THE FACTS ABOUT HOTEL 71

USA Chicago

'The City That Works' finally has a boutique hotel that does too. Hotel 71 has everything the style-conscious business traveller will need to be both productive and comfortable. The 454 oversized rooms are well-equipped for work, with high-speed Internet access, large desks and ergonomic chairs, in-room faxes and concierge services. Large sitting areas, CD players and Frette robes provide leisure comforts. But it's the architecture and commanding views that attract businesspeople, holiday makers and locals. Hotel 71 occupies the sleek, modern Executive House, a former apartment block in the heart of the city. Designed by Milton Schwartz in 1958, the stainless-steel façade has become a cornerstone of the city's architecturally diverse skyline. Rising 40 storeys from the banks of the Chicago River, the tower offers some of Chicago's most spectacular views, including Bertrand Goldberg's famous corncob-inspired Marina City towers. The rooftop lounge, with its 360-degree views, attracts local VIPs for cocktails. WHEN TO GO Summer, when hundreds of yachts plot their way along the Chicago River WHICH ROOM TO BOOK Standard rooms ending in '03' are the largest and offer views to the north, east and west CONTACT Hotel 71, 71 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois, USA (00 1 312 346 7100; fax: 346 1721; www.hotel71.com). Doubles $240-$265; suites $410-$920