Chicago: The Hard Rock Hotel
Sept. 11 2009, Published 8:47 a.m. ET
When you think of the Hard Rock brand black leather and loud music may come to mind so we weren't sure what to expect at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago.
Housed in the art deco architectural gem the Carbide & Carbon building, the hotel is mightily grown up in comparison to its counterparts.
With crisp modern rooms and only a small selection of music memorabilia gracing the halls, the hotel clearly caters to the business traveler who may not swing from the chandeliers but still appreciates the history of music minus it's hard rock, or hard partying, aspects. The cool grey tones with subtle splashes of color add to the nearly Zen-like atmosphere of the space.
The hotel gains a lot from its central Michigan Avenue location. After a meeting in one of the hotel's many conference rooms (which boast plasma TVs and 24-hour room service and can also serve as concert venues as they did during the recent Lollapalooza fest in early August), the weary traveler can step into the Chicago air for a walk along the river, go shopping around the corner on the Magnificent Mile, or grab some deep dish pizza a couple of blocks away. Want to eat-in? The sleek China Grill brings all of its glamour and delicious bites while the Base Bar is perfect for cocktails.
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Thirsting for more music? Why not make your own! As an added touch to the chain's roots, guests get a complimentary Gibson guitar rental and 10 free iTunes downloads. One caveat: the wireless setup would gain from some improvement. The connection timed out and you must re-sign in to the network if you are idle which can be a bit tedious.
While it may be a big city, the midwest prices for a Deluxe King room can't be beat. Click here to book now starting at $229 a night!