HOTEL SAX
'Hood River North, half a block from the Chicago River and next to Marina City, a pair of iconic 60-story, corncob-shaped towers that are showpieces of 1960s avant-garde architecture. The area attracts locals with its upscale hangouts, including Bin 36 (a hip wine bar) and Keefer's (a swanky steak house).

First Impression Fresh from its $30 million renovation, the former House of Blues Hotel is now all about modern chic. The lobby's check-in desks look like jewel cases, and the white marble floors and high-end furnishings complete the hotel's transformation. The adjacent Crimson Lounge is an enormous, ornately decorated cocktail bar.

AFFORDABLE CHICAGO These hotels and inns range from homey to stylish to downright cosmopolitan—all at rates that are reasonable for the Windy City. • Launch the slide show

The Rooms High energy and high style: Damask wallpaper and a panoply of red, gold, and royal-purple fabrics on bedspreads and pillows, with occasional, unique flourishes such as faux-snakeskin wing chairs.

Plus The little details, such as padded headboards and 320-count Egyptian cotton sheets.

Minus Fido will cost you. Pets incur a nonrefundable $50 charge.

Free Wi-Fi? Yes. There's also a simple, plug-in cable connection.

Credit Cards Accepted Visa, MC, AmEx, Discover.

Details 333 N. Dearborn St., 877/569-3742, hotelsaxchicago.com, doubles from $189.

Hotel type Hotel.

Relevant Lifestyle Hip.

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ESSEX INN
'Hood South Loop, close to the renowned Art Institute of Chicago and to Millennium Park, with its famous band shell designed by Frank Gehry. Here, skyscrapers preside over wide, landscaped boulevards.