Where to Stay - Chicago - page 46

162 E. Ontario St. (half-block east of Michigan Ave.), Chicago, IL 60611. & 800/733-
7663 or 312/787-3580. Fax [phone]. www.redroof-chicago-downtown.com.
195 units. $100-$140 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $33 with in-out priv-
ileges. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand. In room: A/C, TV w/pay movies and video
games, dataport, hair dryer, iron.
4 River North
EXPENSIVE
Hotel Sax Chicago In 2007, a $17-million renovation
transformed the former House of Blues Hotel into the new Hotel
Sax Chicago, a luxury property with a bohemian boutique feel.
While the lobby is certainly grand—with Italian marble floors and
trompe l'oeil candelabras—the adjoining lounge, Crimson, goes for a
Middle-Eastern vibe, with exotic rugs, jewel tones, and floor-to-ceil-
ing screens and mirrors. This eclectic sensibility carries over to the
guest rooms, which feature wingback chairs covered in snakeskin
and side tables constructed entirely of mirrored panels. Despite the
eye-catching decor, one of the hotel's biggest selling points remains
its location in the entertainment-packed Marina Towers complex.
Within steps of the hotel, you've got a bowling alley, a marina with
boat rentals, the riverside Smith & Wollensky steakhouse (an out-
post of the New York restaurant), the innovative Bin 36 wine bar and
restaurant (p. 68), and the House of Blues music hall and restaurant
(p. 161; don't miss its gospel brunch on Sun).
333 N. Dearborn St. (at the river), Chicago, IL 60610. & 877/569-3742 or 312/245-
0333. Fax [phone]. www.hotelsaxchicago.com. 353 units. $269-$449 double;
$629-$849 suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $40 with in-out privileges. Sub-
way/El: Brown Line to Clark/Lake, or Red Line to Grand. Pets accepted. Amenities:
Lounge; access to Crunch fitness center for $15 per day; concierge; business center;
24-hr. room service; babysitting; laundry service; same-day dry cleaning. In room:
A/C, TV w/pay movies and video games, Wi-Fi, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron,
safe, multiline telephone.
The James Hotel One of the city's newest hotels (opened in
2006), The James blurs the line between upscale luxury and stylish
boutique. Because of its close proximity to North Michigan Avenue
shopping, River North nightlife, and the Loop theater district, The
James attracts even locals to its sleek, secluded J Bar. Guest rooms get
a modern treatment, with private dining niches, reproductions of
Mies Van der Rohe chairs and Saarinen tables, plasma TVs, and an
iPod/mp3-player docking station. If your view is an interior one,
don't fret; what looks like a dismal wall during the day becomes a
giant screen for a delightfully frantic black and white animated film