The Royal Sonesta Hotel Chicago River North

e venue was beautiful.

hedule, they just did it for free no questions asked. I mainly communicated with Allison S. (Director of Catering) and she was great. The food was FANTASTIC and this venue fulfilled all my city wedding dreams :) The venue has a cute little outside terrace which our guests enjoyed. The bartenders were amazing, as well as the wait staff. I loved their cheerful demeanors and just had a blast the entire evening. Their wedding package was totally reasonable and we got so much for the money we paid. I would recommend this venue to anyone and everyone who is thinking about hosting their wedding here.

nd the team made the wedding planning process seamless and demonstrated compassion and understanding. Allison was the absolute best! She stuck with us through the postponements, answered hundreds of questions, and coordinated many meetings/phone calls. Allison was patient, efficient, hard-working and knowledgeable about the wedding planning process/industry. There were many times throughout our planning process where we didn’t know if we could have 10, 30, 50 or 150 guests at our wedding, Allison was always there to share with us everything she knew about the very fluid changes that were happening in the COVID landscape between event spaces and the city. We could not have had a successful wedding without all of Allison’s work behind the scenes as well as help leading up to and on the day of our wedding! Additionally, all of the bartenders, waitstaff, and additional team members at the Sonesta were amazing. Everyone was incredibly friendly and hospitable. Our friends still rave about how fun they helped make the night! The food served at our wedding was also absolutely phenomenal! We elected to offer our guests the option of a chicken, fish, or vegetarian dish. We heard great things about all three meals. The passed appetizers at cocktail hour and late night snack (pretzels) were also terrific. All in all, the Royal Sonesta River North was an incredible place to host our wedding. The staff, delicious food, and beautiful ballroom helped bring our vision/dream wedding to life. We would recommend the Sonesta to anyone! If you’re considering this venue, do not hesitate!

first meeting. Not only did we receive a detailed tour of the ballroom, hotel, and guest rooms but we left with a goodie bag of cookies with a handwritten note from the Executive Chef congratulating us on our engagement! The food is unbelievable and is sure to wow your guests. The menu choices are very expansive which meant we got to choose items that aren’t often seen at other weddings. Hot tip: the red wine braised short ribs were life-changing. The bar was also spectacular - good quality liquor choices and well made drinks by the bartenders. But the service, my goodness this might be the best part. I am the sort of person with endless questions and Allison was incredibly patient and responsive throughout the entire planning process. Also, during the entire wedding weekend the in-room dining and housekeeping teams took outstanding care of everyone in our room block. There was legitimately nothing that I would change about our wedding day because of the incredible care and hard work put in by the Hotel Palomar team! Choosing to host your wedding at the Palomar should be a no-brainer.

timely manner, and was helpful without being too sale-sy). All of our guests were impressed with how beautiful and spacious the rooms were. I later realized their pet policy, which is amazingly inclusive (no breed or size bans!) and accommodating if anyone wanted to bring their pet along. They may be a little more expensive than other hotels, but in my opinion the amazing hotel accommodations, daily free wine hour, overall service, and cleanliness of the hotel makes up for a slight price increase from a non-boutique hotel.

he is extremely knowledgeable about the venue and is so very helpful on wedding day! I appreciate you Allison and the entire Palomar team for welcoming me and the DE Team into your family. Couples if you are looking for fabulous venue with an amazing staff, then look no further. You have all that at Hotel Palomar!!! xo

ss. Allison was absolutely amazing, very organized and extremely knowledgeable. She helped us with certain details we never knew to think about, and even gave us recommendations for our other vendors. She worked so well with us to make sure our day went smoothly, and it was perfect! Everyone at the Palomar provided impeccable service! Most of our guests were from out of town, so many of them booked our block of rooms during the wedding weekend. Everyone stated how friendly and attentive the staff were, with every employee greeting us with a smile and hello. We cannot emphasize enough how accommodating the hotel was. There was no request too outlandish; I needed to call the front desk a few times during the morning of the wedding for some requests (i.e. emergency kit for wardrobe malfunctions!). They were so great! The space was absolutely beautiful! The decor was simple, but very elegant! There was a balcony outside of the ballroom accessible to anyone during the reception. We also had the chance to take photos on the terrace overlooking the city. The space was the perfect size for a smaller intimate wedding, but it can definitely hold larger parties. The food was 10 stars! We had savory hors d'oeuvres during the cocktail hour, an amazing 4-course dinner, and a late night station with doughnuts and sliders. Everyone left the night full and happy. The brunch the next day also allowed us to mingle more with our guests and close out the wedding weekend, and their spread of hot and cold dishes was delicious! Overall, we have zero regrets about having our reception and next-day brunch at the Palomar. We would highly recommend choosing this location!

