Union League Club

Best friend got married here, beautiful hotel and venue for a wedding but these five starts are for Manola!

I didn’t get good service here, and room is small for the price. Doesn’t even have a fridge. It’s an old building and needs lots of renovating. Bathroom is tiny! Overall seems like this is a good place to go if you live in Chicago but not for extended stay — more pomp than substance. Fancy hotel but not functional. Would not stay again if I can avoid it.

Hotel is impressive! Beautiful library, restaurant, marble floors. Part of the building is a hotel, part residential. Staff was good. Reservation staff and manager were useless and bitchy for special requests. Better off speaking to the hotel staff directly when you arrive for special need requests. Plan to valet or self park next door. Not cheap. Direct neighborhood not the best, gets better in a few blocks.

Wow! What art they have. The coat check was oh so kind. Remember to wear a cut above casual attire when you come here. :)

Stunningly beautiful, old world club that does it right whether you are a member or a guest.
I have been here a number of times now, for a wedding, an authors signing, a reception, and each time I marvel at the beautiful old historic building with an art collection that rivals only the Chicago Institute of Arts.
Built in the 1800’s this building, has been part of the Chicago Financial District for over 130 years, first welcoming only men but more recently the women of Chicago to have a place to host meetings, dinners, enjoy the library, work out or even to swim in the Olympic sized pool which was revolutionary during the inception.
I also like that this is one club, if you are a member, that has beautiful rooms that you can stay in for a reasonable rate if you need a place to stay in the city or to house guests. Perfect for this suburban girl who sometimes needs a place to lay her head!
The members are terrific, making you feel at home and I love just talking to them as they come from all walks of life and businesses so it is a great place to network and to meet new people. And the staff go out of their way to learn your name, and get you anything that you might need to make your visit more enjoyable. Gotta love membership in a private club!
Like any private club, there are dues and fees and you have to pass an interview process and be recommended for membership but that is to be expected. Those rates can be found on their website. I also like that they support three charities with the members dues as well.
All in all, this piece of Chicago is rich in history and lore. Boy if those walls could talk I’m sure the stories they would tell would entrance us all!

Old school club. Good food at the grill area. Best private art collection in the city. They do give public tours, just check the web site or call.

I’m not in my 80’s and I dress pretty funky and yikes, I’m a member here! Yep, my Dad was a member for many, many years. A few years ago my sister and her husband joined and me and my hubs followed suit.
The ULC is a gem in the financial district of Chicago. As a member we get wonderful room rates even during convention times. I love that the the sleeping rooms are not cookie cutter. They come in varying sizes but all have nice amenities including great mattresses and bedding. Some of the furniture is dated but in a cool way. Once we had a room that had an end table with a lamp built into the table. :-)
Their gym is legit. Three floors that include a lap pool and basketball court. Yep, a basketball court in an old building in the loop. Way cool. You can also order breakfast by the pool. Even cooler.
Service is here is traditional old school. Most of their servers are career servers and have been here for many, many year. Their special dinners are wonderful. The holiday lunches with carolers is my favorite.
Their bar with the popcorn machine is charming.
I saw Madeline Albright speak here and Rod Blagoavich too!
Then, they have an amazing library and interesting artwork throughout the lower floors. Yeah, I’m a fan.

I am not a member but have been here for a few events. The first was a christmas lunch for a charity event. Everyone was very nice and super friendly. The food was very good. the event the charity put on was top class (i was invited by a co-​worker last minute cause someone couldn’t go so i dont remember the charity).
I have also been here the previous two years for a networking holiday party for an organization I am a member of. The building is old but beautiful. I have only really been in one part of the building and not got to explore. I would definitely like to check the place out, but i suspect i dont make enough money for that. I did see Ald. Ed Burke there the other day, is his only green tie.
ive never seen anyone treated bad as ive read below.

Worst hotel night. If you want to stay high on 2:30 am, this is the place. Otherwise if you want a good sleep, two words: stay away. Let’s face it: it is an old place and it holds events. I can clearly hear every single talk in the hallway. That is why I was waken up by crazy poeple talking at their peak on this early morning.

Have always been treated well at this club.

This is a great old establishment, mainly for businessmen/​woman. You have to be a member and there is a dress code. The spa and library are two wonderfully enjoyable places also here. The ULC has a great art collection that rotates.

We stayed with the Union League club for 5 days during our trip to Chicago. They are reciprocal with our club so we were really looking forward to our stay.
It’s a little tough to get in and out of the area but I guess for an out of towner EVERYTHING in Chicago is hard to get in and out of. The ULC was in a nice area of town and within walking distance of just about everything.
We ate the breakfast buffet, lunch in the main dining room, and also room service. We had a few issues getting our room service right but everything was corrected as requested.
The breakfast buffet was beautiful and delicious. Dress is business casual unless you’re under 12. Anything goes if you’re a kid. The main dining room is BEAUTIFUL and the food was delightful. Service there was great.
They have an amazing library at this club. We were able to check out several movies and books. They had a media area that allowed you to use the computers and internet as well.
Our room was nice but not as exquisite as our club. I think a little updating would go a long way. Our view was a building down a dark street. Not what I was expecting.
The pool was closed during our entire visit so I can’t give any information regarding that.
The womens locker room was okay. I had to call each day for a key code to get in. I found it strange as the locker room was on the 22^nd floor and I can’t imagine a lot of vagrants coming up there for a shower. It was just a big inconvenience to have to call for a number, write it down, and keep the paper with me in case I needed to reenter that day. The mens locker room was always open and unlocked.
A nice club, decent service but always seemed for fall just short of perfect.

