Baker

The highlight of our trip was sitting on the balcony, looking over the river in the peaceful atmosphere. My wife and I booked a suite at Hotel Baker in St. Charles with a private hot tub out there, which made the stay feel relaxing and unforgettable.

There’s a lovely garden at the back by the Fox River, and it’s a great wedding venue. This is a cute antique boutique hotel on the river. There’s a free public parking lot across the street. I don’t think they offer valet.

The venue was beautiful, but the pricing left us extremely disappointed after we drove an hour to tour it. Based on the voucher we’d requested, we expected around $22,000, but the total came out to more than $45,000. Food and drinks were about $120-150 per person. Each bridal or groomsmen room cost $350 to rent, plus $55 per person to feed everyone using it. Outside food delivery and any outside drinks weren’t allowed. We were told near the end that everything was included except chairs, then learned chair rental was $7.50 per person. Taxes and gratuity were extra too, with gratuity at 24% and taxes adding around another $5,000. I’m already paying $10,000 to rent the room, so being told that only chairs weren’t included felt ridiculous. I don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on all the extras.

ROX, the hotel’s bar and restaurant, deserves a mention. The food was sumptuous, and especially the bacon. My two-week stay at Hotel Baker was one of the highlights of my US trip. The location was very convenient, the rooms were comfortable and well kept, and the service stayed warm, attentive, and professional. The staff made me feel welcome from the first day, and I’d gladly return and recommend it.