n Chicago. Everywhere was overpriced, difficult to deal with and would nickel and dime you for everything. Allison was my last appointment and by that time I was pretty burnt out. Meeting with her was a breath of fresh air - so friendly, transparent in the pricing and the process and the ballroom was absolutely GORGEOUS and spacious. There's a beautiful outdoor terrace that's connected to the space as well. We knew pretty much immediately that we found the perfect, romantic and affordable city venue we had been searching for. Allison (our coordinator at the venue) is literally the most responsive and organized person you'll ever meet. I'll miss our constant communications. :) She made it so easy, was so detail organized, and you can trust that nothing will slip through the cracks with her. They really do go above and beyond to make sure you're 100% happy and your day will be perfect. Wedding day, I was blown away by even how more beautiful the ceremony/reception space was. I received so many compliments by the beautiful space and the amazing food. Sable is the restaurant and the food was AMAZING. And not many people say that about wedding food. Gonzalo (bartender of the year!!) also did everything he could to make me feel special - refilling our drinks, checking on us if we needed anything, you get the idea. If I had to redo my wedding, I would choose Hotel Palomar in a heartbeat, which is the best thing a bride can say after her wedding. Thank you so much Allison, Gonzalo and team. I'll thank you forever :)

y we were going to go with a different venue that was a bit more favorable for our budget. Allison then called us the next day and was willing to work with us to make our wedding day everything that me and my future husband had envisioned for our special day. Our target date was late April/ early May and Allison brought a new perspective which was so helpful. She filled us in on other events that were going on in that date range and when the most optimal Saturdays were depending on what other happenings were going on in the city that might cause the room block to be more expensive or create added traffic and congestion which was something that was not on our radar. She also was extremely patient and responsive to all the emails that I would send her way. She was very accommodating and allowed us both to bring our families to see the space on different occasions. Fast forward through more of our planning to the day of our tasting. We had our parents join us, not sure if that is the norm but Allison, the head chef, and senior staff member (Gonzalo) made us feel right at home. All of the food we tasted was amazing and one of our toughest decisions was, which beef dish would we be serve for the wedding, but luckily Allison and the head chef provided us with more insight that we knew was possible. Another great perk of our package was that it included a one hour session on the 17th floor terrace prior to the wedding and another hour for the day of our wedding. We decided to incorporate the terrace as one of the stops during our engagement photo shoot. Allison was so helpful with scheduling and even provided us with some cookies when we arrived that had been leftover from another event but were the perfect treat after an exhausting day of smiling :) We were planning to do our first look on the 17th floor terrace on the day of our wedding but Chicago weather had other plans for us that day. It not only rained but it also snowed on April 27th, records were definitely broken in the city that day. We had rented a bus to take us and the bridal party around to all these wonderful outdoor locations. Have no fear, our vendors were the best and so was the Kimpton Palomar staff. We were able to do our first look outside on the first floor at at area that was covered by an awning and were able to make it up to the 17th floor terrace for some fun shots with the umbrellas. Definitely not what we were planning but it all worked out despite what mother nature threw at us that day. The ceremony, cocktail hour, reception and brunch the next morning were all amazing. One of the highlights of the evening was when me and my husband came down to see all our guests during the cocktail hour. I went to the bar to get a drink and one of the guests stepped on my dress and scolded me for not having my dress bustled. At this moment I did not see my MOH but have no fear. I ordered a drink at the bar and next thing I know Gonzalo is bustling my dress, he literally SAVED THE DAY!! Everything about our wedding day was absolutely amazing and if we had to do it all over again, we wouldn't change a thing. All of the staff at the Kimpton Palomar exceeded our expectations and made our wedding day more amazing than we thought was possible.

d perfect. Our guests complimented so much on the food, staff, how beautiful the venue was, and just overall how great of an experience they had there. Our venue coordinator (Allison) was so helpful and amazing at replying to any emails, my over load questions, final walkthrough, timeline of the day, and really just helpful in anyway she could. They really do go above and beyond here. Our experience here was so great, and we cannot wait to go back and visit the hotel here! Leaving that place after our wedding weekend, truly did leave a special in our hearts. We absolutely love it there.

g and are so grateful that she was there to help us along the way as well as be there the night of to ensure everything went smoothly. She was so attentive and organized, which I know my mom and I really appreciated whenever we would send her a million questions/emails. We also received so many compliments on the food at the reception. We have been to 3 more weddings over the last month and we were still getting compliments on how our dinner was the best. The portions were amazing! We are so glad we booked with the Palomar!

