A Review of The Palmer House Hotel in Chicago
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While today a destination for weddings and gala events, the Empire Room has hosted several legendary entertainers. The original Palmer House was destroyed 13 days after its grand opening in the Great Chicago Fire. Potter constructed the world’s first “fireproof hotel” and two years later, the property reopened on November 8, 1873, to become one of the nation’s longest continually operating hotels. Recently, however, I decided to book a three-night stay for my girlfriend and me at one of the most historic properties of them all, The Palmer House Hilton, Chicago's first hotel to offer elevators, electric lightbulbs and phones in each guest room. And historic it is — in fact, in the case of some of the public areas and ballrooms, I doubt much has changed since Hilton took over the property way back in 1945.
History is Hott - Palmer House Hilton
Scoring an upgrade to the executive floor made a big difference overall, since we could use the express elevators, but the lounge itself was overwhelmingly crowded, especially toward the end of Sunday breakfast and throughout the evening happy hours. Ultimately, while it's a decent business hotel, if a peaceful getaway is what you're after, Palmer House is not your spot. Designed in the style of the High French Empire, the room’s staircase, statuary and entry pay homage to the Paris Opera. The grand staircase catches the eye when entering the hotel, a sign that something extraordinary is taking place in the room. Originally the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, The Empire Room added dancing in 1933 during the World’s Fair and it was a quick crowd-pleaser. When Conrad Hilton purchased the hotel in 1945, he suggested entertainment be escalated to full cabaret reviews, with as many as three opening acts, including the Merriel Abbott dancers.
Dinelia Smiles has been appointed Director of Security at Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel in Chicago - Hospitality Net
Dinelia Smiles has been appointed Director of Security at Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel in Chicago.
Posted: Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Historically Significant
While we don’t cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. With my Honors number attached, I did have access to my usual Diamond benefits, though, which was a very nice surprise! That meant executive-lounge access (or free breakfast downstairs), free Wi-Fi and a modest upgrade.
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Ideally, I'd avoid parking a car if you can, though, given the sky-high parking fees — $55 for self-parking, or a whopping $82 per night for valet. While it can get unbearably cold in winter — as it certainly was during part of my mid-February visit — many of the city's top attractions are just a short walk away. The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy.
Built on Love
The Italian marble staircase that takes you to the Empire Room is one of only two constructed in this particular manner; the other is in London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral. Louis Comfort Tiffany designed the 24-karat gold-dipped chandeliers that grace the ceiling, as well as the majestic Winged Angels, at 1.25 tons they were the largest bronze statues he’d ever produced. Shortly after befriending the famous artist Claude Monet in France, Bertha began decorating the Palmer House with paintings and other pieces inspired by her French heritage. She eventually accumulated over 220 paintings, the largest collection of impressionist art outside of France, and willed them to the Art Institute of Chicago – including numerous Monets and Renoirs.
Palmer House Hilton – Chicago, Illinois - Gastro Obscura - Atlas Obscura
Palmer House Hilton – Chicago, Illinois - Gastro Obscura.
Posted: Wed, 03 Aug 2016 07:00:00 GMT [source]
To celebrate the sesquicentennial, the property is launching a Bertha Brownie Latte a playful spin on the original fudge brownie, available at Lockwood Express. She commissioned French muralist Louis Pierre Rigal to compose 21 unique frescoes on the lobby’s magnificent domed ceiling. The murals honored Greek mythology, including Aphrodite the goddess of love; Apollo the god of music; and Pluto the god of the underworld. The lobby ceiling has been restored inch by painstaking inch by Lido Lippi, who’d undertaken a similar project for the Sistine Chapel. To restore the ceiling of Palmer House, he worked flat on his back raised on scaffolding throughout the night while listening to Mozart. Potter Palmer, a Chicago businessman who helped develop Chicago’s iconic State Street, was introduced by his former business partner, Marshall Field, to Bertha Honoré Palmer, a young socialite.
Aside from the upgrade and free buffet, having the staff add my Honors number also let me text the hotel through the Hilton app — a great feature, at least in theory. I always received a response within a few minutes, but several confirmed requests never materialized, such as the robes I ordered and the Valentine's Day welcome I confirmed before arrival. After checking my name off a list, the host handed me this fun HHonors Gold Member casino chip, which my server promptly collected before instructing me to head straight to the buffet.
Stanley Turkel was designated as the 2014 and 2015 Historian of the Year by Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This award is presented to an individual for making a unique contribution in the research and presentation of history and whose work has encouraged a wide discussion, greater understanding and enthusiasm for American History. He operates his hotel consulting practice serving as an expert witness in hotel-related cases, provides asset management and hotel franchising consultation. He is certified as a Master Hotel Supplier Emeritus by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
The Center of Chicago’s Social Scene
The original Palmer House was built in 1871 by Potter Palmer who began his career as a bank clerk in upstate New York. He later became a dry-goods store owner in Chicago where he revolutionized the retail trade. He was the first to make large window displays, to use big advertising spaces, to send goods on approval to homes and to hold bargain sales. He became a brilliant hotel man as he applied his successful department store methods to the operation of his hotel.
The new Palmer House was once remembered for the fact that 225 silver dollars were imbedded in the checkerboard tile floor of the barber shop. They were put there by William S. Eaton, lessee of the shop, who cashed in on the idea within the next few years. Everyone wanted to see that floor out of sheer curiosity, or to verify that a fool could thus waste his money. As a result, things tended to get lost in the shuffle, from the lounge coffee machine often being empty to staff requests (or even phone calls from the room) going unanswered. Despite receiving confirmation in the app, our "Champagne" and chocolate-covered strawberries weren't in the room as I expected and weren't delivered later in the night.
Book a week long vacation, escape for a weekend, or make the most of that next business trip. As a Diamond member, I was entitled to a continental breakfast in the main restaurant, too, which I preferred, given the larger space and selection. The hotel offered an array of Crabtree & Evelyn amenities, including soap, shampoo and body lotion, plus a hair dryer and plenty of washcloths and towels. I wasn't a fan of the lighting, though, especially in the bathroom — the lights were fluorescent and a bit too bright, especially during visits in the middle of the night. The hotel's majesty diminished once the elevator doors opened up, leaving us in a long hallway that felt anything but hip. Fortunately, that made it possible to bypass the "happening" lobby scene and head straight upstairs.
The Palmer House was adorned with garnet-draped chandeliers, Louis Comfort Tiffany masterpieces, and a breathtaking ceiling fresco by French painter Louis Pierre Rigal. The fresco was described by columnist George Will as “a wonderful protest of romance against the everydayness of life.” By the 1920s, the decision was made to erect a new 25-story building. Between 1924 and 1927, the Palmer House was rebuilt on the same site but in stages, so not to lose a single day of operations.
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