MileNorth Chicago

The first Chicago hotel from New York–based Affinia chain is a nice and tidy reinvention of a formerly tired Streeterville operation named the Fitzgerald. The generous-sized rooms and suites come with a cultured look, dark carpets set off by pleasing accessories and, in the bathroom, love-it-or-hate-it shiny red wallpaper. At the top of the hotel is C-View, a nice bar with an appealing open-air deck; there's a restaurant just off the lobby. One other nice touch: Before their stay, guests can log onto myaffinia.com and make special room requests, covering everything from hypoallergenic pillows to fitness equipment.