Her Tasty Life

Recently, Eric and I were faced with a real new parent struggle: we needed a couples getaway and we needed it BAD. As fantastically fun as being a new parent can be (and has been), it does come with its stresses, too. Anyone out there with kids is giving me a big AMEN now, right? We had been looking at things like a ‘second’ fiji honeymoon, feel like newlyweds again, you know? But we did not want to go too far. It took a lot of back and forth to finally drill it into our heads that we weren’t going abroad though, because a friend of ours had recommended renting a villa or apartment in somewhere like Spain or France – we found that Rental Cloud had a good variety of them.

We love spending time with Blake, of course, but that doesn’t mean we still don’t need an opportunity every now and then to rest, recharge and log in some very important two-gether time. It’s essential to staying a strong couple and invariably, a strong family. Mom and dad come first and everything else falls into place is always my philosophy.

Planning a getaway, however, can pose just as much stress, you hear me? Where to go… not wanting to be too far away from baby… not wanting to be gone too long. There were so many factors to consider and when it came down to it, staying close by and not being gone forever took priority, so we decided a staycation would work best for us.

Being in Chicago, finding a great staycation locale is almost too easy. You can throw a rock in almost any direction and hit a fabulous hotel with great proximity to all the city has to offer. For this overnight, we set our sights on Viceroy’s newest outpost, Viceroy Chicago. Being from Los Angeles, I’m a huge fan of their LA-based locations and have had amazing experiences there. I couldn’t imagine they wouldn’t bring the same level of impeccable service and style to Chicago and luckily, I was right.

Upon arrival, I was most excited to check in and get immediately to our room. I knew there was a big, fluffy robe there with my name on it and I couldn’t wait to unwind and relax the afternoon away with my hunny. We were shown to our suite which was, in a word, GLAM! The décor was exactly what I expected for the ultimate couples getaway… mod, stylish, and totally chic.

Robe status achieved! The suite was like being in an apartment, it was just spacious, beyond. It had an impressive foyer with a powder room, a sitting room with a bar and ample seating, and a master bedroom that had views that were absolutely to die for. So yeah, it’s just like an apartment… if you lived in the most stunning building, in the best neighborhood, with the ultimate interior designer.

Real life, my friends. HA!

Hubby and I settled into this super sexy sitch hastily and popped a bottle of wine (thank you, Viceroy!), while exploring our room and experiencing a total jaw drop moment after wandering into the insanely grand master bath. Anyone who follows Her Tasty Life regularly knows I’m ALL ABOUT an incredible bathroom setup. And Viceroy Chicago’s does not disappoint.

Yep. That’s me there in the tub. Took a whopping 6 minutes from the time I entered the suite until the time I was in that gorgeous wet room. What can I say, I live for a soak.

I could have spent our entire couples getaway just floating around, but alas, we had to eat (bathing can work up quite the appetite).

Another reason we chose to stay with Viceroy was because of the dining available on-site. We didn’t want to waste a moment of our retreat having to leave the property, and Viceroy houses one of Chicago’s hottest new restaurants, Somerset, right on its ground level.

So rarely am I wowed and impressed by the restaurants in hotels, but with Lee Wolen of BOKA Restaurant Group as the chef/partner at the helm of this American cuisine-focused powerhouse, it was a no-brainer that this would tee up to be an idyllic meal, and it was. West Coast oysters, hamachi crudo and an amazing smoked beet tartare, were followed by entrées of seared scallops and a dry aged ribeye. Out of this world good!

We loved it so much we woke up the next morning and went back for brunch.

YASS! This was exactly what the doctor ordered. Amazing accommodations, top notch dining, a wet room that was pure heaven, and all of it just around the corner from baby Blake so we felt close and in control. A million thank you’s to Viceroy Chicago for providing this couple the dreamiest getaway ever. We’ll see you – and your bathtub – soon!