Chicago’s Hotel EMC2 is a boutique hotel in Marriott’s highly creative line of Autograph Collection of properties. This collection is all about creating thematic statements that capture something important about the vibe or sensibility of a location. In this spirit, Hotel EMC2’s theme combines science and art, with a nod to Chicago’s blend of architectural and engineering wonders with its world-renowned art institutions. The hotel’s name as well as the name of its restaurant (The Albert) are a reference of course to Einstein, but the dream-like artwork that hung in our room is just as much a part of the character of the hotel as the science theme.
Beyond the charm of the hotel itself, the location on East Ontario Street is…well – magnificent. Steps from the famed Magnificent Mile with its fabulous shopping and dining and in walking distance from stunning galleries, museums and other landmarks, Hotel EMC2 is an excellent place to stay no matter what plans you have for this gorgeous city.
We were in Chicago this past August to take in our second Pearl Jam concert of 2024 on their Dark Matter Tour, played at no less than the iconic Wrigley Field (this incidentally was a train ride away from the hotel, but easily reached). We booked a four day trip around the concert, but had no trouble filling our time by taking mere steps from the hotel lobby. All we needed to do was pick a direction and walk, and this led us to the Field Museum of Natural History, the Art Institute of Chicago, a photo-op at Cloud Gate (a.k.a. The Bean), shopping, dining and other great sightseeing – all very walkable from here.
The hotel is tasteful and ultra contemporary, priding itself in making the most of innovative technology to enhance guests’ experiences (more on robotic butlers below).
The room was comfortable, clean, and quiet despite the busy downtown location. Housekeeping was prompt and thorough, always leaving plentiful complimentary bottles of water. It was also incredibly cool temperature-wise, all the more welcome as we spent most of our days walking the streets in scorching summer heat with temps in the mid to high nineties. We didn’t spend a lot of time in our room, but appreciated it very much as a clean, cool and quiet retreat from noise, and stiflingly hot concrete surroundings!
As promised – a note on the butlers. When you first step into the hotel, you’ll probably quickly spot Leo and Cleo, roving, waist-high creations bearing digital screen ‘faces’. They may even enter the elevator with you (as show below) en route to a guest room to deliver amenities. It’s a neat idea and definitely fits the cutting-edge-science theme. However, we did experience strange bleeping and flashing lights outside our door in the middle of one night as Cleo or Leo apparently became hung up – presumably after dropping something off next door. (The concept is not without its issues, I suppose, but generally seemed to be working well!)
All in all, we were impressed by the Hotel EMC2 and are inspired to check out other innovative, whimsical hotels in the Autograph Collection. There are converted railway stations, art gallery/hotel hybrids, and other reimagined historic landmarks located all over the world. Based on our excellent Chicago experience, we would gladly try other properties.
For its style, convenient location and comfort, we highly recommend a stay at Hotel EMC2 when you find yourself next in Chicago! It allowed us to breeze into the city without an airtight plan and yet leave feeling we’d “seen Chicago” and done so in style.
To make reservations or for more information about Hotel EMC2, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, visit www.hotelemc2.com
