My First extended Stay Experience – Marriott Execustay Apartments Reviews

Recently I had to spend roughly two months on the road to work out of our Chicago office – knowing I was going to be there for a while, I decided that staying in a typical hotel was going to be too expensive and lonely for my needs, so I checked out Marriott Execustay Apartments. Unlike typical hotels, they offer Chicago furnished apartments that feel just like my condo back at home – full kitchens, a living room, TV, WiFi, etc.

The difference was night and day, and Execustay really made my extended trip to Chicago SO much more enjoyable. It was my first time trying corporate housing or furnished apartments, and I’m absolutely thrilled with my experience with Execustay, so I wanted to blog about it & share my good experiences with others.

Here are my favorite things about Marriott Execustay Apartments:

• Full Kitchen – they had really nice appliances and all of the pots, pans, silverware, etc that I needed to cook. I was able to eat healthy and make whatever I felt like on week nights, which was so nice and definitely kept me from eating poorly and getting burned out from restaurant fare.

• Tons of Lounging space – I’ve stayed in suites that have living rooms before, but this is way different – it’s the same size as an apartment and has a ton more living space than even an extended stay hotel or a suite. You have tons of room to lounge, lay out your stuff, and get comfortable.

• Value – it ended up being a better deal than paying a nightly rate for a hotel, especially for the area I stayed in. But more importantly than that, it was 100x nicer than a hotel, so in my opinion it would have been worth paying more than a hotel, but instead was cheaper. It was a great value, both for me and my employer.

• Feeling at home – the door man recognized me at the building, I slept in the same room every night, the building was secure and didn’t feel like a hotel (because it wasn’t), all of my stuff was put away in drawers & closets, etc. This really felt like home, instead of a hotel. That piece of mind & comfort really helps out when you have to spend two months away from home. While I still really missed my girlfriend and dog, at least I had some sense of home while I was in Chicago.

• Marriott Points – I now have a TON of Marriott points. That’s awesome. I’m going to put them towards a nice vacation somewhere (I’m thinking Hawaii), which is a great perk to help make up for needing to be on the road for so long. After two months of being gone, a nice romantic getaway for me and my girlfriend sounds like exactly what I’d like to do.

I stayed in the building called One Superior Place and it was awesome – there was a Whole Foods on the bottom floor, which meant that I cooked for myself nearly every night and was able to eat healthy and not be forced to dine out every night like I typically do when I travel. The location was also just blocks from the Magnificent Mile and all of the great shopping there, as well as the L train so I didn’t need a car and could get anywhere I needed by foot or train, just like a local. They also had a super nice pool and fitness center – for all intents and purposes, I was living in a luxury condo, just like a local would be.

If you have an extended trip coming up, definitely consider Execustay for your needs – I know I will certainly use them again next time I need to be away from home for 30 days or more (their minimum stay is typically 1 month, so sadly I can’t use them for shorter trips!).