ChiLuxe Travel – Travels, Tips & Reviews

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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Cafe Sabarsky at the Neue Galerie NYC: A Sophisticated Viennese Lunch Amid Klimt Masterpieces Steps from The Met

December 17, 2025 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

On a recent trip to New York City, we spent just about an entire day art museum hopping. To catch our breath after spending the morning at The Met, we decided to have lunch at Cafe Sabarsky, which is a few blocks north. The best part is that this cafe is also in a small art museum, The Neue Galerie, housing several pieces by one of my favorite artists – Gustav Klimt. On a Friday afternoon, just after 12pm, Cafe…

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Tre Dita Chicago Review: The St. Regis’ Luxe Italian Hotspot for Exceptional Handmade Pasta

December 10, 2025 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

I am so thrilled to report that Chicago is back on the map as far as absolutely superb Italian-inspired restaurants go. After several disappointing meals at very popular spots like Il Carciofo and RPM Italian, I was starting to worry I’d never find good Italian food in the city again. Then, I had dinner at Daisies, which was a revelation, and I reviewed it here, and hope for amazing pasta in Chicago returned. Finally, most recently on Thanksgiving weekend, we…

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Bryant Park Hotel NYC Review: A Boutique Midtown Gem with Spacious Rooms and Unbeatable Location

December 3, 2025 Aukse Comments 0 Comment

We stayed at the Bryant Park Hotel in Midtown, New York City, for a lovely four nights in October of 2025. When I was booking this trip, location was my highest priority, but I also wanted something unique and interesting, and boutique if possible, and not at a stupidly high price point, which is not an easy ask in Midtown Manhattan. I stumbled across this hotel which is located right behind the New York Public Library, and is adjacent to…

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