Jay and I are enjoying a quick weekend away in Chicago before heading back up to Wisconsin Sunday afternoon. We accepted an invitation to try out the one of Chicago’s newest hotels, The Elysian, located at 11 East Walton. It is located in the heart of the Gold Coast and is near tons of shops and convenient to many activities.
The rooms are exceptional and have every luxury you could desire including fireplaces, furnished outdoor terraces, operable windows, multiple closets and a private bar complete with refrigerator, freezer, microwave and stovetop. The white Carrara marble bathrooms boast soaking tubs, separate showers and dual vanities with inset LCD television, 460-thread count Rivolta Carmignani Italian bed linens, lavish bath amenities and plush terry cloth bathrobes, advanced in-room technology including LCD high-definition televisions, touch screen Voice-Over-IP telephones with complimentary national calling, complimentary wireless Internet, international channeling, CAT 6 wiring and Bowers & Wilkins integrated sound system.
We enjoyed an amazing dinner at Balsan, the beautiful European-inspired bistro located on the third floor. The food was amazing. I enjoyed the fresh oysters (flown in daily) while J dined on a baby lettuce salad. Appetizers were followed by a Margarita pizza (proclaimed by J to be the “best he has had…ever”) and delicious soup. Dessert was a hazelnut cream pastry that perfectly rounded out the excellent meal.
Any issues Balsan may have faced when they first opened have been entirely ironed out. The service was beyond attentive and the timing of the courses was perfect. The restaurant was comfortable full and each patron was waited on as if they were the only one there. Servers are very knowledgeable about the menu and offer helpful insight and guidance when asked.
We also had the chance to try out the state of the art health club located within the hotel. The main room has all new Matrix treadmills, bikes, elliptical machines, and weight equipment. All of the cardio machines have in-screen televisions and are iPod compatible. There is also a Pilate’s room and a beautiful lap pool. The locker rooms have showers, saunas and steam rooms.
Whether you are looking for a luxurious weekend getaway or just a spot for a delicious dinner, Elysian is a sure bet.
Disclosure: The Elysian invited us as their guests for the weekend and generously picked up the tab for our stay. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by any compensation.
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