Belden Stratford - Lincoln Park luxury at its finest

The Belden Stratford was easily the nicest hotel I stayed in during my stay in Chicago. I enjoyed an amazing view of Lake Michigan from the 12th floor of this hotel, and the apartment-style suite I stayed in included a full kitchen, a large living area with a comfortable couch, a studio-style bedroom and a clean, spacious bathroom. The best part? I was able to book it at a fraction of the price that they advertise.

Knowing the average online rate at the Belden Stratford, I walked in with the expectation that I'd get the same rate - if not lower - by simply making my reservation in person. No-can-do. The (really nice) woman working the desk informed me that walk-in rates were over $300 a night, then directed me to a phone on the desk that offered their outsourced phone rates. (Yes, this was confusing.) The phone call chopped the room rate down to $160 a night - still out of my price range and beyond my expectations. So, I decided to get crafty.

I walked to the nearby Starbucks and pulled up the online rates on Chicago Traveler - $109 for one night, $99 for the second night. Now, that's my kind of hotel! (Note: I was booking for a Sunday/Monday stay.) I bought the rate, returned to the hotel victorious, dropped off my bag (free luggage storage, in case you were wondering), and continued on with my day. The moral of the story? If you're hoping to stay at the Belden Stratford, BOOK YOUR ROOM ONLINE!

Now, back to the hotel. The lobby is old-time fancy and decorated with lots of gold accents. There is a really good continental breakfast in the morning - just be sure to hang on to your breakfast card during your stay. Bagels, cereal, coffee, etc., plus a TV and free USA Today copies to catch up on the days events.

The Internet in my room was fast and free, and while the TV was kind of small, it had plenty of cable channels to choose from. 

The employees were helpful and down-to-earth, from the doormen to the women running the desk. At one point, after telling me that the hotel didn't have a place for hotel guests to print (which I admit is weird), one employee had me e-mail her a tour voucher I was hoping to print to her personal e-mail address and printed it for me on the spot. Talk about quality service.

I only have two complaints about the Belden Stratford: 1.) It's about a 20 minute walk to the nearest L Train stop on Fullerton and 2.) The floors.

Let me explain ... the hardwood floor in my room was incredibly slippery. Seriously, I'm not one to complain (or even remember) little details like this, but I nearly fell on my face a half-dozen times during my stay at the Belden Stratford. My socks, combined with these freshly-polished hardwood floors, was a formula for disaster; I'm just happy I made it out with ankles intact.

Otherwise, I loved the Belden Stratford and would definitely recommend it to other Chicago travelers - just be sure to book the online rates!

This review was made by the www.chicagotraveler.com site editor based on personal experience. Chicago Traveler was not paid for this review, but we may receive compensation for placement of this travel provider advertisements on our site.