Nobu Hotel Chicago

Our experience at Nobu Chicago was nothing short of extraordinary. We first visited in January for my husband’s 40th birthday, and the experience was so wonderful that we knew we wanted to come back. We had the opportunity to return this past weekend, and somehow, Nobu managed to exceed an already very high expectation. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, every detail felt intentional. I have celiac disease, and the care that the staff took to make sure safe options were available to me was exceptional. I never felt like an inconvenience or like I had to constantly advocate for myself. They were attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely thoughtful. Every single person we encountered was warm, professional, and welcoming. It honestly felt like the Disney of hotels. Luxurious, beautiful, and somehow still incredibly personal. You get the feeling that the staff truly wants you to have a wonderful experience, regardless of whether you’re their biggest or most frequent guest. One of my favorite examples happened when we were heading out for an event in Chicago. The weather called for rain, and the hotel had already made umbrellas available for us to take with us. It was such a simple gesture, but it completely saved our evening. We were able to enjoy our night without worrying about the weather, and when we returned, the same level of warmth and hospitality was waiting for us. Special thank you to Anthony for being so sweet as I rambled out our night! :-) And then there is the hotel itself. Stunning views, the beautiful room, the atmosphere, and the attention to detail. Everything feels luxurious without ever feeling cold or impersonal. I was genuinely sad to leave. Nobu Chicago has created something very special. An experience where luxury and genuine hospitality coexist is Nobu Chicago. I truly believe they are a hotel for everyone, and anyone who chooses to stay here will feel incredibly well cared for. We came for a stay and left feeling like we had experienced something special. We will absolutely be back!

We stayed at the Peoria Street Location and had a wonderful time! The Hotel is conveniently located and provided easy access to most attractions. Some were withing walking distance; while others were a 20 minute drive. We will definitely stay here again!

It was such a wonderful experience to be able to stay at the Nobu. Derrick our Bellman was very professional, courteous, polite and helpful. Gave us insights of activities around town and places to go. Thank you for having such a valuable person like Derrick on your. I look forward to returning and I would definitely recommend the NOBU Hotel ! 5 plus stars !

Nobu Chicago is a good example of what is wrong with hotels today. It is expensive enough to suggest luxury, but it never quite delivers one. Too expensive to be mid-tier, not thoughtful enough to be luxury, it occupies that increasingly common category of fashionable, heavily branded and fundamentally under-designed. The staff is charming and genuinely pleasant. Unfortunately, the design lacks the same warmth or conviction. The aesthetic is essentially watered-down Japanese design mixed with watered-down industrial design. The references are recognizable; the point of view is not. The lobby is attractive at first glance, but the reception desk is over-designed, the sofa seems better suited to an opium den, and the hallway wallcovering is poorly detailed. The biggest failure is lighting: the rooms are so poorly illuminated that working at night is nearly impossible. The HVAC also appears undersized. The bathrooms and guest rooms are similarly inconsistent. There are good elements—the bed, millwork, shower and tub—but cheap-feeling details, poor lighting, inadequate luggage storage and already-stretched upholstery undermine the experience. These are model-room problems. Why weren't they caught before opening? Then there are the operational failures. There is no service elevator. Rooftop bar traffic is pushed onto the guest elevators, forcing guests to share circulation with bar patrons, deliveries and staff. This is basic hotel planning. Housekeeping missed basic requests. Breakfast took forty-five minutes for za'atar avocado toast, which arrived without the za'atar or olive oil. The explanation was a wedding party of 26. That explains the problem; it doesn't excuse it. Brunch was equally disappointing, with mediocre food and unfortunate sightlines into the kitchen. The back-of-house should be hidden. Even the Wi-Fi was so slow that I had to use my phone. We were also charged a $25 daily destination fee, despite booking through a travel agency whose receipt indicated all fees were included. The hotel removed it when we complained, but our final bill also contained an erroneous $85 parking charge. In a luxury hotel, the guest should not have to audit the bill. Ultimately, Nobu Chicago feels less like a fully conceived hotel than a Pinterest board turned into a procurement package. Every fashionable ingredient is there—concrete, texture, Japanese and industrial references—but there is no compelling idea holding them together. It is design by accumulation rather than design by conviction. Nobu Chicago isn't badly designed. It is barely designed. The money is there. The branding is there. The ingredients are there. What is missing is taste, discipline and conviction. Ultimately, Nobu Chicago looks like a luxury hotel without thinking like one.

Very nice hotel and Derrick was the best in order to help us settle in!