PRICE:
Frommer's Recommended

The James walks the fine line between upscale luxury and stylish boutique, as ever-earnest doormen move comfortably among quirky art installations. Guest rooms are sleek and modern, with private dining niches, reproductions of Mies Van der Rohe chairs and Saaranen tables, and plasma TVs. If your view is an interior one, don't fret; what looks like a dismal wall during the day becomes a giant screen for a delightfully frantic black and white animated film when the sun goes down. Bathrooms are well appointed with slate and marble accents and thick robes for lounging. A spa and gym offer a full range of treatments, and there's traditional tea service in the lobby, where large windows offer sidewalk views of the River North hustle. The hotel's restaurant, David Burke's Primehouse, mixes a classic steakhouse feel with modern touches.

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

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