PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

The soaring modern atrium lobby is impressive, as is the location east of the Magnificent Mile and close to the Ohio Street Beach and Navy Pier. Although the public spaces have the impersonal feel of a conference center, the rooms are cheerily decorated, and the large windows allow sweeping city views from the upper floors. (I recommend the rooms on the north side of the building, which look toward the Hancock Building.) But it's the amenities that help this hotel stand out, making it one of the best values in the city.

Fitness devotees will delight in the fact that the hotel adjoins the Lakeshore Athletic Club, where guests may enjoy the extensive facilities free of charge (including an indoor pool, fitness classes, and sauna); you don't even have to go outside to get there. The hotel also has its own spacious outdoor pool and sun deck; in the summer you can sit back and enjoy a drink at the outdoor bar, Breezes. (Be forewarned, however, that the hotel fills up during summer vacation; book as far in advance as possible for July-Aug). Rooms on the two Priority Floors include upgraded amenities, a daily newspaper, and feather pillows.

The City Centre is a good bet for the budget-conscious family, as kids 17 and under stay free in their parent's room. Leave the pay-per-view movies one night and head to the massive AMC theaters next door, where all 21 screens offer stadium seating.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Chicago 2008, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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