Often a new city hotel has to settle for adapting an existing building, shoehorning modern interior design into a prewar skyscraper or hiding boutique flash behind an unassuming facade. Not so the Sofitel Water Tower. Architect Jean-Paul Viguier was allowed to start from scratch, and the result is striking — a dramatic bright white wedge-shaped building that looks for all the world like a giant ice breaking ship cutting its way across Chicago.

The inverted wedge shape, while arresting enough from the outside, has a delightful effect on the interiors as well — guest rooms on the underside of the wedge protrude out over the sidewalk, allowing a unique view straight down onto the street.

Of course in some chain hotels one would prefer to look out the window, rather than catch a glimpse of the tired decor and flabby furniture. Here, again, this hotel is different; Sofitel is a chain, yes, but one with respect for design — guest rooms feature Barcelona chairs by Mies van der Rohe and the hotel lobby is stocked with a small library of books about Chicago architecture and design.

Let's not forget the creature comforts — though the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower Hotel could certainly get by on good looks alone, it is a fully-functioning big-city luxury hotel, with high-speed internet, 24-hour room service, spacious bathrooms, and a convenient downtown location, just off the Magnificent Mile. Though the staff may speak with French accents, and ... more