The Cambria Chicago Loop/Theatre District hotel ( 32 W. Randolph St.; CambriaChicagoLoop.com ) has been open for a few months, and seems to be ideally situated for travelers and theatergoers—but is this hotel truly worth your money?
—Location: Like the hotel's name states, Cambria is in the heart of Chicago's theater district, just steps away from the Oriental Theater. ( For snackers, it's even closer to Garrett Popcorn. ) For relatives who like the theater, shopping and everything else the Loop has to offer, this is the place to be.
—Feel/atmosphere: The Cambria is distinctly modern—and distinctly unorthodox. ( For example, the lobby is on the ninth floor, although signs on the first floor instruct guests there. Also, snacks that would normally be in the room are on sale in said lobby instead. ) Something I found particularly cool was the CTA train tracker installed on the first floor.
The room was cozy ( read: smaller ), and had some nice touches, such as the reading light that automatically turns on once it's pulled out of the wall. Interestingly, the cool-looking bathroom ( which has a few innovative touches ) was almost as big as the rest of the unit. A guest of mine was distracted by a rather large panel by the door that housed a dirty filter—but it didn't cause any problems.
—Amenities: The restaurant ( located on the other side of the lobby ) is comfortably modern, and guests looked quite content, whether they were relaxing or dining. ( I was directed to have dinner at the nearby State and Lake restaurant, 201 N. State St.—which, I have to admit, never fails to impress.
There is a workout facility that offers several cardiovascular machines as well as weights, exercise balls and a workout station. Also, be sure to check out the game room, which has such items as a foosball table as well as a billiards table that allowed my friend and I to showcase our ( lack of ) shotmaking skills.
In addition, Cambria has such perks as valet cleaning service, free local calls, room service, copy/fax service and even meeting rooms.
Bottom line: Cambria offers many cool pros and very few cons, and the rooms ( during a recent website visit ) were as low as $104—although one should keep in mind that this is the off-season. Despite that caveat, this spot is definitely worth recommending if you plan on spending some time outside your room—which is usually the purpose of a visit.
Note: This hotel visit was based on an arranged invitation.
