Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
100
in/out privileges. Subway/El: Red Line t o Grand/State.
Amenities:
Restaurant (I talian); indoor pool w/
Jacuzzi and sun deck ; exercise room w/sauna; business c enter; room service; laundry and dr y-cleaning
service.
In room:
A/C, TV w/pay movies and video games , high-speed Internet access, coffeemaker, hair
dryer, iron, safe.
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THE GOLD COAST
The G old Coast begins appr oximately at D ivision Street and extends nor th to N orth
Avenue, bounded on the w est b y Clar k S treet and on the east b y the lake. The ar ea
encompasses a short strip of some of the city's priciest real estate along Lake Shore Drive.
From the standpoint of social status, the str eets cluster ed her e ar e among the finest
addresses in Chicago . It's a lo vely neighborhood for a str oll among the graceful to wn
houses and the several lavish mansions that remain relics from a glitzier past. The hotels
here tend to be upscale without hitting the peak that some of the nearb
y M ichigan
Avenue hotels reach.
To locate these hotels, see the “Central Chicago A ccommodations” map on p. 76.
EXPENSIVE
Ambassador East
The ring-a-ding glory days of the Ambassador East, when stars
including Frank Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart, and Liza M innelli shacked up her e during
layovers or touring stops in Chicago, ar e ancient histor y. B ut ev en though big-name
celebs tend to ensconce themselves at the Peninsula or Park Hyatt these days, the Ambas-
sador name still ev okes images of high glamour in these par ts. For the past 50 y ears,
celebrities who hav e come to to wn to mingle with Chicago 's Gold Coast society hav e
done so most publicly from the revered Booth One in the ritzy Pump Room restaurant.
Less pricey than the Peninsula or Park Hyatt, and located on a beautiful tree-lined street
in the Gold Coast, the Ambassador East is a good choice for families looking for accom-
modations near, but not on, the M agnificent Mile.
The Ambassador still retains a sense of elegance, from the large floral arrangements 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've crashed in them) come
with a separate bedr oom, two bathr ooms, and a dining r oom. Most extravagant is the
Presidential Suite, which has a canopied terrace, a marble fir eplace and an o val dining
room. One nod to modern times ar e the “Get Fit” rooms, which come with tr eadmills
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 312/787-4760. w ww.theambassadoreasthotel.com. 285 units . $189-$299 double; fr om $400 suit e.
Kids 18 and under stay free in parent's room. Rollaways and cribs free. 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
Finds
An accessible v ersion of the boutique hotel concept, the
Indigo is perfect for families with older kids looking for a cool (but not too edgy) alterna-
tive to the cookie-cutter chain hotel. The bright, beachy decor makes the place feel more
like a tropical resort than an urban hotel; the small lobby has oversize Adirondack chairs
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