Hotel EMC2, Autograph Collection, in Chicago [In-Depth Review]

In 2023, after reaching 75 elite nights with Marriott Bonvoy, I achieved Titanium Elite status. This level unlocked a range of incredible perks when staying at Marriott hotels. However, perhaps even more valuable was the Annual Choice Benefit I received as part of getting to 75 elite nights.

I opted for the Free Night Award certificate for the Annual Choice Benefit. Although I had over a year to redeem the certificate, I never got the chance to do so (as I prioritized staying at World of Hyatt hotels in 2024).

The certificate was nearing its expiration, and my wife and I had no immediate travel plans, so we decided to redeem it in Chicago. Even though we live just outside the city, we make it a point to enjoy a “staycation” in Chicago at least once a year, and this seemed like the perfect time to do so.

Fortunately, Chicago has plenty of hotels to choose from — many of which I have already stayed at. I was looking for a new experience, and ultimately, I chose to redeem the Free Night Award certificate at the Hotel EMC2, Autograph Collection.

Here’s my full review and why I recommend considering Hotel EMC2 for your next trip to Chicago.

Booking Hotel EMC2

In addition to the numerous Marriott Bonvoy credit cards I hold, each offering an annual Free Night Award certificate, I also have 1 certificate that isn’t linked to a credit card: the Free Night Award certificate as part of the Annual Choice Benefit.

Marriott Bonvoy members can earn an Annual Choice Benefit once they accrue 50 elite nights in a calendar year. However, there is no Free Night Award option when you reach 50 elite nights. After members reach 75 elite nights, they will receive Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status and a second Annual Choice Benefit. There are more options available in the second Annual Choice Benefit, including a Free Night Award certificate.

The Free Night Award certificate is valid for Marriott hotels up to 40,000 points per night. However, Marriott allows members to add up to 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to the value of the certificate to redeem it at a more expensive property.

Since I knew I would redeem the Free Night Award certificate for this stay, I headed to Marriott’s website to see the available properties. I narrowed the search to hotels around the 40,000-point threshold.

Although there were several options, I noticed that I could book the Hotel EMC2, Autograph Collection, a property I have wanted to stay at for several years, for 40,000 on specific dates.

I searched the Marriott calendar for Hotel EMC2 to see which dates had the lowest points rates, and the lowest rate for December 2024 was 41,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Since we didn’t have a specific date for when we needed to stay, I thought booking it for the lowest rate available would be best. I chose a Guest Room, 1 King — the standard-level room.

After receiving the reservation confirmation, I noticed I could apply a Nightly Upgrade Award to my reservation to upgrade to a better room. A Nightly Upgrade Award is a 1-night, confirmable upgrade to a premium room or suite.

Unfortunately, upgrade options were extremely limited, with only a 1 King, City view room or a 1 Queen, City View room available. Still, I went ahead and selected both options as the few Nightly Upgrade Awards I had in my account were set to expire in the coming weeks.

When you apply a Nightly Upgrade Award to a stay, Marriott begins to search for upgrade availability 3 days before arrival. Since I booked the stay just over 48 hours before check-in, I was sure I would hear back relatively soon.

Fortunately, the Nightly Upgrade Award was confirmed less than 3 hours after I made the reservation. Nightly Upgrade Awards had been very hit-or-miss for me, so I was glad this was confirmed, even if it was just for a room on a higher floor with a view.

Hot Tip:

To increase the odds that you’ll receive an upgraded room when using a Nightly Upgrade Award, select all the room types you would accept for an upgrade.

Hotel EMC2 Location

Hotel EMC2 is in the heart of downtown Chicago in the Streeterville district. It’s less than a 10-minute walk from many of the city’s major sites, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Wrigley Building, the Tribune Tower, Navy Pier, and 360 CHICAGO.

The hotel is less than 2 blocks from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, which is home to world-class shopping, restaurants, and nightlife.

The property is about a 35-minute drive from both Chicago airports: Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW).

Checking In at Hotel EMC2

Since downtown Chicago is known for having absurdly high parking prices, I headed to the hotel’s website to see what it charges hotel guests for parking. Unfortunately, it was $65 per night for valet parking, which I found to be ridiculously high.

