. So if I want a snack of any kind I need to schlep to a Walgreen's 5 blocks away or to a shady convenience store over by the San Jose State campus.



[Pause mini-fridge rant for a moment. It should be noted that I did stroll around and through the SJ State campus a bit, which seemed nice. My comment regarding the semi-shady grocery store in the photo above should not be construed as suggesting that San Jose State is shady. It could be, but that wasn't the vibe I got. If anything I probably looked like the shady old guy miscellaneously walking through campus. I'm lucky I didn't find myself cuffed and stuffed in this for suspicion of general perversion. Resume mini-fridge rant now ...]

And if I want something other than tap water I'm taking a trip to the vending machine that is conveniently located at the other end of the floor. That's definitely the first thing I want to do when I wake up. Trudge my unshowered self through a business hotel where who knows who I'll bump into looking like a zombie desperate for some cold water. Thanks Uncle Marriott. Guess I'll go with the buy-an-extra-bottle-and-drink-it-warm-in-the-morning approach. That's a treat.

Scorecard:

The 2 Critical Questions
- Would I stay here again? Probably not. I'd definitely explore options, such as the Sainte Clare, which I learned upon arrival is right across the street, looks much cooler and seems to be better priced. Ugh.
- Was it a good value? @ $270/night I didn't think so. The inconveniences and disappointments outweighed the good things for me. But I am not overly familiar with hotel prices in the San Jose market. Maybe $270 is what you pay for entry level functionality and if you want a mini-bar and a/c that works you need to go higher than that.

Essentials:
Service - Fine
Bed - Good, kind of smallish. They say it's 2 Queens but felt more like a double to me. Maybe it was the 47 pillows piled on each bed that threw off my perception.
Bathroom - Good, modern, large



Amenities:
Room Service - Good enough. Used it once, they were right on time and not outrageously priced [$23 for a pot of coffee, cereal and a bowl of mediocre strawberries].
TV - Good. Brand new flat screen.

Review: La Taqueria, San Jose, CA

Note: This also appears in my reviews over on Yelp.

Overview:
La Taqueria felt like a family run place that takes pride in what they do, has a strong point of view on how to serve food and a staff that knows how to execute the vision. [Yes, I know I'm talking about a taqueria here, but good business is good business, whether you're serving burritos or running a country club.] I was glad to find this place as I wandered around downtown San Jose during a conference break.



Highlights / Lowlights:

What was great

- Food. The chorizo burrito was delicious, with the salsa verde available on the table providing some good flavor and kick when needed.

- Drink. Pineapple juice on the menu - nice. If you're a connoisseur of fresh Central / South American pineapple juice this won't quite match that caliber, but still it was refreshing and a great surprise to see it on the menu.

- Atmosphere & Attitude. Seemed like a no-nonsense lunch place for nearby office folks, but it was neither hurried nor frenzied. The staff were pros at turning around orders. Quick, yet applying some nice small touches. For example, the burrito itself was wrapped tightly and appropriately sized, unlike some of the loosely rolled, rice-filled Nerf football-esque monsters that collapse in your hands upon first bite. Plus, there was a hard to describe foil wrapping panache in the presentation of my burrito. Not a huge thing, but made me feel like my burrito was in good hands and well cared for before getting onto my tray. Not just a big ol' man-handled lump of beans in a tortilla.

- Music. The jukebox was playing some authentic Mexican music, as it was actually being used during a lunch rush on a Thursday. Not something I see during my semi-regular Quizno's runs back in Chicago.



What wasn't so great

- Grease factor. My burrito was a little greasy, but even that was manageable.

- Price. Maybe a little steep for a burrito @ $5.75, but I'm nitpicking here - I really liked this place.

Scorecard:

2 Critical Questions
- Would I eat here again? Yes, no question.
- Was it good value? I thought so.

Essentials
Food - very good
Drink - very good
Price - Fair
Cleanliness - Good; tables were clean and during my 15 minute stay someone did multiple laps of the dining room tidying up.

Amenities
Jukebox - Great; felt authentic - could easily have been in Mexico City
Bathrooms - Quite decent

Hotel Review: Condesa d.f., Mexico City

Overview:
The Condesa df is an excellent concept that falters with disappointing execution and inconsistent service. Behind an unassuming exterior lies a pervasively contemporary and cosmopolitan design. The lounge / restaurant area on the ground floor is all cool tones and clean lines. Walking through the common areas is to glide through a landscape of hip furniture and accessories that all share a relatively limited palette of smooth, solid colors. And it works. You feel soothed, and cool.


