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On December 1st, The Hotel Sax Chicago Will Be Thompsonized

Where: 333 N Dearborn Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

Room 1433 at Hotel Sax Chicago.

We received a couple of tips lately that there was something brewing with Thompson Hotels and usually when more than one tip comes in, we know something's up. But today we have confirmation that indeed The Hotel Sax in Chicago, best known for its RockBand studio and where we recently shacked up the other week, is turning into a Thompson Hotel.

The conversion will officially happen on December 1st and while the hotel was recently renovated a few years ago, we fully expect the place to get "Thompsonized."

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Tags: HotelChatter Reviews / Chicago Hotels / Music Hotels / → All Tags

Inside Chicago's Hotel Sax: Anne Rice-Meets-Business Traveler

After booking the pleasant surprise that was a $99 name-your-own-price dealy on Priceline for our stay at Chicago's Hotel Sax, we couldn't wait to check the place out, especially since we still remember it as the ugly House of Blues Hotel. We knew it had a dreamy location right on the Chicago River and cuddled up next to the stunning Marina City towers and across the street from the Trump International Hotel & Tower, but is it worthy of such a spot and—even more importantly—is it worth the $99 we paid for the night? Let's break it down...

Check-in:
The entrance of the Hotel Sax is perpetually dark, as it is directly in the shadow of the Marina City buildings. But if you can find the 10Pin bowling lounge entrance or the Bin36 restaurant, then between them you'll see the hotel lobby. Walking into reception, whose walls were white and mirrored and whose furniture and red area rugs heavily leaned towards boudoir-chic, we wondered what Priceline had gotten us into. Over the cut glass cabinet cum reception desk, we were handed our room key (made of recycled PVC) and invited to grab a small vial of Moroccan spices sitting out in a basket near the elevator. What?!

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Tags: Hotel Video Tours / Chicago Hotels / Music Hotels / Priceline / → All Tags

$99 And Crossed Fingers Got Us This Room At Chicago's Hotel Sax

Where: 333 North Dearborn [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

When we needed a quickie place to crash for a night in Chicago while still attempting to enjoy our evening by avoiding the super cheapie motels, we naturally turned to a name-your-own-price deal. After great success with our hotel in Berlin before, we opted for Priceline and came out of the negotiations with a 4-star hotel in the River North neighborhood for $80 a night, or $99 including taxes and fees. It was the Hotel Sax, formerly the House of Blues Hotel since it's located directly next to the House of Blues club.

All snuggled into room 1433, on the 14th floor facing down onto the Chicago River, the House of Blues, and directly up at the architecturally stunning Marina City towers, we reveled in the free wifi and spacious bathroom, unlike what we're used to back in New York. For a bigger look at what $99 and a little last-minute planning scored us at the Sax, check out our room video above and stay tuned for tomorrow's full gallery and review.

Tags: Inauguration Hotels / Chicago Hotels / Hard Rock Hotels / Barack Obama / → All Tags

Barack and Roll Through 2009 at Hard Rock Chicago

Where: 230 North Michigan Avenue [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

Barack Obama will be inaugurated this month, and savvy hotels around this great nation are using this typically gimmick-free period between the holidays and Valentine's Day to bank on the events surrounding January 20th both in and around D.C. — and even as far away as Chicago (well, as Obama's hometown, they are entitled to it we suppose).

The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago is offering their Barack and Roll Package priced at $2,009 (cute) for 2 nights. It includes:

· Extreme Suite outfitted with red, white and blue bedding
· Pork Barrel Bacon & Eggs: Breakfast in bed featuring the Obama family favorite Bacon
· Dignitary limo service for length of stay
· Optional: Appointment at Obama’s barber Zariff in Hyde Park for a trim (cost of trim included)
· Obama’s favorite films for view in-suite: Lawrence of Arabia and Casablanca

More package amenities after the jump.

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Tags: Hotel Technology / Hotel TVs / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags

Flick This: Control4 Remotes at the James

Where: 55 East Ontario [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

Complaining about a room having way too many remote controls is the way things go when hotels get overhyped about their gadgets, but places like The James in Chicago are getting wise to that. The James is one of the first places to want the Control4 remote control in its rooms; the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas is apparently planning to follow.

We haven’t tried this all-in-one remote ourselves yet, but there are a couple of points the marketing hype makes that do impress us. First up, the remote doesn’t need a “line of sight” to be able to operate something, so it doesn’t matter if your chubby boyfriend stands in front of the TV--the remote will still work.

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Tags: Mondrian Hotel Chicago / Chicago Hotels / Morgans Hotel Group / Hotel Construction / → All Tags

Still Waiting for the Mondrian Chicago, We're Getting Antsy

Where: 1118 North State Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

Remember more than a year ago when Morgans Hotel Group announced that Chicago would be getting a Mondrian of its own? Well, after checking in on the site in the bustling "Viagra Triangle" neighborhood of Chicago, at the intersection of North State Street and Rush Street, we must add this Mondrian to the list of other delayed properties.

Originally targeted to open in the first half of 2010, the 20-story Mondrian Chicago is slated to have 200 rooms, a restaurant on State Street, possible retail and all the trappings of a boutique hotel. You'd think Morgans would have construction of a Mondrian down pat by now, but the digs they're dealing with in Chicago make it a whole new ballgame.

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Tags: Labor Day Hotels / Chicago Hotels / Music Festival Hotels / Hotel Packages / → All Tags

Labor Day Hotels :: Celebrate Chicago's Jazz Festival at the Westin Chicago River North

Where: 320 North Dearborn Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

If you weren't able to get to Chicago for Lollapalooza or the Air and Water Show, then maybe the Jazz Festival which is celebrating its 30th anniversary over Labor Day will entice you to visit the Windy City.

