Chicago
A Room with a View
2008 10Best Bet - Award Winners
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RIVER NORTH. Recalling a 1920s speakeasy with seductive Victorian undertones, Crimson Lounge at Hotel Sax Chicago is positively stunning, as is evident from any of the velvet-covered ottomans and couches. Not surprisingly, the lounge is festooned with crimson draperies and lavish chandeliers. The interior also offers posh displays of traditional Impressionist art. The luxuriant meeting spot will remind you that you don't need to see the Sears Tower to get a feel for the city.
GOLD COAST. While numerous modern, hip hotels are popping up all over the city, the legendary Drake Hotel keeps things just as classy as it has since 1920. An obvious hotspot for weddings, the Drake Hotel is known for its ideal location a mere two blocks from Lake Shore Drive. On the east side of the hotel, your view is nothing but sand and sparkling Lake Michigan, and on the north side, the natural curve of the beach – lined with tall, city skyscrapers – reveals the best of both natural and manmade worlds.
THE LOOP. Take a brief tour through various guest rooms at Hotel 71, and you'll conclude that just about any room could please a traveler looking for a wide panorama of the city. Rooms facing south overlook Millennium Park; rooms facing north are ideal if you need to map out a shopping route on Michigan Avenue or Rush Street. The east side of the hotel looks to Lake Michigan while the south faces the spiraling Marina Towers and the water canals. Granting a full scope of the city makes Hotel 71 a pretty fabulous prospect.
RIVER NORTH. If you're looking for a typical, run-of-the-mill banquet hall for a special occasion, you certainly won't find it at the InterContinental Chicago. But if a lavish dream wedding with dozens of white linen-covered tables and overflowing bouquets of peonies is your thing, the InterContinental can make it happen in its spectacularly spacious Grand Ballroom. The venue's balcony is also a nice touch if you happen to round up many, many guests – which may win you a nice section in the Chicago Tribune. Though floor-to-ceiling windows provide a magnificent view of the Magnificent Mile, this room is capable of being transformed into, dare we say, something even better than its exterior vista.
MAGNIFICENT MILE. A chic hotspot for Hollywood's finest, NoMi offers not only a five-star French-Asian menu but also one of the best views in Chicago. Though there are plenty of enviable places to see the Water Tower in the city, rave reviews insist that NoMi's view is one of the best. The romantic, eccentric interior showcases rich, abstract glass structures and long, flowing drapes. In addition, slightly tinted windows cast a subtle blue glow over the already-radiant city.
MAGNIFICENT MILE. With luxury condominiums and parking garages prominent in the city, the sight of green grass and blossoming flowers isn't that common. Fortunately, Raffaello Hotel knows that there's no safer location for a precious garden than right on the roof. In addition to lush landscaping, benches and walkways give you the feeling of being at home on your very own deck; the only exception at Raffaello Hotel is that skyscrapers are your impressive neighbors.
THE LOOP. Located right on the corner of Wacker and North State, Renaissance Chicago Hotel points guests in a direction other than toward Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive. The exercise and spa center opens to a balcony overlooking passing speedboats and the frequent Chicago architectural tour ferry. The Renaissance will also soon have a new neighbor since Trump Towers is being built right across the bridge. For a quieter view of local canals, Renaissance is a great alternative to properties on the Michigan Avenue scene.
MAGNIFICENT MILE. Whether you're hiding from the paparazzi or just wish you were, The Peninsula's Shanghai Terrace will certainly make you feel superior. Inside, dim lighting and seductive red accents set the mood for evening meals, but the actual terrace (weather permitting) is what really has people calling for reservations. Especially if you'd prefer not to see the city at bird's eye view, Shanghai Terrace sits comfortably on the fourth floor, just above the bustle and offering a more intimate, local viewpoint.
RIVER NORTH. Gallantly placed in the city's ritziest area, Sofitel Chicago Water Tower is a twisted white skyscraper overlooking the buzzing streets of Michigan Avenue. Each room of the architectural standout offers a different visual angle on the city, and the rooftop view is like no other. Don't worry about not finding the hotel; its signature cartoonish tilt is hard to miss. Only two blocks off Lakeshore Drive, it has little competition from its neighbors. You have a choice between the Magnificent Mile and glistening Lake Michigan; you can't beat that.
MAGNIFICENT MILE. After you've familiarized yourself with Chicago, the excitement of the skyline may begin to diminish slightly. At The Ritz-Carlton, however, the lobby alone is breathtaking enough to inspire new awe. Marble floors, expansive ceilings, and golden corridors are just the start. A fountain in the center of the large room hosts a dark, elaborate sculpture bathed in light pouring through a skylight. In addition, the intricate, cathedral-like ceiling seems inspired by DaVinci himself. The view of building tops peeking in overhead will be just enough to remind you that you aren't really in Europe. You know the spot. The hotel that offers great views of the city skyline or lovely vistas of the countryside. Or maybe you don't. Either way, you will now. We'll share the numbers of guest rooms where you can take in the most amazing panoramas. We'll tell you about the nightclub with a fabulous scenic terrace, and we'll let you in on the hotel restaurant that boasts its own manicured garden courtyard. Hotel stays aren't just about the bed or the toiletries, after all.
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You know the spot. The hotel that offers great views of the city skyline or lovely vistas of the countryside. Or maybe you don't. Either way, you will now. We'll share the numbers of guest rooms where you can take in the most amazing panoramas. We'll tell you about the nightclub with a fabulous scenic terrace, and we'll let you in on the hotel restaurant that boasts its own manicured garden courtyard. Hotel stays aren't just about the bed or the toiletries, after all.
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