With an enviable location on Wacker Drive, Hotel 71 offers full-service luxury accommodations in the heart of downtown Chicago, with an urban edge. Originally built as a condominium tower, Hotel 71 boasts unusually large rooms (none less than 380 square feet), most with incredible views of Chicago’s skyline and/or the Chicago River. You’re just steps from such Windy City icons as the Wrigley Building, Marina City and the Chicago Tribune Tower, making Hotel 71 the perfect location from which to explore the city’s urban charms. The small but impressive lobby, wrapped in rich dark wood and featuring sleek, modern furnishings, offers a glimpse of what awaits in the more than 400 guest rooms. Most rooms offer soaring windows that actually open (just enough to hear the great streetscape sounds below), leaving the rooms awash in light on those glorious sunny Chicago days. Guest rooms feel more residential than hotel, thanks to the stylish contemporary décor. You’ll find no flower bedspreads here, but you will find black and white framed photos of the Chicago skyline, ultrasuede camel-colored headboards, and leopard print chaise lounges. Try Porter’s Steakhouse, located on the building’s first floor, for a convenient and tasty meal or for cocktails; there’s a large selection of steak, seafood and pastas. Prices are pretty typical downtown Chicago pricey, but check out the bistro menu for a good selection of smaller portions at reasonable prices. A handful of excellent restaurants, as well as the House of Blues, are within an easy 5-15 minute walk of Hotel 71.