I was just here for a few hours to grab a few drinks and watch the World Cup with some members of this club. But as much as it pains me to say it, it was really quite nice and almost made me want to join. The space is pretty and functional, with lots of different kinds of space for different purposes. The location is extraordinarily convenient for those who spend time downtown but don’t have an office or apartment here. And the service was unusually good; our waiter was attentive, knew when to stay away and when to be helpful, and sometimes fulfilled our requests even before we thought of them.
Now I’m not actually going to join — but I can see why others do.

Quick review of the ULC… attended the brunch this past week with a business colleague that belongs to the club (members only). Beautiful room with impeccable service that harks back to an older time in Chicago. Its bustling but still relaxed and quiet enough to have a conversation. The brunch was fantastic, with both an array of salads and trimmings as well as entrees. I thought it was well done and would absolutely recommend it again.

I agree with Manfred S. -
«Stuffy
Clean room
Outdated policies (no jeans or what ever)
Free internet
Front desk deficit — upon check out, there was a line and no one behind the counter. After 10 minutes I decided to leave as I had plans. Never seen a hotel without front desk staff.»
I have stayed here a couple of times during the week because that’s where my work-​mates were staying. The beds are very comfortable, but the rooms are tiny. I mean, Club Quarters tiny. Bathrooms are even smaller than Club Quarters, if you can imagine that. Breakfast is nice, but really, who needs a full buffet breakfast before work?
You probably get treated very well if you are a member.
I can find equally nice or better rooms for less money in or around the loop, so I do not plan on staying here again.

The Union League Club of Chicago is every bit a bastion of tradition and history. Its founding was in 1879, and it certainly smells like it’s been around that long. Old-​man funk permeates every inch of the building.
A few times a year, one of the Senior Directors of my firm insists on taking me here for lunch to «catch up.» While it’s very kind of him (which I appreciate) and he means well, stuffy places oozing testosterone and reeking of Republicans are just not my scene. He’s been a member for about 30 years and he’s treated like a king here.
As a woman, I just don’t feel comfortable here. I always get the stink eye by the old timers here, and in general, a lot of the members seem uptight. Often when I’m here for lunch, I’m literally the only woman in the dining room besides the hostess. I don’t ever recall having a female server – that’s how old-​school this place is.
The food is super boring and bland, unless things like club sandwiches and salads made with iceberg lettuce give you a boner. God forbid there’s any flavor in the food lest it stops some eighty-​year old’s pacemaker. No sir, Mr. Howe III, of Dewey Cheatam & Howe, likes his food like he likes his women: risk-​free, inoffensive, and unimaginative.
The staff is unfailingly polite, almost like they’re terrified someone will rip them a new one if they make a mistake. I kind of feel sorry for them. My plate today still had the ticket on it from the kitchen when it was served to me, but I just crumbled it up and tossed it to the side.
Okay, so sexism, conservatism, and mediocre food aside, this place isn’t all bad. The art collection is totally impressive, with over 800 works (including a Monet!) and pieces are often lent to museums. The Union League Boys and Girls Club has been in existence for almost 100 years and has done a lot of good for the community through its philanthropy.
I know I’m stuck going here at least a few times a year until the Senior Director retires, so I guess I’ll just have to suck it up.

Stuffy
Clean room
Outdated policies (no jeans or what ever)
Free internet
Front desk deficit — upon check out, there was a line and no one behind the counter. After 10 minutes I decided to leave as I had plans. Never seen a hotel without front desk staff.

Retirement party for former coworker
Be sure to go on the web and check the dress code before coming to the Union League Club. They are VERY STRICT about the dress code.
Terrific service
Very good food.
If you have a friend who is a member, this is a terrific old-​school place to go!

No jeans. Know this going in and you will be fine.
Came and stayed here for a convention. This is a fantastic meeting place, with a terrific art collection, if you find yourself with some downtime between sessions. Food here is really good. The hotel rooms are not huge by any sense of the imagination, but the beds are comfy, the shower heavenly, and the appointments are terrific.
Would definitely stay here again.

Attended the French pastry school graduation here and of course it feels dated which makes it the Union League Club. Unlike many NYC clubs, Penn, Yale which have been upgrading slowly and quietly this place reserves and preserves it charm. Minus the chick artwork you can close your eyes, smell the cigars, hear the tinkling of glasses and hear jazzy piano tunes.