Typically when I stay in a hotel, it’s going to be a 3-star standard. You know, your Hampton or Fairfield Inns...the kind of hotel that runs about $200 or hopefully less a night, has a complimentary breakfast, and doesn't differ too much from property to property. But recently, I had the opportunity to spend a night at Hotel EMC2 in Chicago, and let me tell you, it’s ruined me for the 3-star lifestyle to which I was accustomed. From now on, if a hotel doesn't have a robot delivering towels, I'm disappointed.
Hotel EMC2 is a Marriott Autograph property, and what I would consider a high-end hotel. And when staying at a “high-end” hotel (which I actually never do), I expect to enter into a high gloss, grand lobby, with extravagant chandeliers hanging from high ceilings and enormous vases filled with fresh flowers. Hotel EMC2 is quite the opposite...and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Entering the dark lobby from the afternoon sun, my eyes slowly adjusted and I started to notice all the little details that made Hotel EMC2 feel like something special. Rather than greeting you with a massive grand lobby, it's small, dark and intimate, as if you're walking into the office of some artsy scientist. The stairs are made of filing cabinets, book shelves, and card catalogs. Everything has an industrial feel, but it doesn't feel cold or sterile.
While we were checking in, I was taking in all the details of the interior design, and briefly overheard that we may see Leo and Cleo in the hotel. They are very nice, and will get us anything we need. I didn't think much of it, just assumed they happened to be excellent employees who worked there forever. It wasn't until we got to our room when I discovered they were actually robots. If you need something, you can simply text a number, and within a few minutes, Cleo or Leo are at your door with the towel you requested.
Now, I know what you're thinking... because I had the same questions. First, you want to know if the robots ride the elevator or if there are a pair of robots designated for each floor. Well, there are actually only two robots for the hotel and when they aren't tasked with an errand, they are docked by the front desk. When they get sent to a room, they roll over to the elevator and ride it to the floor they need. If you happen to be standing at the elevator doors when they open and Cleo or Leo roll out, they politely say excuse me and roll around you - it's adorable, and my favorite moment from my short time at the hotel.
Next, you want to know if or how the robots knock on your door when they arrive or if you just have to stand there waiting for them. The answer is no to both. Since it is a tech heavy hotel, when Cleo or Leo arrive at your room's door, an alert shows up on your room's television. We actually had the TV off and when Leo was outside, it magically turned on and displayed the alert... which I missed because I was standing at the door, peering through the peep hole, hoping to witness Leo use a hidden robot arm to knock on the door.
Finally, you're wondering how the goods you requested get delivered. Well - when Leo (or Cleo) see you open the door, you are greeted by a small screen on its face and then its head pops open to reveal a compartment that is big enough to hold a towel or other small item you requested. You remove the item then press the "All set" button on the screen. It then asks you if you need anything else and asks you to give a rating to your experience. Once you've finished interacting with Leo, he/it makes a few robot sounds as a goodbye, then turns and rolls away. It's definitely a unique experience and possibly preferable to interacting with an actual human.
Aside from Cleo and Leo, and before even getting to our room, the other thing I really appreciated and enjoyed was the elevator system. Instead of pushing the up or down button to call an elevator, you select your floor number on a nearby number pad. The number pad then tells you the letter and direction of the elevator you should get on. Once inside the elevator, there are no buttons to press, it (normally) just takes you directly to the floor you requested. I found I never had to ride the elevator with anyone else, except once, when housekeeping was riding up a floor. I also never had to wait long for an elevator to appear. The one thing I had to remind myself was to not just jump on an elevator behind someone just because the doors opened before I got to the number pad. If you do that, you're going to whatever floor the person who called the elevator is going to, and that's not always the floor you want.
But enough about the elevators and robots, let's talk about the actual room! The room featured a king size bed and a city view. It was decorated in hues of dark blues, with accents of metal and leather and interesting light fixtures. The bed was covered in crisp white linens that balanced the darker tones of the room nicely. A padded headboard with a large piece of artwork fastened to pipes near the top filled the width of the bed wall, making for a striking focal point.
It was definitely not a room of great size, but all the elements of the room seemed considerate of the space limitations and I never felt like I didn't have the space I needed. Typically a television sits on top of a chest of drawers, but at Hotel EMC2, the drawers were eliminated and a desk was placed below the wall-mounted television. As someone who never uses hotel drawers, I really didn't notice not having them, and there were other locations around the room where you could store your belongings - like the closet. The desk area also featured an acoustic amplifier which was a phone-sized cup attached to a tube which flared out, resembling the bell of a trumpet. If you placed your phone inside the cup and played music through its internal speakers, the sound would be amplified as if it was connected to an actual sound system. While it probably isn't an audiophile's ideal sound system, it does a fine job for a casual listener.
Located practically in the middle of the room was a glass shower. A curtain, which served as the closet door, could be stretched around the shower and be used to enclose the bathroom for a more private experience. With it open, the room did feel larger, as you could stand at the main door to the room and see through the bathroom area to the bed. The bathroom had a toilet area that was behind a sliding door, plus some fun lighting: a ring light mirror over the sink and a glowing bubble tube which also served as a vase for a single paper flower.
Overall, it was definitely the coolest hotel and room I've ever stayed in, as well as one of the quietest. I give it high marks for cleanliness - the room was spotless. The staff was friendly, very helpful and accommodating. I would definitely stay there again in a heartbeat. While it is far more pricey than the places I usually stay, I think the experience alone is worth the money, even if you're just splurging for one night.
**Tip** The average room rate fluctuates greatly with the season - in July (when I went) and the summer months, the average rate is between $300-$500 a night, while in January, it's in the low $100s. If you want to experience the fun on a budget, try to visit Chicago in the off season (that is, if you can handle the weather).
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