ter the food was a huge bonus – it was literally the best wedding food we’ve ever had! I can’t say enough about the level of service Allison, Gonzalo, and the rest of the staff at the Palomar provided. We received SEVERAL compliments from our guests about how professional the staff was. The ballroom is simply spectacular! We truly could not be happier with our experience at the Palomar!

us and our guests the feeling they were in the city instead of a traditional hotel ballroom. Allison thought of everything and helped us stay organized by giving us a huge list of questions to answer well in advance, when we had time to go through them thoroughly. She always answered emails directly and helpfully. Throughout the months-long planning process, we felt like we were in good hands. On the day of the wedding, everything went smoothly – food came out on time, drinks flowed, our rooming block was great, etc. Allison and her crew went out of their way to make sure everything went perfectly. We had one unfortunate run-in with a bellhop who dropped some pivotal wedding prep material but everyone else we dealt with at the Palomar - banquet staff, the front desk, bartenders and servers - was fantastic, helpful and friendly. Seriously, we couldn’t recommend the Palomar and Allison more strongly. We had an absolutely fabulous day that our guests are still talking about!

otel personnel were so terrific everyone felt like family by the end of the weekend (including the wedding guests.) From Emma Jane, who coordinated the actual wedding and day after brunch, to Gonzalo, who took care of everyone the entire weekend, and Sarah at the front desk, who handled a myriad of miscellaneous requests promptly, we could not be more pleased! The nightly hotel wine hour was a great opportunity for the wedding guests to mingle. All of the food and cocktails provided by Sable for various events was fantastic – big thanks to Amber and Kyle. I could go on and on but you get the idea – Hotel Palomar is a superb venue in all respects!

nd even reserved part of the restaurant as a back-up location. The hotel was wonderful, the rooms were amazing, and the staff was all so happy and helpful! The suites were huge (and a good price!) so we had plenty of room to get ready, and Lindsey made sure we had plenty of chairs for the salon technicians. Lindsey's thoughtfulness extended beyond the wedding as we had a bottle of bubbly waiting for us in the room when we got back from the reception. Lastly, all of our family member who stayed there loved their rooms and the service too!

fun--he was so friendly with the guests. The drinks tasted great, the food was outstanding (mushroom soup is especially great), and the popcorn (late night treat, which we ordered as an add-on) is phenomenal. I was so glad they used real truffle in their truffle popcorn. Overall, Allison was professional and organized. She kept in contact with us leading up to the wedding, in order to make sure everything went smoothly. When we had some last minute comments and changes, she accommodated us quickly. This made the evening worry-free, and it went just as planned. The space looks great. There are floor-to-ceiling windows, a cozy patio, and sparkly chandeliers. The carpet is neutral, with a large floral print (not the red poppies, thankfully). The tables come with a cute crinkled satin linen and gold chargers. I brought in some small centerpieces, as you won't need any large centerpieces. I thought the default (gold) chairs were perfectly good with my color scheme, but that is all up to you! I highly recommend this venue! Your guests will have a blast in a central location, with excellent food and a beautiful ambiance. I had around 85 guests seated in ten tables and I thought the set up was perfect.

perience with Hotel Palomar. Every step in the planning process Alyssa and the team at Palomar were there to make things easy, fun, and memorable. They were also very accommodating to all of our requests. Many of our guests were coming from out of town so we wanted them to experience what downtown Chicago is all about. The location of Hotel Palomar couldn’t be better in the heart of River North with a plethora of restaurants, bars, and shopping within walking distance. The ballroom is also amazing. It has floor to ceiling windows on three sides of the room so you get amazing city views, which was key for us. No stuffy conference room feel. There is also a balcony off the ballroom so your guests can get a breath of fresh air or take a break from dancing without leaving the party. Finally, the upgraded features that come standard with your reception package such as satin table linens and beautiful gold plate chargers make the need to decorate the space minimal. Bonus, the staff will set the tables with your décor. One less thing to worry about! The food!! I think our favorite part of wedding planning was our tasting at Sable - Trying all the amazing appetizers and entrée options and creating our signature cocktail. So. Much. FUN! The food is absolutely phenomenal. Definitely not your typical “wedding food”. I can’t tell you how many guests commented on how much they loved our meal. The bartenders bring the party! They were so much fun! Our guests LOVED Gonzalo and even took pictures with him. He can shake a mean cocktail! All of our guests continue to tell us how much they loved every aspect of our wedding and we couldn’t agree more. The team at Hotel Palomar truly made our dream day a reality. If you’re looking for a chic downtown wedding and to work with an A-team, Hotel Palomar has it all. We can’t wait to go back for our next staycation.