Image Source: stylehive

Encouraged by a strong first impression, my wife and I had high hopes for our 5 night stay this past March. But we soon got off to a bad start that only signaled the beginning of a consistent string of challenges and disappointments. I can almost understand how Condesa df's management might believe that the environment and atmosphere could lead their guests to overlook the occasional inconvenience or disturbance. But so many piled up for us that my memory of Condesa df will be of a place with great but unfulfilled potential.

Highlights / Low Lights:

What was great
- Location. It is embedded within a relatively quiet, residential area, yet has great proximity to the restaurants, bars and shops of the Condesa neighborhood

- Food. When they got the orders right, the food was terrific. Both in the restaurant and for room service.


Image Source: A TripAdvisor Member

What wasn't so great
- Not getting the room we had reserved. We booked a 'Patio' room via Expedia, but were told no 'Patio' rooms were available when we arrived. They put us in a 'Balcony' room and assured me it was an upgrade, but wouldn't allow me to actually see an example of each room. They were not very apologetic about this in the least, taking a very 'it is what it is' attitude, seemingly unable to comprehend how disappointing and frustrating it was to believe I was reserving a room with some kind of patio but ended up in a 'Balcony' room that had perhaps a 3-inch balcony. I even attempted to negotiate a compromise/upgrade for one of their available suite rooms at a discount [but it still would have translated into out spending an additional 30% than what we were paying for our 'Patio' room] and I might as well have requested an escorted flight to the moon. No chance, no thanks, go to another hotel if you like, your room is #105. Period.



- Power. This is something you might be inclined to take for granted. But over the course of 36 - 48 hours the power had to have gone out 20 times. Seriously. We were watching a dvd we had brought with us and during the course of watching a 1 hour show we had the power go out 6 times. Each time triggering the need to cue up the dvd again and find where we had left off. End of the world? No. Aggravatingly inconvenient? Yes.

- Room service. We ordered room service breakfast 3 or 4 times during our stay. Twice we had to return at least a portion of what was brought up because it was the wrong order. It seemed to be some combination of having not enough staff on duty and having people covering jobs they don't usually fill. The place only has 40 rooms. This isn't the W Times Square. Didn't seem like their restaurant and room service folks should have been that swamped.

- Car service. We had an early flight out and requested a car be ready at 6am to take us to the airport. Actually, we requested a truck because we were bringing some big items back with us. And we made this request mid-afternoon the day before we needed to go. 6am next morning our ride is not there, and no one is sure why that is. The doormen seemed genuinely puzzled by this dropped ball, and the guy at the front desk was able to scramble and get another ride arranged for us, but we waited a half-hour and were cutting it closer than we would have liked for making our flight.

Scorecard:

The 2 Key Questions
(1) Would I stay here again? No, not unless all comparable options were unavailable.
(2) Did it seem like a good value? We paid $208/night. It would have definitely been worth it were there not so many screw ups. Bottom line - it was neither an outrageous bargain nor ludicrously overpriced.

Essentials
Service - Below average; decent on the routine things, but borderline condescending on some more significant issues.
Bed - Very good
Bathroom - Good; it's cool, but a bit cramped

Amenities
TV / DVD Player - Good, when it worked. Screen is small, but the rooms are a bit small, so probably good not to have a huge screen dominating things.
View - Good; Room 105 faces a nice little park
The Internets - Horrible; they advertise free wi-fi, but I was never able to access it for more than 10 uninterrupted minutes during our entire stay. You might ask what the hell do I need to be on The Internets during a vacation for anyway. Fair question. But I like to upload my photos to Flickr as I go, rather than deal with hundreds of pictures to upload in one batch when I return home.

Update: For more information on Condesa d.f., I just found the site differentworld.com, which appears to have more info and helpful pictures in its review than what you find on the Condesa d.f. site itself.

Review: W Times Square, NYC

Note: this review is also posted with my reviews over at Yelp

Overall Impression:
It can feel a bit over the top in the reception area -- there is a lot going on, designed for 'wow' effect and full of the people who dig that. Style definitely feels prioritized over substance, but if you can look past all the glamorous trimmings and don't mind a few relatively minor mix-ups, the rooms are pretty nice and a decent value for NYC.

Highlights / Lowlights:

What was great
- The bathroom is quintessential W bathroom - spa-like, sleek
- Room service menu includes cereal, which is a nice alternative to feel like home while sidestepping $30 omelets



What wasn't so great
- Broadband service was very choppy. Only really worked very late [after midnight].
- Room service botched my breakfast order



Random note
- The Times Square location means there's a lot of light and activity going on right outside. Depending upon your disposition this can be great or this can be miserable. I was actually pleased to have that energy outside to keep me awake as I pulled a near all-nighter working. But when you're ready to quit, the shades do a pretty good job of blocking all that out anyway.

