History and location are the motivators to book a room at this storied hotel, which dates back to the '20s. When it opened, the property served as a 1,000-room boarding house for men who moved to Chicago for work. Today, the 25-floor hotel has a stately presence, looming above the shops of Michigan Avenue, and the eyes of passersby are drawn to its Italian Renaissance style. Inside, jazzy hints of yesterday remain in the Art Deco lobby, but grow more tired as you get closer to the rooms, which, as with the other historic properties in town, are rather small, and elevators are tiny. King rooms and suites provide more room, but the guests here, mostly families and international travelers, are less interested in the decor and more tuned into what’s going on outside of the hotel.