Instead, I turned to the SpotHero app (iOS, Android) to look for nearby parking. I was able to find a parking garage less than 2 blocks away that charged $18 for 24 hours. Since I was not planning to have a late checkout, I knew this was the way to go.

After parking my car, my wife and I walked to the property, which took about 5 minutes. The hotel’s entrance is located on East Ontario Street. Thanks to multiple signs on the street, the hotel was relatively easy to find.

In front of the hotel, there was a colorful PAWS Chicago-branded dog statue.

We proceeded to the check-in counter, which was to the left as we walked in. A friendly front desk representative welcomed us to the hotel and requested identification so we could begin the check-in process. 

Although we arrived at 2 p.m., an hour before the hotel’s official check-in time, the front desk representative let us know that our room was ready. I provided my Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card to the check-in desk agent for incidental charges, as it earns 6x points at Marriott hotels.

Elite Benefits

The front desk agent thanked me for being a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite member (my prior Titanium Elite status had since expired) and informed us that we had been upgraded to a 1 King Bed room on the highest floor of the hotel.

With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, I was eligible for several benefits, including an enhanced room upgrade (subject to availability), a 4 p.m. late checkout, and a welcome amenity (Marriott Bonvoy points or a breakfast credit).

I was offered the option of 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points or a $44 breakfast credit. I chose the $44 breakfast credit because it was worth a lot more. We value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents, meaning the 1,000 points were only worth $7.

The front desk representative gave us our room key cards and the breakfast voucher.

Unfortunately, the agent did not provide us with much information regarding the hotel’s dining options or on-site amenities. I came down later in the evening to get my questions answered.

Lobby

The lobby was relatively small and intimate, with only a single sofa available for seating. The sofa could comfortably seat 4 people.

The entrance to the hotel’s restaurant, the Albert Chicago, was directly to the left of the seating area.

To the right of the sofa was a small station that provided infused water and hot spiced cider. Guests could also make their own hot chocolate with various toppings, including chocolate chips, marshmallows, powdered sugar, and peppermint crumbs.

After making our own hot chocolate, we explored the rest of the lobby. Past the check-in desk, there was some additional seating with 2 plush chairs.

The hotel’s 3 guest-floor elevators were directly across from the secondary seating area.

The elevators didn’t require room key cards for access. Instead, they were equipped with tablets where you’d select your floor. Then, they would direct you to the appropriate elevator.

After selecting the 22nd floor, we were directed to the elevator on the far left. To my surprise, a stunning art piece was displayed on the back wall of the elevator.

1 King City View Guest Room

After exiting the elevators, we followed the signs to room 2202. As I entered the room, I saw a narrow foyer leading to the main section. The bathroom was immediately to the right of the entrance.

The room’s focal point was the king-size bed, which was placed between 2 nightstands. I loved the contrast of the wooden bed frame with the darker tones of the walls and curtains.

The bed featured a plush, padded headboard, wall-mounted lamps, and AC power outlets. Above the headboard, a massive art piece stretched across the width of the room.

The left nightstand was empty. However, the other one featured the room’s alarm clock and the safe, which was conveniently built into the nightstand.

The room’s workstation and wall-mounted television were directly across the bed against the left wall. The workstation had ample desk space, a telephone, and an Amazon Echo device. A large circular mirror rested on the desk.

I liked the design of the swiveling drawers directly below the desk, though I didn’t find them all that practical. If the drawers moved at all, my stuff would slide from side to side.

Above the drawers was a brass horn, something I had never seen in a hotel before. A card placed in the slot said, “Music to my ears.” Apparently, if you place your cell phone in the slot, the horn amplifies the sound, making it significantly louder.

I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it worked very well — it really enhanced the overall atmosphere of the room.

Finally, there was a versatile space that served as both a workstation and a dining table. A small office chair was provided, but it wasn’t the most comfortable — it lacked adequate back support.

What made it even worse was that there was only 1 chair in the entire room. This was a major oversight, as my wife and I couldn’t enjoy dinner together in the room — one of us had to sit on the bed to eat.

