Where to Stay - Chicago 2005 - page 100

Chicago experience: Blues and jazz play during the buffet breakfast, and local
food favorites offered to guests include the famous cinnamon buns from Ann
Sather's restaurant and beer from Goose Island Brewery.
The more-open-than-typical remodeled Victorian home has five rooms in the
main house and three apartment suites in a coach house; all are named after
Chicago writers. Lovebirds should request the Nelson Algren and Simone De
Beauvoir Suite, which has a large bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub and a view of the
Sears Tower. Two of the coach house apartments can sleep four: two in an
upstairs bedroom and two on a bed that folds up against the wall (custom-made
for the Shaws, these feature top-quality mattresses, making them much more
comfortable than the Murphy beds of old). In good weather, guests are invited
to eat breakfast on the back porch or in the garden between the main house and
the coach house.
607 W. Deming Place, Chicago, IL 60614. & 877/897-7091 or 773/248-7091. Fax [phone]. www.
windycityinn.com. 8 units. $115-$185 double; $225-$325 suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, DISC,
MC, V. Parking $6 in nearby lot with in/out privileges. Subway/El: Red Line to Fullerton. Amenities: Laundry
machines. In room: A/C, TV (kitchenettes, coffeemaker, hair dryer, and iron available for guest use upon
request).
MODERATE
City Suites Hotel A few doors down from the elevated-train stop on
Belmont Avenue, this former transient dive has been transformed into a charm-
ing small hotel. Most rooms are suites, with separate sitting rooms and bed-
rooms, all furnished with first-rate pieces and decorated in a homey and
comfortable style. The amenities are excellent for a hotel in this price range,
including local limousine service, plush robes, and complimentary continental
breakfast. A bonus—or drawback, depending on your point of view—is the
hotel's neighborhood setting. Most rooms can be fairly noisy; those facing north
overlook Belmont Avenue, where the nightlife continues into the early morning
hours, and those facing west look right out over the rumbling El tracks. On your
way in and out of the hotel you'll mingle with plenty of locals, everybody from
young professional families to gay couples to punks in full regalia. Blues bars,
nightclubs, and restaurants abound hereabouts, making the City Suites a find
for the bargain-minded and adventuresome. Suites have fridges and microwaves
on request. Room service is available from Ann Sather, a Swedish diner and
neighborhood institution (p. 159).
933 W. Belmont Ave. (at Sheffield Ave.), Chicago, IL 60657. & 800/248-9108 or 773/404-3400. Fax 773/
404-3405. www.cityinns.com. 45 units. $99-$169. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.
Parking $18 in nearby lot with in/out privileges. Subway/El: Red Line to Belmont. Amenities: Exercise room;
secretarial services; concierge; limited room service; laundry service; same-day dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV
w/pay movies, dataport, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.
Majestic Hotel Owned by the same group as the City Suites Hotel,
the Majestic blends seamlessly into its residential neighborhood. Located on a
charming tree-lined street (but convenient to the many restaurants and shops of
Lincoln Park), this is a good choice for anyone who wants a quiet bed-and-break-
fast type of hotel stay. Guests receive a complimentary continental breakfast and
afternoon tea in the lobby. Some of the larger suites—the most appealing are
those with sun porches—offer butler's pantries with a fridge, microwave, and wet
bar. Most of the other rooms are fairly dark (since you're surrounded by apart-
ment buildings on almost all sides), and you should avoid the claustrophobic sin-
gle rooms with alley views. Ideally suited for enjoying the North Side, the
Majestic is only a short walk from both Wrigley Field and the lake.

Value

Finds