Hotel Chicago Downtown, Autograph Collection

The Hotel Chicago is in a great location and offers good value. Rooms are basic but comfortable enough and with a bit of style. The biggest drawbacks are: bad hotel breakfast (more like a 7-11 than a hotel restaurant) and the constant rumble of what I assume is the subway running below -- loud even on the top floor. Could be the elevators.

Hotel Sax is all about hip, swank luxury. It's at the base of Marina City (those corn cob towers dotting the city skyline), and is located literally steps (as in maybe 30) from the House of Blues. There's complimentary wi-fi internet and funky decorating (as evidenced by the gold-toned silhouette of a chandelier on the wallpaper, in lieu of an over-the-top real life chandelier).

The rooms are spacious and airy and everything – even the dimly lit hallways – are sexy. The ground floor even includes a nightclub where big name DJs routinely spin. Hotel Sax is probably best suited for couples or single travelers looking for swank digs (bachelorette party, anyone?) and easy access to nightlife.

Formerly Hotel Sax, The Hotel Chicago has a weird name that will probably take ages for locals to get used to. The Hotel is rumored to be a popular place to stay for traveling rockers, and the claim at least makes some sense because the House of Blues music venue is located next door. However, don’t be surprised if you run into a celeb in the hallway here, especially during festivals such as Lollapalooza. The Hotel also has a very cool bar named the Crimson Lounge, which features chandeliers and Persian-style rugs. It’s very baroque with modern touches, and nice place to get a drink.
The lobby is definitely a looker, with the front desk showing off fine-crystal dinnerware. I guess the hotel décor has to impress a bit, since the exterior is basically a giant grey box. Rooms are similarly impressive and impeccably designed.

I wasn't very impressed with Hotel Sax. It shares a driveway with the House of Blues, and just walking up to the front entrance made me feel a little claustrophobic. Inside, the lobby is nice, but its decor (pretty fancy) doesn't quite match up with the feel of the guestrooms. Rooms are kind of drab, the decor is almost cheesy (chandelier decals on the wall...really?). The lounge looks nice, but I can imagine it's kind of a disaster when shows let out at the HOB.

It was good for the orbitz deal we got. But we entering the initial boutique look wore off when things like several bulbs out, the lamp Falling out on the wall and the faucet so loose I was afraid to use it. They did fix everything right away and the bar down stairs is nice. The bathroom was huge along with a great tub just for soaking. It was a nice spot for a weekend get away.

One of my favorite hotels...swanky, contemporary and chic. The rooms are very large and extremely clean. The staff are friendly and more than willing to help you get around the city. The location is super central to many attractions.

When the hotel has a few unsold rooms, you can occasionally snag a deal through Priceline or Expedia. With Priceline you never know what hotel you'll get, just that it will be 4* quality or whatever star rating you seek. I thought I'd wind up at a Marriott or another chain, so I was thrilled to land a room at Hotel Sax for $84 for one night (where the lowest price is typically $149 in the dead of winter). My room was cozy, and apparently half the size of a typical room at the hotel. My room had its sink in the room and the shower and toilet were in a separate room. The standard room at the SAX has the sink in the bathroom, but I didn't mind. The bed felt as heavenly as the Westin would have offered me across the street. Now that I've discovered this gem, I'm not sure I'd risk winding up in a chain through Priceline. Bin 36, the wine bar next door serves amazing food and I fell hard for a California Gewurtztraminer and the Bin's Watermelon and Heirloom salad. If you like high tech amenities, a knowledgeable concierge and welcoming front desk, Hotel SAX is the place.

This was from a stay I did in 2008, so things may have changed...

I really enjoyed staying here. This boutique hotel has all the amenities of a high-end chain, but also included a lot of neat little add-ons you don't normally see. The check-in counter is a glass display case full of old glassware and some of them are filled with beta fish... Neat huh?

Make sure you call for the turn down service before 8 pm each night. It's not automatic, but they come in on request to turn down your bedding along with giving you a bottle of water and a pair of slippers, and they leave the TV on a soothing channel of images.

The amenities are really nice. Soap smells great.

Between 4-6 each day (I think, not really sure of the schedule) they have a game room on the 6th floor for you to relax and play PS3 and XBox in... Neat huh?

Crimson Lounge is very trendy. The music they played the night I was there was mostly Salsa. People were dancing and everything.

Free internet.

The only negative, if you call it one, is that the whole place is rather dark. It's the whole mood they are trying to convey, so if you are not into that dark hotel room thing, then this may not be for you.