There was an industrial-style multipurpose unit to the right of the room’s workstation.

The upper half of the unit boasted a Keurig coffee machine and an ice bucket.

The lower section featured the room’s minifridge.

The room’s windows were to the right. You could see many high-rise buildings in downtown Chicago, including the iconic Trump International Hotel & Tower.

Bottom Line:

Overall, the room was relatively basic, but it met our needs. Aside from the brass horn, there was nothing particularly interesting about the room. However, I did like the design elements and overall aesthetic.

Bathroom

The bathroom was located close to the room’s entrance. The defining feature was the fully-transparent shower which divided the bathroom from the rest of the room.

Fortunately, there was a privacy curtain that could be pulled all the way around the shower.

The shower featured a brass rainfall showerhead with a handheld option. It also contained wall-mounted C.O. Bigelow-branded shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

The bathroom vanity was located directly across from the shower entrance. It featured a large, wall-mounted circular LED mirror, with an additional light integrated into the sleek brass fixture.

The generously sized vanity included a large ceramic sink. Below it was a storage unit that housed a hairdryer and some towels.

Finally, the toilet was to the far back of the bathroom behind a sliding pocket door.

Amenities

Hotel EMC2 offered several amenities for guests, including a fitness center and several meeting rooms.

Fitness Center

The property boasted a fully equipped fitness center that was open 24 hours a day. It was large and featured various equipment.

The right side of the fitness center featured several cardio options, including 2 ellipticals and several treadmills.

There were also 2 stationary bikes.

The gym did not have too many strength training machines. However, it did feature a Precor FTS Glide Functional Trainer machine.

Additionally, it had 2 benches and a good selection of free weights, some as heavy as 50 pounds.

There was a cool, unexpected feature in the form of a punching bag — though I couldn’t find any hand wraps or boxing gloves to use.

Meeting Rooms

The hotel offered nearly 5,000 square feet across 5 individual meeting rooms and event spaces, with the primary space, the Emmy Noether Room, a level above the lobby.

This room featured a massive chalkboard with various physics equations and diagrams.

Terrace

The hotel terrace on the third floor is often booked as a social gathering spot.

The terrace offered excellent views overlooking Ontario Street.

Butler Service

Hotel EMC2 also has 2 robot attendants, Leo and Cleo. The technologically advanced robots can deliver anything from hotel toiletries to room service meals.

Parking

The property offered valet parking for $65 overnight, and special $14 parking rates were available for those visiting the hotel restaurant.

Food and Beverage

As expected, Hotel EMC2 featured a bar and restaurant on the premises.

The Albert Chicago

The Albert Chicago, the hotel’s signature restaurant, offers a varied menu featuring Italian-inspired dishes.

The restaurant is open for breakfast daily between 7 and 11 a.m. and for brunch on the weekends between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The bar is open Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday between 4 p.m. and 12 a.m. There is a daily happy hour between 4 and 6 p.m. Dinner is served daily between 4 and 10 p.m.

Thanks to our $44 breakfast voucher (courtesy of my Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status), we made the most of the meal.

I selected the buttermilk pancake ($14), which was served with fresh blueberry sauce, honey, and sweetened cream. Meanwhile, my wife went for a Belgian waffle ($15), and we ordered a side of smoked salmon ($8) to share. Our breakfast voucher covered the entire order.

Although a bit overpriced, the breakfast was delicious. I especially liked the sweetened cream on my pancake, and my wife mentioned that her waffles had a crispy outer texture and a soft interior.

Service

I had minimal interactions with the hotel staff at Hotel EMC2. However, each encounter was positive. The hotel staff seemed to enjoy their job and were friendly with all requests.

Final Thoughts

Hotel EMC2 is a fantastic Marriott property in a prime location in the heart of Chicago, near many of the city’s most popular sites.

The hotel featured some incredible design elements, particularly the brass touches throughout the room. Although somewhat gimmicky, I really liked the brass horn that amplified music from my phone.

Our 22nd-floor room offered incredible views. Although I have stayed at many of the city’s best hotels, this one ranks among the best, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting the Windy City.