October 25th, 2008 by Aaron
Dealmaker Subscription Card
I normally don’t pay much attention to the 62 subscription cards that fall out of each magazine I read, but the subscription card for Dealmaker magazine caught my eye. It asks the normal questions regarding name, address, etc., but then has a few oddities:
- There isn’t a price or subscription length mentioned anywhere on the card. As the old saying goes, I guess “if you have to ask…”
- They force you to write your Visa, Mastercard, or AMEX number, expiration date, and signature right on the back of the card! There isn’t an option for “Bill Me Later” that might protect your personal information.
- In small print under the billing information, they state, “Guarantee: We will never rent or sell your name or personal information.” Yeah, you may not, but what about my mailman?
I guess one could always send the subscription card in an envelope, but then that kind of defeats the purpose of Business Reply Mail, doesn’t it?
October 9th, 2008 by Aaron
Mike Holmes
I have gotten many hits over the last month or so from people wondering what happened to Holmes on Homes on TLC. The show mysteriously disappeared from the channel’s line-up in September and has yet to re-surface on any of the Discovery networks.
I queried TLC Viewer Relations and received a response that Holmes on Homes is finished airing “for this season.” That’s not much information, but it doesn’t seem that they have pulled the plug on the show – at least at this time. Holmes on Homes continues to air on HGTV and BBC in Canada, so I take that as a good sign that Mike will eventually return to the U.S. TV line-up – even if it is on a Discovery network other than TLC.
October 8th, 2008 by Aaron
We recently had the opportunity to stay at the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower while we were attending a wedding (congratulations, Rick & Shannon!).
Bedroom
Getting There & Parking
The hotel is about a $45 cab ride to/from O’Hare, including tip, for up to 4 people. Overnight valet parking is $44 at the hotel and $32 at the nearby self-park, so planning to take taxis can actually be as cheap – or cheaper – than renting a car and paying to park.
Checking In
Check-in was quick and efficient. We arrived early (around noon) and did not have to wait in line. I asked for – and received – an “upgraded” room, which was a corner room on the 30th floor of the hotel. Other times of day, I did witness short lines at reception, but it seemed as though everyone’s check-in/check-out was handled promptly.
Bathroom with Separate WC
The Room
The hotel is designed and decorated in a modern style. Our room consisted of a bedroom and bathroom, which were in a slightly different configuration, since we were in a corner room.
Upon walking through the door, a short hallway led to the bedroom. The bedroom contained a relatively comfortable bed, 4-door closet (containing space for hanging clothes, drawers, shoe storage, and in-room safe), desk, chaise lounge, and a small table. The desk and the mirror on the wall behind it were rendered fairly useless by the flatscreen television, which was nice, but seemed like an afterthought in the design of the room.
Desk and Flatscreen Television
The bathroom door was on the right, along the outer wall (next to the windows). The bathroom featured lots of marble, a single vanity, tub, an oversize shower, and separate water closet.
Overall, the room interior was well-executed and about what you would expect for a roughly $300+/night hotel in downtown Chicago.
Dining
The hotel’s single restaurant, Cafe Des Architectes, is open daily from 6am-11pm. Breakfast was the only meal we ate there, but it was delicious and reasonably priced – particularly for a high-end hotel restaurant. There are many other restaurants within walking distance or a short taxi ride of the hotel,
Bathroom Vanity
so dining choices shouldn’t be a problem.
Bar
The hotel features two bars: a small, 4-seat bar at the Cafe Des Architects (perfect for a quick drink, since it was normally empty), and the larger Le Bar. Le Bar is open from 3pm-2am and was standing-room-only the two nights we were there (our party somewhat contributed to that on one of the evenings).
Overall
The Sofitel Chicago is a solid choice for travelers looking for an upscale oasis in Chicago. The rooms, staff, and on-property food and beverage were all good. My one possible complaint would be if I were having to park a car at the hotel, but that is much the same at any other property in the downtown area. If you are a leisure or business traveler and can wait to make your reservation, the Sofitel website seems to offer fairly significant price drops as dates approach.
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