Hyatt Regency O’Hare vs. Hyatt Rosemont: Which Chicago Airport Hotel is Better?

Hyatt Regency O’Hare vs. Hyatt Rosemont

Which Hyatt O’Hare wins?

Usually when I stay near an airport, I’m trying to decide between what brands I want to stay at and at what price point.  Chicago provides an interesting set of options–there are two Hyatt near the airport, both in the same general price point.

Hyatt Regency O'Hare vs. Hyatt Rosemont--hyatt o hare

Sometimes they are exactly the same, usually slightly different, and occasionally, one is crazy expensive.  But each one takes its turn being the more expensive hotel.

So when all else is equal, how do you choose what hotel to stay at?  Here’s my take on both of them.

The Hyatt Rosemont

The Hyatt Rosemont is definitely the cozier, more at-home version of the two hotels.

The lobby is inviting you to sit down and relax, in a boutique fashion.

hyatt rosemont lobby Hyatt O'Hare

And the bar is done in a way to encourage conversation.

hyatt rosemont bar, Hyatt O'Hare

All in all, if you like to feel like at home when you are traveling, this is the type of atmosphere for you.

The Good

1.  Proximity to your room post-check in–This hotel is a smaller hotel, so once I got my room key, I wasn’t far from my room at all.  I was able to go from-checked-in to unwinding in a few moments.

2. Less guests mean the shuttle can be more flexible–I got to the hotel just as the shuttle arrived to wait for the next office pickup time.  Since he knew he could make it to the airport and back before the official departure time, he quickly shuttled me to the airport so I would not have to wait, and grabbed a guest from the airport, again, much earlier than the guest expected.

3.  Things to Do Around the Hotel–Usually you are stuck out in the middle of nowhere around an airport hotel.  There was a shopping center nearby and a casino.

4. Free Parking–I don’t usually rent a car when I’m staying in Chicago, but if you do, this hotel has free parking.

The Not-so-Good

1.  Room Seemed Aging–My room at least.  Here’s a shot of the wall paper in my room:

Hyatt Rosemont, Hyatt O'Hare

The wall paper was peeling, which could be age, could be humidity, or just bad wall paper glue.

2.  No Regency Club–This may not make a difference to people without access, but when deciding between two equal hotels, I like to relax in the regency club.

3. No Direct Access to Metro–You can take the airport shuttle to the airport to get on the metro system there, but the Rosemont metro station is too far away to walk to.

Here are some more shots of my room, plus my complimentary diamond breakfast:

Hyatt Rosemont, Hyatt O'Hare Hyatt Rosemont, Hyatt O'Hare Hyatt Rosemont, Hyatt O'Hare Hyatt RosemontHyatt Rosemont, Hyatt O'Hare Hyatt Rosemont  Hyatt Rosemont Hyatt Rosemont

 

The Hyatt Regency O’Hare

The Hyatt Regency O’Hare was more of a modern, stylish, but also, a colder feeling hotel compared to the warmth of the Rosemont.

Hyatt Regency O'Hare

 

I prefer this style of hotel, myself, but it is all a matter of personal preference and mood.  (The last time I stayed here, it was my final stop on a longer-than-usual trip, so I was feeling a bit lonelier in this setting than I normally would).

 

 

Hyatt Regency O'Hare

The bar is definitely more built for solo-enjoyment rather than fostering conversation.

The Good

1. The Metro Station is right there–This allows for easy access to the city without having to rely on the hotel’s shuttle service.

2. The Hotel is Investing in Modern Touches–Ever worry about whether or not that breakfast you are supposed to get for free will actually be taken off your bill?  The Hyatt Regency O’Hare reassures you:

Hyatt Regency O'Hare

This was on my screen when I walked in.  You could check your bill, order forgotten items, etc. through the screen.

3.  The Rooms are Comfortable–I want to buy one of these for my place:

Hyatt Regency O'Hare

4.  There’s a Nice Regency Club there–Again, does not apply to everyone, but it was nice to grab a snack.  Between that snack and my diamond amenity, I skipped dinner because I was satiated.

The Bad

1.  Rooms are Far Away from Check-In–When I was given directions to my room,  I felt like I was being given one of those cheat codes to an old Nintendo Game.  Go up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right….   Once I got near my room, there were only three elevators that could access it, and a huge crowd of people who just got out of a convention–which leads me to…

2. It is Connected to a Convention Hall–This is really convenient for people going to the convention, but I’ve found through many experiences that people attending conventions also usually don’t really know how hotel elevators work.  People press both up and down buttons, and every elevator ride becomes a tour of every floor.  And you’ll find the elevator arrives at the ground floor full of people going to the top floor, but decided to get on the elevator for the whole ride down and up.  </end rant>

3. There’s a Fee for Parking–This may make a huge difference in the price to you if you plan on parking at the hotel.  The Rosemont is free, but the Hyatt Regency O’Hare is not.

4. The Front Entrance is Closed in the Morning–I went to go meet the shuttle out front and found that entrance was closed.  I thought getting to my room was difficult, but trying to navigate the pathway to the back entrance at 4am was an adventure.  And then there were issues with the shuttle, but it wasn’t easy to just run to the front desk, so we had a bunch of people sitting on their phones trying to get through, stuck on hold.

Here are some more photos from my room:

Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hyatt Regency O'Hare IMG_0081 Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hyatt Regency O'Hare

The Verdict:

Which Hyatt O’Hare wins?

I definitely preferred the Hyatt Regency O’Hare for its modern facilities, proximity to the metro, and for the Regency Club.  I would stay at either properties again, though.

If you prefer a cozier hotel and/or plan on driving, I would recommend the Hyatt Rosemont over the Hyatt Regency O’Hare.  They were both great hotels that I enjoyed.

 

About Jeanne Marie Hoffman

Former bartender, still a geek. One equal part each cookies, liberty, football, music, travel, libations. Stir vigorously. +Jeanne Marie Hoffman Jeanne on Twitter

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3 comments

  1. Hmm… tough one. The Rosemont is more homey and less Hyatt-y, generally cheaper too. They Regency is that monstrosity you can easily identify from the air, newer and more luxurious. Not to mention if you are taking the airport/hotel shuttle, there are 3x as many for the Regency…

  2. Both hotels are amazing and stunning! The lobby and the room are ridiculous and fantastic. I think they should consider putting in a pool and hot tub and having free wi-fi like many cheaper lower star places do. Awesome hotel interiors!

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