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If you’re in town for a show at one of Chicago’s many theaters (or you just have a penchant for the dramatic), a stay at The Allegro offers a dose of Old Hollywood glamour and a location that’s hard to beat. The lobby’s grand double staircase, velvet settees and Art Deco starburst ceiling lights will have you embracing the main-character energy of it all, and because you’ll be within walking distance of all the theater district’s major stages, you won’t have to bother with navigating public transport, or in most cases, even hailing a cab.
What are the rooms like at The Allegro?
The glamorous Art Deco vibe of the lobby also translates to the rooms, with metallic wallpaper and gold satin Euro shams. Heavy draperies drawn back with golden cording flank the windows like miniature stage curtains, and petite velvet ottomans are a nice touch for extra seating or propping up your feet. Some rooms, like the two-room corner king suites, have a sitting area with sofabed and enormous jetted tubs in the bathrooms.
What is the food like at The Allegro?
Taking up one half of the second-floor lobby, Legato Lounge is the hotel’s bar and restaurant. The dinner menu is quite compact, with just one entree option each for steak (10-ounce ribeye) seafood (pan-seared branzino with delectably crispy skin), and pasta (mushroom bolognese, the sole vegetarian entree), plus gussied-up hot dog and burger options as well as a lobster roll, a turkey sandwich, and a caesar. Though the choices are a bit limited, it’s a decently cozy, very convenient choice if the weather’s lackluster or you’re too drained after a day of sightseeing to make other plans. As far as cocktails go, details such as cut-glass lowballs and single oversized ice cubes exceed hotel bar standards.
Outside the hotel, several food halls cater to the area’s workforce and pack many choices into one space—The Sterling Food Hall, Washington Hall, Urbanspace, Craveworthy Kitchen at Hayden Hall and Catalog at the Willis Tower—just be wary that some are only open weekdays. Grab coffee and pastries at Goddess & The Baker (225 N. LaSalle St.) and enjoy them on the steps of the nearby Chicago Riverwalk while boats float by.
What is the area like around The Allegro?
You’re in Chicago’s downtown district, The Loop, named for the shape the elevated trains make as they circle the city’s municipal buildings and office towers. The hotel itself shares the block with the Cadillac Palace Theatre, a mainstage for Broadway in Chicago (BIC), the city’s presenter of touring Broadway musicals. BIC’s other theaters—the James M. Nederlander Theatre and CIBC Theatre—are also within a short walk, as are the iconic Chicago Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and Lyric Opera House (home to Chicago’s opera and ballet companies). A note for those ultra-sensitive to city noise: Because the L tracks run along the building’s west side, you’ll hear the periodic rumble of trains rolling by through your closed windows. But hey, it’s all part of the quintessential Chicago experience, right?
DETAILS
Address: 171 W. Randolph St., 60601, Chicago
Price per night: Starting at $199
Closest transport: 1-block walk to Madison Street Loop Link bus station; 2-block walk to CTA Blue, Brown, Green, Pink, Orange and Purple Line trains (Clark/Lake station); 30-minute taxi ride to O’Hare Airport and Midway Airport.
Book now: via Booking.com
➡️ Check out Time Out’s full list of the very best budget hotels in Chicago.
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