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Talk about value!Each room at this newer hotel is actually a two-room suite.The living room boasts a big TV loaded with cable and video games,a sofa-bed,a dining/work table,a microwave, refrigerator and a wetbar.And there ’s another big TV in the bedroom.The building itself is pretty cool – it ’s a giant atrium set up around a heated,indoor pool.That ’s where breakfast is served every morning,which is not only free,but is cooked to order.Although there ’s no restaurant on-site,there ’s a restaurant next door that runs room service,plus a neighbouring coffeeshop and a grocery store across the street.
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Location,location,location.This relatively new,15-storey modern hotel sits just off the Magnificent Mile.Only steps away from shopping,dining,sights and\nattractions,and a short cab ride from The Loop,downtown ’s central business district.Unlike many of the hotels in this area,you won ’t find yourself enveloped in luxury here.But you ’ll be shelling out a third of the price for a room that is just as clean,with the same necessities of a bed, desk,bathroom,seating and,of course, internet access.There ’s complimentary continental breakfast every morning in the lobby,too.
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Chicago has been waiting patiently to see how one of its coolest historic buildings – the impressive art deco black marble Carbide and Carbon building – would be transformed into a luxury hotel,and in January the wait finally ended.The results are rock star chic,with music-inspired art and a party atmosphere after dark.The hotel bar,Base,features deco chic,with tinted glass tables and a black,mock croc couch.Guest rooms double as media experiences,with flat screen TVs,CDs and DVD players,in-room theatre systems, internet access and Wi-Fi,and you can even party like a rock star because the hotel offers twice-daily maid service.
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Situated on the business end of Michigan Avenue,this vintage high-rise hotel shines, especially in the summer when guests can take advantage of its location and cross the street to the beautiful Grant Park for a stroll.Built in 1927 as the world ’s largest hotel,the building underwent a $185 million renovation in 1985.This place is so big even Hilton calls it a ‘city within a city ’, with a pool,fitness facilities,a barbershop and salon and a full business centre. Rooms are standard chain-hotel fare,but there ’s a higher priced option –The Towers – which have a bit more luxury and space,especially in the bathrooms.
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The blue-mirrored façade of this 1950s high rise building shimmers against the Chicago River,where the business district of The Loop meets the Magnificent Mile shopping district.Standard guest rooms are said to be the largest in the city, probably because the building was originally designed to be condominiums. Each room is contemporary and stylish, outfitted with either oversized chairs or a leopard print chaise lounge,plus beds decked out in 300-thread-count linens. When it ’s time to work,rooms offer a generous work desk and desk chair with an in-room coffee maker to brew up a little inspiration.There are also computers with internet access available in the lobby.
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This historic hotel evokes the romance and opulence of the 1900s.Guest rooms boast picture windows,and interiors are draped in rich fabrics of navy blue and gold, including a navy velvet headboard with sheer gold canopies.Each room has a CD player,fax machine,mahogany writing desk and a chaise lounge.The building itself is a Chicago landmark.It was built 105 years ago as the Reliance Building,and designed in a popular commercial architectural style now called ‘Chicago Style ’.It was reborn in 1999 after a $27.5 million renovation and re[name]d in honour of renowned Chicago architect Daniel Burnham.
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Architecture tours of the city always point out this landmark building,which was originally built in 1929 as the Medinah Athletic club,an exclusive,men-only\nclub.When the club closed its doors in 1934 after the stock market crashed,the building fell into disrepair.Inter-Continental Hotels bought it in 1988,and\nspent 12 years and a quarter of a billion dollars restoring its former grandeur, including bronze or[name]ntation and friezes,detailed murals and mosaics and\na breathtaking indoor pool.Room decor is definitely a notch above the standard upscale fare thanks to designer touches like decorative mirrors,throw pillows and contemporary table lamps.
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For those folks who need to be near O ’Hare airport,this modern hotel is minutes away,plus it ’s actually connected by a ‘skybridge ’to the Donald\nE Stephens Convention Centre.Although only 15 miles from downtown Chicago, this hotel understandably caters to the businessperson over the tourist – rooms\nare well sized and uncomplicated – and you can upgrade to a ‘business plan room which features more space and amenities.
