Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
101
and walls painted in shades of blue, peach, and gr een, and pineapple-shaped chairs line
the bar.
But it's the guest rooms that really make an impact. Rather than the dark wood furni-
ture and generic carpeting found in so many chain hotels, rooms here are light and bright
with blonde har dwood floors and white wood furnitur e. Walls have splashes of bright
color and giant photomurals of seashells, fruit, and other “relaxing” images. Because this
is a conversion of an older pr operty, room sizes vary. The king rooms on the nor th side
of the building tend to be larger (with separate entry halls and sitting areas), but they also
look out on neighboring buildings (and, in some cases, the fire escape). If you don't need
a lot of room to spread out, the queen rooms (on the south side of the building) are small
but have lovely views of do wntown and plenty of natural light. B athrooms have glass-
walled shower stalls (no tubs, thus my r ecommendation that this hotel is best suited to
families with older childr en only) and spa-style sho wer heads; they 're fairly small, but
have lots of storage space (multiple wall hooks and a granite storage ledge abve the sink).
There are also three suites, which have separate sitting rooms and working fireplaces.
Hotel Indigo won't overwhelm you with facilities; the hotel 's restaurant and bar ar e
both quite small, but ther e's a decent-size fitness room and—very unusual in a hotel of
this size—a salon/spa with separate facial and massage tr eatment rooms. Though Hotel
Indigo is tucked on a residential street, it's close to restaurants and shopping, and within
walking distance of M ichigan Avenue, Division Street, and Lincoln P ark's many attrac-
tions. The surrounding neighborhood of elegant to wn houses makes a gr eat place for a
stroll—without the traffic and noise of other do wntown neighborhoods.
1244 N. Dearborn St. (1 block nor th of Division St.), Chicago , IL 60610. & 866/2-INDIGO (246-3446) or
312/787-4980. Fax 312/787-4069. w ww.goldcoastchicagohotel.com. 165 units. $169-$269 double. Kids
18 and under stay free in parents' room. Rollaways $20/night; cribs free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking
$35 with in/out privileges. Subway/El: Red Line to Clark/Division. Pets accepted. Amenities: Restaurant
(American); lounge; exercise room; spa services; concierge; business center; room service; same-day dry
cleaning. In room: A/C, TV w/pay movies and video games, high-speed and Wi-Fi Internet access, coffee-
maker, hair dryer, iron, safe.
4
6 LINCOLN PARK & THE NORTH SIDE
If you prefer the feel of living amid real Chicagoans in a residential neighborhood, several
options await you in Lincoln Park and farther north. Not only do these hotels tend to be
more affordable than those closer to downtown, but they also provide a different vantage
point from which to vie w Chicago. If you stay at the M ajestic Hotel or the City S uites
Hotel, for example, y ou can join the locals on a pedestrian pilgrimage to Wrigley Field
for a Cubs game. The area is flush with restaurants, and public transportation via the El
or buses is a snap.
EXPENSIVE
The Belden-Stratford Finds This north-side hotel is a gr eat option for families
who want to do as the nativ es do in a neighborhood atmospher e. Actually a condomin-
ium building that offers 25 hotel rooms, the two-story lobby feels grandly European, and
paneled entry doors lead the way to airy rooms with 9-foot-high ceilings, crown molding,
and plush carpeting. Rooms are large, the doorman gr eets you as if you were a resident,
and Lincoln Park, where kids can run free, is across the street. You are right across from
 
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