ChiLuxe Travel – Travels, Tips & Reviews

Hawksmoor Chicago Review: A Steakhouse Struggling to Stand Out, Despite Its London Pedigree

February 25, 2026 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

I swore off going out for dinner on New Year’s Eve years ago. It’s a total mess, and even the best restaurants end up disappointing me in some way. Nevertheless, I continue to go to a new place every single year, hoping that the next place will prove me wrong. We ate at Hawksmoor, Chicago on New Year’s Eve, 2025, and while the experience was not bad overall, it still managed to disappoint. Hawksmoor is one of the newest steak…

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The Lambs Club Review: Old School Charm and Refined Pre-Theater Dining in Midtown, NYC

February 18, 2026 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

We enjoyed a pre-theater dinner at The Lambs Club in New York City on a recent trip in October, 2025. Being in Midtown, and directly across the street from the Hudson Theater where we were seeing a show that evening, I had relatively low expectations. Located in the Chatwal Hotel, we were pleasantly surprised by the attentive service, old-school atmosphere, and absolutely delicious food. The Lambs Club gives you all of the old-school steakhouse vibes. When we were seated in…

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How to Visit The Met: Essential Tips for Navigating New York’s Iconic Art Museum

February 11, 2026 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

Gosh, where do you even begin when you’re trying to write an article about tips for visiting the largest collection of art in the United States? The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is synonymous with grandeur, hosting one of the most fashionable charity galas every year, and is easily the most impressive building on the upper east side of New York. Can you digest this place all at once? Absolutely not. While it’s not quite as big…

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After Chicago Delivers Luxe Bar Dining and Some of the City’s Best Cocktails

February 4, 2026 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

Following last year’s somewhat disappointing foray into Chicago’s annual Restaurant Week, I was ready to eschew Restaurant Week forever. That sentiment was only strengthened after viewing the offerings for 2026, from over FIVE HUNDRED participating restaurants. Honestly, I’m not sure how pizza places have gotten in on this multi-course prix fixe deal, but I was overwhelmed and ready to just say, “not this year.” However, After really caught my eye – mainly because I have been absolutely loving eating at…

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Top Five Activities and Experiences for 2025

January 28, 2026 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

We traveled to a ton of diverse places this year, from a staycation here in our hometown of Chicago, to a luxury Caribbean retreat, to a long weekend in our favorite European Capital City just to see one painting! My Top Five Activity list is always a really tough one to curate each year, but it’s always fun to reflect on all of the things we did and memories made. Here are my five (actually six!) favorites! 5. Spa Time…

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Top Five Hotels and Resorts for 2025

January 21, 2026 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

We stayed at a really diverse range of resorts and hotels this year. From a tiny, boutique resort in Roatan, Honduras, to the epically luxe St. Regis in Chicago for a treat-yourself staycation. It was tough to not only narrow down the absolute best of the year, but ranking this year was also difficult, since the Top Five were all really spectacular. But the hard part is over, on to the list! 5. Bryant Park Hotel, New York City We…

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Top Five Restaurants for 2025 – Chicago Edition

January 14, 2026 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

As always, eating at restaurants in one of the greatest food cities in the world, is simply a privilege and a blessing that I do not take for granted. Standards for food and service in this city are high, and it often feels like any place you go is vying for relevance and trying extra hard to impress. There are plenty of places that fall short, and they don’t last long, but this year’s list includes some relative newcomers that…

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Inside the St. Regis Chicago: Modern Luxury, Acclaimed Dining, and Elegant Design

January 7, 2026 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

We are from Chicago, and so there is a real lack of Chicago hotel reviews on my website, although I am hoping to change that, and add some more staycations to my regularly scheduled travel program. We stayed at the St. Regis, Chicago, though, in late November as a special little staycation for my husband’s birthday, and also because I needed one more night at a Marriott hotel to reach the next status tier. We only stayed here for one…

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Top 5 Restaurants for 2025 – World Edition

December 31, 2025 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

My Top Five restaurants for the world list this year, while not totally devoid of Michelin stars, has very few, mainly because there were some truly stand-out restaurants that really outshined others this year regardless of international accolades. Overall, this list is also probably the least expensive list of restaurants on ChiLuxe Travel, which simply means that we ate really well on our vacations this year without spending a ton. Here we go! 5. Luna Muna, Roatan, Honduras Luna Muna…

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St. Regis Chicago Spa Review: Inside the City’s Newest Luxe Wellness Escape

December 24, 2025 Aukse Comments 1 comment

We’re lucky to live in Chicago with so many luxe hotels in the city. Each has their own high-end spa set-up and I’ve been slowly checking them all out over the years. One of these days I’ll put together a list of my most recommended spas and the plusses and minuses for each one, but for now, this article is going to tell you everything you want to know about the St. Regis Spa in Chicago! I booked a massage…

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