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hour room service Concierge Picture a quaint English Inn located near the iconic ballpark of America – there you have the Majestic,one of the closest hotels\nto Wrigley Field.Located in a quiet,residential neighbourhood,this hotel is only minutes from downtown,via the scenic Lake Shore Drive.Rooms are standard,yet feature touches like four-poster beds and butler pantries with a refrigerator,microwave and wet bar.Every morning,complimentary continental breakfast is served in the lobby.In the afternoon,cookies are available,and coffee and tea are offered all day.
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Located right in the middle of the Magnificent Mile,this hotel ’s location couldn ’t be better for experiencing the energy of the city,while being only minutes from the business district.This totally modern 46-storey high rise hotel boasts standard upscale chain decor throughout, but it really shines in the amenities department:a giant indoor pool, impressive workout room filled with machines,plus a full business centre. And did we mention the location?The\nchain promotes ‘rooms that work ’,meaning every guest room is outfitted for doing business,with a writing desk with lamp,high-speed internet access and\na two-line phone.
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This elegant Loop hotel is popular among celebs for its 'executive floor’, which offers a private elevator and check-in. Rooms are standard for upscale chain hotels and specially geared to the business traveller, but the real draw here, besides the downtown location and the campy tiki lounge Trader Vic’s, is the opulent building itself. Dating back to 1870, the hotel was rebuilt after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, becoming the first in the country to employ Alexander Graham Bell’s new invention. It was also the first hotel to use electric light bulbs and to install an early version of the elevator.
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Operated by ARC Corporate Housing and Serviced Apartments, this complex of four 40-storey buildings hosts 330 fully furnished apartments designed for longer stays, with a minimum stay of 30 nights and discounts for those who remain longer. The apartments are nicely outfitted with full kitchens and good city views, and the complex offers an array of amenities like a 24-hour service desk, video rental and covered parking.
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If you ’re looking to spend less than $100 a night on accommodation,this hotel, located in an attractive vintage red brick building,just off the Magnificent Mile shopping district,may well be your place. Run by the same French hotelier that owns Sofitel,this national lodging chain tends to be reliable and neat,with an array of unexpected perks like free local calls,free coffee and newspapers,and free cable and movie channels.If you need to do business,you ’d be wise to splurge on the ‘Business King Room ’,which has an enhanced work area,a data port and a speakerphone.
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As part of the Marriott chain,this high rise hotel lacks the history and charm of neighbouring hotels,but that doesn ’t mean it isn ’t fancy enough to please\nleisure guests – plus it ’s a mere bridge-length away from the Magnificent Mile shopping district.Business travellers will feel more at home with its efficient approach to getting work done:there ’s a work desk and high speed internet access in every room,plus the hotel offers a full business centre and PC,printer and secretarial services are available.
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No-frills place equipped for longer stays, thanks to full kitchens and an all-suites format with spaces as large as a two- bedroom apartment. This reliable chain offers free continental breakfasts each morning plus organised social hours and weekly special events like barbecues. The Gold Coast location is prime – walking distance to the shops of the Magnificent Mile and Oak Street, attractions like the Lincoln Park Zoo, and a short cab ride to the central business district of The Loop.
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This luxury hotel is so close to shopping you don’t even need to step outside. It’s connected to Water Tower Place, a high- rise mall with stores ranging from the Gap to Godiva, from Tourneau to Victoria’s Secret. The interior design, from the lobby to the guest rooms, is heavy on the traditional, with lots of upholstery, antiques and brocade drapes. (You can even indulge in an elegant high tea in the Greenhouse.) Despite the decor, the feeling is never stuffy thanks to the abundance of plants, flowers and natural light from windows overlooking the Magnificent Mile.
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Architecture lovers will appreciate the Sofitel ’s striking,triangular design by Parisian architect Jean-Paul Viguier.The dramatic structure is crafted from opaque white glass that flares outward and upward for 33 storeys.Inside,the décor is modern,sleek and sophisticated,with colourful artworks,beautiful floral designs and funky features like under-lit floor tiles. Rooms can be small here,but the luxury is still included,like plush terrycloth bathrobes,ultra-soft down bedding and marble bathrooms.Both the lobby restaurant Café des Architects and the Le Bar lounge are hip spots,and sound levels can really rise on weekend nights – yet guest rooms remain quiet as church.
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This grand dame has been a Chicago institution since it opened its doors in 1920,and has welcomed many celebrities and heads of state,including Prince\nCharles.The lobby is of old-world opulence,and its garden-like Palm Court restaurant,which surrounds a fountain, serves afternoon tea.The less expensive\nrooms here tend to be small,but generally rooms are clean and neat,and many offer great views of the city or of Lake Michigan.Executive-level accommodation has in-room fax machines,but all can use the stocked and staffed business centre on the lobby level.
