Just one block off of Michigan Ave, this swank, remodeled hotel has a historic past. Built in 1927, it was once the home of the Playboy Towers and hosted John F. Kennedy, The Rolling Stones and Muhammad Ali. After an $18 million face-lift, the 21st-century version boasts an understated elegance.

The Martini, the hotel's main bar, features 50 varieties of the namesake drink—which also come in flights—wine, beer and live jazz piano performances. The bar's atmosphere is after-work-cocktail stylish and subdued, and the service is courteous, solicitous and prompt.

A sleek simple restaurant, the Nix, serves up no-fuss, Pan-American food and hosts special brunches and celebrations for holidays, including an impressive Christmas brunch, New Year's Eve dinner and New Year's day brunch buffet (all catering to customers who aren't on the tightest of budgets).

A ballroom, meeting rooms and business lounge with Internet access and a laser printer add to the amenities that are now standard in most hotels. The rooms are stylish and simple.

Centerstage Reviewer: Beth Dugan