Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
97
privileges. Bus: 151 to Delaware St. Pets accepted with $25 fee.
Amenities:
Restaurant (American); cafe;
health club; sauna; children's programs; 24-hr. room service.
In room:
A/C, TV w/video games, high-speed
Internet access, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.
INEXPENSIVE
Red Roof Inn Chicago Do wntown
Value
This hotel is y our best bet for the
lowest-priced lodgings in downtown Chicago. The location is its main selling point: right
off the M agnificent Mile (and within blocks of the Ritz-Carlton and P eninsula, where
rooms will cost y ou at least four times as much). The guest r ooms are stark and small
(much like the off-the-highway Red Roof Inns), but the hotel makes continual efforts to
update linens and r oom decor. Ask for a r oom facing O ntario Street, where you'll get
western exposure and some natural light (rooms in other parts of the hotel look right into
neighboring office buildings). For a family of thr ee or four, go for the king suite, which
has a sofa bed, microwave, and refrigerator. Room service is available through Coco Pazzo
Café (p. 127), an excellent northern Italian restaurant around the corner from the hotel's
front door.
162 E. Ontario St. (
1
/
2
block east of Michigan Ave.), Chicago, IL 60611.
&
800/733-7663
or 312/787-3580.
Fax 312/787-1299. www.redroof-chicago-downtown.com. 195 units. $100-$140 double; $110-$159 king
suite. Kids 17 and under sta y free in par ent's room. No r ollaways; cribs fr ee. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet
parking $28 with no in/out privileges. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand/State.
Amenities:
Business services;
free morning coffee in lobby.
In room:
A/C, TV w/pay movies, dataport, hair dryer, iron.
4
RIVER NORTH
The name “River North” designates a vast area parallel to the Magnificent Mile. The zone
is bounded b y the riv er to the w est and south, and r oughly by Clark Street to the east
and by Chicago Avenue to the north. The earthy red-brick buildings that characterize the
area were once war ehouses of v arious kinds and today form the cor e of Chicago 's art-
gallery district. The neighborhood also has spawned many of the city 's trendiest restau-
rants. You'll find many of the city 's family-friendly hotels her e. That, coupled with the
proximity of tourist draws such as the H ard R ock Cafe, Rainfor est Café, and ESPN
Zone, means River North is an area families should consider when booking a hotel.
4
EXPENSIVE
Embassy Suites Hotel Chicago —Downtown
You might fancy y ourself in
Florida when you first set foot in this hotel, where a gushing waterfall and palm- and fern-
lined landscaped ponds lie at the bottom of the huge central atrium. B ut you're not in the
Tropics: You're in one of Chicago's most family-friendly hotels, even though it bills itself as
a business hotel and does a healthy conv ention business. A ccommodations ar e spacious
enough for parents and kids: All guest r ooms are suites, which have two rooms, consisting
of a living r oom with a sleeper sofa, a r ound table, and four chairs; and a bedr oom with
either a king-siz e bed or two double beds. G uests staying on the VIP floor get nightly
turndown service and in-room fax machines and robes. At one end of the atrium, the hotel
serves a complimentar y cooked-to-order breakfast and, at the other end, it supplies com-
plimentary cocktails and snacks in the ev ening. And yes, there's a pool. On the weekends,
step into the elevator and you'll find plenty of Chicago-area families with kids wrapped in
towels making good use of the hotel as a w eekend getaway.