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Don ’t let the exterior fool you – from the outside,it doesn ’t look like much as it ’s technically attached to a mall,but inside is a whole other story.The lobby boasts marble floors,giant chandeliers and a grand staircase.Seasons restaurant offers old world elegance and an award-winning chef.The spa is among the best in the city,and the pool is surrounded by Roman-style columns and topped with a glass dome.High tea in the conservatory always attracts a posh local crowd.Room décor tends to the traditional,heavy on the chintz and damask.Business travellers will find everything they need to work in their rooms.
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Alice-in-Wonderland style whimsy meets serious business amenities at this downtown hotel perched at the intersection of the Magnificent Mile for shoppers and the central business district for workers (who will also appreciate the select rooms with complimentary high-speed internet access and fax machines). Rooms are generous,as are the bathrooms,plus there are special-sized suites for tall guests.It ’s so pet friendly that if you don ’t bring your own,they ’ll loan you one of theirs – a bright orange goldfish to keep you company.
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Business people will feel right at home at this bold,modern hotel.Each room has four phones,each with two lines and category five dataports,a laptop\nrecharger,a flat screen TV,CD/DVD player with a selection of movies and music and even a minibar.But what sets this place apart from other upscale hotels is the view from the tub.That ’s right – in many rooms you can sit back in the oversized bathtub and enjoy a view of the city and Lake Michigan.And if you don ’t like to stare outside,there ’s a flat screen TV in there,too.
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It doesn ’t get more luxurious,more incredible,or more decadent than this five-star,incredibly plush hotel.Guest rooms are uniformly large,and each has a marble bathroom with shower and separate soaking tub.But don ’t just stay in your room – venture to the Peninsula spa,,where you can indulge in a treatment or paddle around in the glass-enclosed pool.The lobby is also luxurious,with mosaics,a piano,antiques and fresh flowers at every turn.If you don ’t feel like a superstar just hanging out in the lobby,you ’re likely to run into one – it ’s a favourite among movie and music celebs.
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24 hour room service Concierge This bright,sunny,1920s hotel is steps away from the Magnificent Mile ’s non-stop shopping,and a short cab ride from The Loop.Rooms tend to be small – probably not fit for more than two guests – but they ’re comfortable,clean and well appointed with stereos and stocked minibars.The warm,clubby restaurant and bar,which serves breakfast,lunch,dinner and a full bar,is [name]d after former Chicago Bears football coach Mike Ditka, and memorabilia of his tenure with the team is scattered throughout its two storeys.The second floor is cigar friendly and often hosts live entertainment.
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The lobby of this ultra-chic hotel harks back to 1940s Hollywood glamour,with black lacquer,black and white photos, black leather sofas and plenty of black and silver accents.It even sounds cool,with a DJ laying down beats nightly from the lobby balcony.Rooms continue the mode,with the Starwood chain ’s signature attention to detail,like orchids in vases and Aveda bath products,not to mention the plush bed, with a custom pillow-top mattress,250- thread-count sheets and goose down pillows.Each room also has a VCR and a CD player with 24-hour renting rights at the hotel ’s video and CD library.*ON DEMAND
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Featuring the best of both worlds,one side of this minimalist-chic high-rise hotel faces Lake Michigan and the beach,and the other faces the city ’s Magnificent Mile.Sister to the W City Center,guest rooms are stylish and decadently comfortable – it ’s impossible not to sink into the bed with its custom pillow-top mattress,250-thread-count sheets and goose down pillows,and each room has a VCR and a CD player with 24-hour renting rights at the hotel ’s video and CD library.But don ’t spend too long in your room – the hotel restaurant,,Wave,is exceptional and reasonably priced,and the upstairs bar,Whiskey Sky,draws a hip, young crowd.*ON DEMAND
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The theme of this vintage hotel is 19th-century French countryside,and it ’s reflected in the decor of the sitting rooms, which are fitted with antique\nreproductions,patterned wall coverings and large fireplaces.It ’s a nice place to linger in the mornings while enjoying complimentary continental breakfast.\nGuestrooms are clean and neat,with work stations for business travellers,dataports, antique reproduction furnishings,and refrigerators.The real attraction here is the Lincoln Park location,which provides the feel of a Chicago neighbourhood only minutes from the city centre.
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