And if it does, then the Westin Chicago River North has a little Labor Day package for you. The hotel is offering a Park & Eat Package that includes complimentary parking at the hotel and breakfast for two at the hotel's Ember Grille restaurant.

Guests can leave car keys in their posh accommodations and explore the city by foot as the premier property is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Valid August 28 through September 1, rates start at $220 per night (not including taxes.)

To book go online or call (312) 744-1900. Use code PAREAT to book. The deal is based on availability on Saturday arrivals. Advanced reservations also required.

The hotel also has a few other packages available that weekend like an upgrade to an executive club room, $1 parking or a chance to earn 1,000 starpoints. So whatever's your pleasure!

Tags: Celebrity Scoop / Chicago Hotels / Hard Rock Hotels / → All Tags

Hard Rock Chicago Throws Ringo Starr a Peace, Love and Cupcakes Bash

Where: 230 North Michigan Avenue [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

In honor of Ringo Starr's 68th birthday yesterday, the Windy City -- thanks to the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago -- received healthy doses of the four best things in the world: peace, love, cupcakes...and Ringo himself.

In a recent interview, the former (and forever cute) Beatles drummer said he'd like it if everyone in the world would drop everything and flash a peace sign at noon on his birthday. Upon hearing this, staffers at the Hard Rock Hotel decided to throw a peace-themed party in his honor and invited him to stop by.

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Tags: Best Hotels for Fireworks 2008 / Fireworks Hotels / Chicago Hotels / Westin Hotels / Hotel Deals / → All Tags

Best Hotels for Fireworks 2008 :: Chicago

Where: 320 North Dearborn Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

Get your hot dogs, sunscreen and beer guts ready: Independence Day is just over two weeks away! If you're headed to a big city for some fireworks fun, we'll be taking a look at hotels with prime fireworks views. Have a favorite hotel for gawking at bombs bursting in air? Send it our way.

If you're sweatin' down in a Southern state (or, as luck may have it this summer, roasting even in a Northeastern state), consider bouncing on over to the Windy City to check out the legendary Navy Pier fireworks and the famed Taste of Chicago festival.

Our Fourth of July weekend hotel pick: the Westin Chicago River North, right in the middle of all the action.

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Tags: Hotel Hype / Hotel Restaurants / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags

Ajasteak at Chicago's New Dana Hotel Not Yet Open

Where: 660 N. State St. [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

Though the Dana Hotel and Spa has been open for months soft-opened a week ago, the hotel website says the restaurant, Ajasteak will open tomorrow. Good thing we called first! The opening night has now been pushed back to Monday, June 16.

Whenever it opens, expect more than a little bit of bombast. Here's the hotel's own description of the Asian-influenced steak house:

An organic mixture of textures, imagery and sound. Tasteful, harmonic and humble in its confidence ... Only provides the ideal setting for gathering and culinary gratification.

Who knows? When the place does open, maybe even complete sentences will be on the menu!

Tags: Geek Hotels / Hotel Staff / Cool Hotel Jobs / → All Tags

Hotel Sax Gets Studio Hosts to Help You With Your Rockband Skills

Where: 333 North Dearborn Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

Much like the Hard Rock Hotel has a Vibe Manager, the Hotel Sax in Chicago has Studio Hosts to man their sixth floor Studio (see video) which is powered by XBox and features hit games from Guitar Hero to Rockband to Madden 08' and Dance, Dance Revolution. All of the above is why the hotel topped our Best Geek Hotels 2.0 list back in February.

So what's it like in the life of a Studio Host here. From the Chicago Tribune:

And the hotel has trained staff attendants, now called studio hosts, to help guests with all the cool toys. Mostly, people just need help swapping out the games, says studio host Bill Gill, 26. "I show them how to play the guitar … make sure people don't stay an hour on a machine when people are waiting," Gill says.

Um...hello, we totally need to apply for this job because it's like the easiest job ever. Then again, we're not so sure we'd be good at comforting the older business traveler who attempts the Rockband drum kit and totally blows. The drummer is the beat of the band, man!

Tags: Bad Rate / Chicago Hotels / Hotel Indigo / Hotel Packages / Mother's Day Hotels / → All Tags

Bad Rate :: Hotel Indigo Chicago Downtown for Mother's Day

Where: 1244 North Dearborn Parkway [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

[Ed. Note: Welcome to our Good Rate/Bad Rate feature where we look at hotel prices in the same city and decide which one most deserves your hard-earned benjamins. Rates quoted here were captured on April 28, 2008 and are subject to change. Enjoy.]

We went looking at boutique hotels in Chicago to answer a question. How bad would the damage be if a husband wanted to take the mother of his children away for the weekend? We pulled up the nights of May 9 and 10 and came out better than expected, with nightly rates under $200 before taxes at Hotel Sax, Raffaello Hotel, Kimpton's Hotel Monaco, and W Chicago City Center.

So why is a standard at the sorta-hip 3.5-star corporate boutique chain Hotel Indigo nearly $600 (with taxes) for the entire weekend? (Not per night.) That's more than the Good Rate at Affinia Chicago, without the junior suite, the Asti Spumanti, and the edible chocolate body frosting.

They are offering an "Indigo Indulge" package pictured here, but to call it underwhelming would be too kind. For an extra $20 a night you get a dessert to split and some Starbucks coffee. Couldn't we just buy that ourselves for, oh I don't know, $20?!

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