Scorecard:

Would I stay here again? Yes
Did it seem like good value? Yes & No. Room at less than $400 is fine for NYC. Room service at $51 for a veggie burger, miso soup and water wasn't great.

Essentials
Service - Good, no complaints
Bed - Great
Bathroom - Great
Work space / The Internets - Okay

Amenities
Room Service - Spotty; timely, but pricey and accuracy can be off
Concierge - n / a, didn't use them
TV / Entertainment - Very good; nice flat screen directly facing the bed"

Review: W Tuscany, NYC

Note: this review also is posted with my reviews over on Yelp

Overall Impression:
The W Tuscany was a nice, friendly place. This location has a much more manageable scale and far less ostentatious vibe than some of their other properties. However, it was incredibly pricey. Maybe it was just bad timing [week of September 24th, or Advertising Week, which wasn't actually the reason for my trip], but prices were about twice what you would usually expect to pay.



Staying here felt like staying in a Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware: a big wood framed leaning mirror against one wall; a country style door with an 8-pane window separating the main room from the entryway / bathroom / mini-bar area; black and white photos of random landscapes and still lifes on a ledge built into the wall; bedding and furniture all done up in rich browns and reds. It really was like stepping into a catalog.

Highlights / Lowlights:

What was great
- The TV set up and channel selection. Nice flat screen that you've come to expect from the W [maybe a bit cramped on top of the work space], but the big bonus was BBC America and Current being among the available networks.

What wasn't so great
- The price. Seriously, I felt like I was paying rent when I checked out after just a 2-night stay.

Random note
- It's not a dead ringer or anything, but from your peripheral vision as you walk in at night, the bar area in the lobby reminds me of the Mexico City bar where Pierce Brosnan meets Greg Kinnear in Matador

Scorecard:

Would I stay here again? Yes, but only if prices returned to 'normal' NYC levels [i.e., anything less than $400/night]

Did it seem a good value? Um, no. Not this time.

Essentials
Service - pretty good, helpful; I actually walked into the neighboring W Court, which is two doors down and they did allow me to check in there. I just had to walk in and pick up my key at the Tuscany. Instead of making me feel like an ass, they kept things smooth for me.
Bed - very good, per W norms
Bathroom - good, but not the typical W luxury spa effect
Work space - good, maybe a bit cramped with the TV, but the internet connection remained solid at all times
Storage - very good, lots of space

Amenities
Room service - fine, but I didn't really challenge them, just getting coffee each morning
Concierge - n/a, I didn't use them
TV / Entertainment - very good; love the BBC America / Current options"

Review: Clift Hotel, San Francisco, CA

Note: This is also posted with my reviews over on Yelp.

Overall impression:
I found The Clift Hotel to be a solid, friendly boutique hotel without the cliche boutique hotel 'hipper than thou' attitude. Front desk folks seemed as if they genuinely cared and the concierge was helpful. The room delivered what I needed, but it didn't overwhelm me with the quality of its amenities.

I was here for just one night on a business trip and the folks at the desk clearly wanted to make a good impression for our company. I was 'upgraded' into a room which, while spacious, wasn't a suite or anything so I'm not entirely sure what the upgrade was. They also welcomed me with a little note from the manager on duty and included some drink vouchers for the bar downstairs [which seems to be kind of scenester-ish] but I wasn't able to use them.



The general vibe struck me as a little schizophrenic, though. The best way I can think to describe it is if Martha Stewart was stylizing a W room around Easter time, but had to play by 'Design on a Dime' rules or something [i.e., you've got $500 and can use whatever is in the garage]. For example, the lavender and cream color scheme included a wheelbarrow-like chair with a lil' throw blanket [in case I caught a chill I suppose]. Charming, really - good times. But the heavy-duty grey carpet was the type that is omnipresent in entry level studio apartments you'll find in the mid-rise buildings that litter Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. And the kewl plastic orange nightstands gave me bad flashbacks to my time at The Standard in Hollywood.



Highlights / Lowlights:

What was great
- Front desk welcoming attitude and general helpfulness;
- Concierge was very helpful when I was stuck at The Presidio and about to lose my mind because I couldn't get a taxi to save my life
- Value - Probably a corporate rate, but I think I paid in the $230 range +/-

What wasn't all that great
- The TV / Entertainment center is straight out of Ikea's 'my first dorm room' catalog circa 1995
- Desk / work area could be more spacious



Scorecard:

Would I stay here again? Yes
Did it seem a good value? Yes

Essentials
Service - very good
Bed - very good
Bathroom - good; nice, but small
Work space / internet service - okay
Storage - more closet space in room 808 than I had in my first apartment

Amenities
Room Service - n/a, didn't try it
Concierge - very helpful
TV / Entertainment - mediocre / poor"