Where to Stay - Chicago - page 48

hot items per day, served in an attractive second-floor lounge, can
save families money on food; you won't need much lunch if you fill
up here each morning.
33 W. Illinois St. (at Dearborn St.), Chicago, IL 60610. & 800/HAMPTON or 312/
832-0330. Fax [phone]. www.hamptoninn.com. 230 units. $159-$299 double;
$199-$309 suite. Children 17 and under stay free in parent's room. AE, DC, DISC,
MC, V. Valet parking $38 with in-out privileges. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
Amenities: Restaurant (Italian); indoor pool w/Jacuzzi and sun deck; exercise room
w/sauna; business center; room service; laundry and dry-cleaning service. In room:
A/C, TV w/pay movies and video games, high-speed Internet access, coffeemaker,
hair dryer, iron, safe.
5 The Gold Coast
EXPENSIVE
Ambassador East The glory days of the Ambassador East,
when stars shacked up here during layovers or touring stops in
Chicago, are ancient history.
Although it's now more low profile than in the past, the Ambas-
sador still retains a sense of elegance, from the large floral arrange-
ments in the lobby to the mahogany four-poster beds in the king-size
rooms. Executive suites have separate sitting areas; celebrity suites
(named for the stars who have crashed in them) come with a sepa-
rate bedroom, two bathrooms, a small kitchen, and a dining room.
Most extravagant is the Presidential Suite, which boasts a canopied
terrace, marble fireplace, oval dining room, and full-size refrigerator.
One nod to modern times is the “Get Fit” rooms, which come with
treadmills and a minibar stocked with healthy snacks.
1301 N. State Pkwy. (1 block north of Division St.), Chicago, IL 60610. & 888/
506-3471 or 312/787-7200. Fax [phone]. www.theambassadoreasthotel.com.
285 units. $189-$299 double; from $400 suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $34
with in-out privileges. Subway/El: Red Line to Clark/Division. Amenities: Restaurant
(contemporary American); small fitness room; concierge; business center; 24-hr. room
service; babysitting; 24-hr. laundry service; dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV w/pay
movies, high-speed Internet access, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, safe.
MODERATE
Hotel Indigo An accessible version of the boutique hotel con-
cept, the Indigo is perfect for anyone looking for a cool (but not too
edgy) alternative to the cookie-cutter business hotel. The bright,
beachy decor makes the place feel more like a tropical resort than an
urban hotel.
But it's the guest rooms that really make an impact. Rather than
the dark wood furniture and generic carpeting found in so many
chain hotels, rooms here are light and bright with blonde hardwood