We are loyal Westin fans and Starwood members, but were terribly disappointed with this hotel. We booked online through hotel website and were asked if we cared to upgrade to Executive accommodation that included continental breakfast, internet, health club, etc. Foolishly, we did. When we arrived there was no valet to open doors or help with luggage. Nor was any other staff member willing to do more than watch us struggle in through revolving door,. The front desk staff informed us that they found two rooms in our name and were insistent that we pay for 2nd room since it was not canceled within the deadline. After much discussion we asked to speak with manager and they promised a call when he/she was available. Next they told us our room was not available and none on that level were cleaned as yet (3:30 PM). By 5:00 PM we settled for a 2-double bed instead of king room so we could change in time for dinner reservations. Never heard from manager. For the following two days endured terrible service and were happy to leave. At check out we again inquired about extra room charge and were told it was taken care of, but we'll see. Definitely not up to Westin standards.

The hotel has gone under renovation and the rooms and bathrooms are very nice. We were staying at the hotel for a Wedding. The Wedding was held completely at the hotel. The hotel managed everything. It was so beautiful! The restaurant at the hotel was very good. It is called the Ember Grille and we had a nice breakfast there. The room had a small view of the river. I liked that the hotel was central to many of the great places to go on foot. Directly across from the hotel is the House of Blues. The hotel has a nice lounge in the center with a bar.

My husband and I live in the Chicago burbs and wanted to book a weekend to get away downtown. We've stayed in several Chicago hotels over the years, the Westin River North is at the top of the list. Next time we stay downtown, this will be the first hotel we will try to book.

We used our Starwood points, so our 2-night stay was free. So I can't really comment on the price. However, here's a good tip: Don't valet. It's $41 a night (plus tip). There are parking garages all over the place in that area. We kept our car at a garage a half block away - it was $35 for 2 nights.

Other comments on the hotel:

- The location was stellar. There are so many restaurants/attractions you can walk to that I can't begin to list them. Anytime we wanted to get a cab, the bell staff just waved and it was there waiting for us.

- The lobby is beautiful and very inviting for drinks. There is an onsite sushi bar in the bar - you can just order up some sushi with your drinks - very nice.

- The room service was very speedy (dinner [sushi] took 25 mins, breakfast 20 mins) and delicious. There is 24 hour room service.

- Check-in was fast and the staff was very friendly. We used the concierge as well as the bell staff and everyone seemed happy and was very helpful.

- As other Westin hotels, the "heavenly bed" was a real treat - as was the deluxe shower.

- We didn't pay for or ask for a River view, but got a partial River view that was delightful.

The only negative thing I could think of was our TV was a bit on the fritz. We ordered a movie one night and the movie kept turning off and returning us to regular television. This was really aggravating, but we were credited for the movie.

This hotel is highly recommended, you will not be disappointed!

I'm just back from a four night stay at the Westin, as part of a conference, and have mixed feelings about the hotel. The room itself was nice; usual size, comfortable bed, flat screen tv. As others have mentioned, they charge to use the fitness center, which seems over the top for their usual rates. The room service dinner I had one night was fine (but it was just a chicken caesar salad) and it arrived very quickly. I had breakfast in their restaurant one morning and it was ok .... and around $20.
This is definitely not the place to stay if you're in Chicago on vacation. It's a bit of a walk to Michigan Avenue and while there are some restaurants in the area, nothing is very close. It was fine for the conference since the shuttle bus picked us up every morning and brought us to the convention center.
The staff was inconsistent. Sometimes there were too many bellman in the front, and other times none (yesterday when we left, nobody was there for about 10 minutes and we got our own cab to the airport). The maid service was very inconsistent.
I guess I'd recommend it if you had business in the area or are in town for a conference.