Located at the north end of Michigan Avenue and across from the Hancock Center, the Westin has a good location for shopping and sightseeing. While the lobby is rather cold and uninviting, our room was lovely. The bathroom appeared to be brand-new. And the "Heavenly Bed" lived up to its name. Perhaps best of all, we booked the room on Hotwire and got a rate of $74 per night. This was rather amazing for a four-star hotel on Presidents' Day weekend.
Regarding the location, the Westin is just across the street from Bloomingdale's, 1 block north of Water Tower Place, and 2 blocks from the American Girl Place. So there's plenty of shopping within easy walking distance.
Regarding food, the hotel's restaurant is quite fancy and not suitable for children. And the advertised Starbuck's in the lobby was nothing more than a table with a nice lady serving coffee, fruit, and stale muffins. Go elsewhere for breakfast.