Just got back from 2 nights at the Blackstone. Room was excellent and spacious - marble floors in entry and bathroom, flat screen tv, high end furniture. Really the service is what makes the hotel stand out. You could not walk by any employee without them saying hi to you, holding the door open, etc.

I would highly recommend the hotel if you are planning to go to the museums. It is about a 10-15 minute walk through Grant Park to the Field Museum, Aquarium, and Planetarium, but you cannot get much closer in terms of a hotel. The Art Museum is about a 10 minute walk also the other direction.

If you are taking the train into the city, get off at the Van Buren Station and its an easy walk to the hotel (you can use this same stop to get to the Science Museum). Otherwise parking is $46/night at the hotel or around the corner on Wabash you can overnight for a little under $15 - we didn't go this route but we walked past this cheaper garage on our way back to the hotel one day.

Our stay at the brand new/greatly historic Blackstone was a terrific experience. The renovations have been very well done, adding contemporary furnishings and gadgets to the classic structure. Our only issues were with some service aspects which appear to be not well worked out yet, such as housekeeping not servicing our room until 6 pm and a clump of valet parkers who ignored us (we ended up in the Hilton lot across the street, marginally less exhorbitant). The hotel has a great future, building on a spectacular architectural treasure in a perfect location.

The Blackstone (So. Mich. Ave. @ Balbo next to the Hilton Chicago) has been beautifully rehabbed and updated by Marriott as a Renaissance property. Having stayed there in '99 when it was independently managed, the improvement is impressive indeed. Friends and I booked 3 separate rooms and all of us were more than satisfied - especially given we had senior rates. My large, marble bathroom had a walk-in shower with a rainfall shower head and top-of-the-line amenities. The staff to a person is eager-to-please. The location is hard to beat being within walking distance of Millennium Park, the Art Institute, Orchestra Hall, and the El. There's an on-site Starbucks and a Spanish-themed bar and restaurant which, while pricey, features well-prepared, and imaginative food. Being as new as it is, the staff really goes out of its way to make one's stay as pleasurable as possible.

When I booked this hotel I had very high expectations, I have already seen the pics on their web page and it simply looked fabulous. I have to say that The Blackstone didn't let me down. The rooms are cozy, you feel at home. They really have made a good job of the renovation. During our stay, not everything went smoothly, we had to move to another room because of some piping works. However we never felt something wrong with our room. Despite this little hitch, my evaluation is 10 out of 10.
I highly recommend this hotel if you can afford it.