Raytheon has significant operations and contractor relationships across the Chicago metro, meaning you or your team probably end up downtown more than a few times a year. The Radisson Blu Aqua sits right on Columbus Drive, a 10 minute walk from Millennium Park and well positioned for meetings in the Loop or along the Magnificent Mile. Code WP1086 gets you a corporate rate that, combined with Radisson Rewards earnings, can save you north of $60 per night on a typical stay.
The Property
The Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel occupies the base of Jeanne Gang's famous Aqua Tower at 221 N Columbus Dr, right where the New Eastside meets Lakeshore East Park. The neighborhood is quiet for being so central, with green space, a grocery store, and direct access to the Lakefront Trail within a few blocks. O'Hare is about 25 minutes by car or rideshare, though realistically closer to 40 during rush hour, and Midway is a similar drive south.
Rooms at the Blu tier are noticeably larger than standard Radisson properties, with most starting around 340 square feet and featuring floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lake, river, or city. Work setups include a proper desk with ergonomic chair, multiple outlets, and complimentary high speed Wi-Fi for Radisson Rewards members. Suites are available if you need a separate living area for hosting small team meetings or just want more breathing room on longer assignments.
The hotel has a heated indoor lap pool on the amenity level, a well equipped fitness center, and Filini Bar & Restaurant on site for Italian fare without leaving the building. There is no airport shuttle, so plan on rideshare or the Blue Line from O'Hare to Grand, then a short cab. Breakfast is not automatically included with the corporate rate, but Radisson Rewards Gold and above members sometimes receive breakfast perks, so check your elite benefits before paying out of pocket.
The hotel is a 5 minute walk to Millennium Station, which connects to the South Shore Line and Metra Electric, useful if you have meetings in the south suburbs or near the Indiana border. For dining, you are within walking distance of the restaurants along Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue, including RPM Italian and Cindy's rooftop at the Chicago Athletic Association. Navy Pier is about a 15 minute walk east, and the Mag Mile shopping district is 10 minutes north on foot.
Your Savings Breakdown
| Rate Tier | Rack Rate | Corporate Rate | Points Earned | Point Value | Net Cost | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $170 | $145 | 2,900 pts | $11.60 | $133.40 | $36.60 |
| Superior | $280 | $238 | 4,760 pts | $19.04 | $218.96 | $61.04 |
| Premium | $450 | $383 | 7,660 pts | $30.64 | $352.36 | $97.64 |
On a typical midweek night, rack rate at this property runs around $280. Entering code WP1086 drops that to roughly $238, and as a Radisson Rewards member you earn 20 points per dollar, so that $238 night generates 4,760 points worth about $19.04 at Radisson's 0.4 cents per point valuation. That brings your effective net cost down to $218.96, a real savings of $61.04 compared to booking at the public rate without points.
How to Book with Code WP1086
- Go to radissonrewards.com and log into your Radisson Rewards account, or create one if you have not already
- Enter Chicago, IL as your destination along with your check-in and check-out dates
- Before searching, look for the Special or Corporate rate field, sometimes tucked under a dropdown or expandable menu
- Enter corporate code WP1086 in that field and run the search
- Compare the corporate rate against the standard flexible rate to confirm the discount applies, then complete your booking
Stack Your Savings
If you hold Radisson Rewards Gold, Platinum, or Premium status, those elite perks apply on top of the corporate rate. That can mean room upgrades when available, late checkout, welcome amenities, and bonus point earnings of up to 50% extra. Status earned through stays or through the program's credit card partnerships stacks fully with the WP1086 code, so there is no conflict between your corporate rate and your loyalty tier.
The Choice Privileges and Radisson Rewards programs merged under Choice Hotels, so the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard now earns bonus points on Radisson stays. You will typically get 5x points per dollar on qualifying hotel spend with that card. If you do not carry that card, general travel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Amex Gold still earn their standard travel multipliers when you pay for the room.
Radisson Rewards frequently runs seasonal promotions offering double or triple bonus points on stays during specific windows, usually announced via email or on the promotions page of their website. Register for every promo before you travel, as they require opt-in. Booking directly on the Radisson site also guarantees you earn full points, while third party sites like Expedia will not credit your Radisson Rewards account.
Bottom Line: Depending on the night and room type, code WP1086 can save Raytheon employees anywhere from roughly $36 to $97 per night at the Radisson Blu Aqua once you factor in the rate discount and the value of Radisson Rewards points earned. This is one of the better positioned business hotels in downtown Chicago, with real views, solid rooms, and a location that works whether your meetings are in the Loop, along the lakefront, or out in the suburbs via Metra. For repeat Chicago travelers on Raytheon business, the points accumulation alone makes this worth booking direct every time.