PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

The Blackstone was once one of Chicago's top hotels; in 1920, when Republican leaders gathered there to pick Warren Harding as their presidential candidate, the term "smoke-filled room" was born. Reopened in 2008, it may no longer be the height of luxury, but you'll get a glimpse of the hotel's original glamour in the wood-lined lobby. (The multicolored carpeting and dance-tune soundtrack, unfortunately, detract a bit from the experience.) The rooms, decorated in understated cream, red and wood tones, are quite spacious, and the large modern bathrooms have marble vanities and glass-enclosed shower stalls (only 20% of the bathrooms have tubs). For a great view, book a (more expensive) lakefront room; the well-stocked fitness room also looks out over Lake Michigan. When you've worked up an appetite, head for the Starbucks off the lobby or grab dinner at Mercat a la Planxa, a bright, airy tapas restaurant.

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

Find Hotel Deals on Yahoo Travel»