PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

The epitome of Jazz Age indulgence when built in 1927, this hotel was rumored to have shady underworld connections during the Capone era. Now, after a major face-lift, the Knickerbocker looks spiffy from the lobby but still retains a shabby-chic feel elsewhere. Guest rooms don't have space for much more than a bed, desk, and chair, and the "business center" is a cramped alcove with two computers. But the beds are soft and comfy, and the bathrooms, tiny though they are, at least look new and clean. The Knickerbocker's real draw is its superb location, a block from the Oak Street Beach and across the street from the more-expensive The Drake. One caveat: Views are often rather dismal, but you can catch a glimpse of the lake in all rooms ending in 14, and corner rooms (ending in 28) look onto Michigan Avenue.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Chicago 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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