omar for their wedding. Over our wedding weekend, we had planned two welcome events for those in town. One Friday night, and one Saturday night- both scheduled to take place in a private room in Sable (restaurant at the Palomar). The Friday night event was great-the reserved room was a perfect space for the gathering. Saturday night, hours before the gathering was supposed to start, the Palomar wedding coordinator informed us that we were getting kicked out of the private space, but we could "use the bar area". How were we supposed to let our guests know that the location had changed on such short notice? My relatives had to stand in the middle of a hot, cramped bar with nowhere to sit down and loud music playing. What made it worse was that I looked into the private room, and nobody was in it!! So upsetting. Most upsetting, though, were several requests we had specifically made were not followed through. We had asked for leftover food, cake, desserts to be packed up after the wedding. They were thrown away. We asked for there to be enough hors d'oeurves for cocktail hour. There weren't. We expected our Welcome Bags would be delivered (with an additional fee paid for delivery!)- a large number weren't, or were delivered too late for guests to use them. We were proactive in telling the coordinator at the Hotel what we wanted, and asking very specific questions. She would say yes, but not follow through. You expect things out of your control may not go your way, but not the things in our control that we had thought through carefully and requested.

d the location since it made easy for them to explore the city and we loved the options nearby to host other events like brunches and the rehearsal dinner. Guest rooms were great as well. Since it is a smaller hotel, it was easy and fun to run into our family and friends throughout the weekend. Alyssa (the catering manager for the hotel) is amazing to work with - she was so on top of all of the details during the planning of the event all the way through the day-of execution. She was able to customize everything to fit our priorities and we felt like it was a very personalized event. The rest of the staff was amazing as well. Everyone from the front desk to valet drivers to the waiters and bartenders was so kind and helpful. We also enjoyed that we were the only event for the day since the hotel only has 1 large ballroom– it allowed all of the staff to really focus on our wedding rather than being 1 of many events like some of the larger hotels. We highly recommend Hotel Palomar to anyone!

burden. I'm sure she was dealing with lots of other brides, but she always made me feel like I was only one. Food...Sable catering. In a word. Amazing. Room...beautiful. Full floor to ceiling windows with views of downtown Chicago. Now, for the negative and the reason I couldn't give 5 stars. Valet parking is a bit of a nightmare. We had our ceremony in a church and the reception immediately followed, so we had a lot of guests needing to park all around the same time. My dad dropped my mom off at the door and then waited 50 minutes to get up to the valet. He missed the 1st hour of his daughter's reception! Part of the problem is the valet circle is VERY small, so I understand it's hard to get people in and out, but they also only had two people working.

robes - then cocktails and the most amazing dinner and dancing party ever. The service/attention to detail in the planning was incredible and perfect for my type A, way over-organized personality. We had a 3 month engagement and Palomar pulled it off with ease. Then when the time came, it went off without a hitch. Personnel at the hotel treated our guests phenomenally, accommodations were great and reasonable for guests particularly in downtown chicago. How they managed to cook 75 filets to perfection is beyond me but EVERY person came up to me at brunch the following day (yes - hosted at sable - delightful of course!) and said it was by far the best wedding food they have ever had...yes, everyone "says" this by my now Husband :) and I first looked at the palomar because Sable is one of our favorite restaurants...the chef at Sable actually does their banquets as well. The chandeliers, windows, and ambiance make it the perfect venue for dancing the night away. It is the perfect downtown setting and exactly what we were looking for.

tly. We were extremely happy with every aspect of our wedding there.

hly professional, incredibly friendly, and knows just how to put brides at ease with her confidence and experience. My husband and I highly recommend Hotel Palomar in Chicago for your wedding venue needs!

the coordinator, was so organized and patient with all of our out of town family members. She also set up all the details for the reception I had planned so I did not have to worry about any of the set up on the day of the wedding. The staff was very helpful the whole weekend and I think we were all hugging when we left on Sunday!

d everything under control. I was able to hang out with friend and family and take in every moment. The staff and the hotel were very professional and accomodating to all our guests. Guests kept commenting on how amazing the venue looked and how delicious the food was. We were planning everything from New York City so I had to trust and rely on the Palomar for all our needs (ambiance, tasting, coordinating with other vendors, etc) and they did not disappoint. I trusted Alyssa so much that the entire process was stressfree. I would recommend the Palomar a million times over. AMAZING!!