With an on-site spa, a good fitness room, a hopping night scene and an excellent restaurant, the Godfrey packs in the kind of amenities one usually expects at a Ritz-Carlton-priced hotel for very reasonable rates. Add to that decor that is at once comfortable and cutting-edge chic (think: overly wide armchairs for curling up with a book, moody slate blue walls with quality art on them, swank bath products in the all-stone bathrooms) and beds that would make Goldilocks swoon—not too hard, not too soft, they combine a nice firm under-mattress with a cushy, but not too thick, pillowtop. So why two stars rather than three? Well, the hotel's made a few small mistakes that undercut the comfort here. First off, each room comes with a chic metal mini-fridge that looks good but periodically (and usually in the middle of the night) emits VERY loud sounds. I think the problem is the interaction of the metal cladding with the machine's mechanics, but when ornery, it sounds like someone dragging a violin bow over a heating vent (my second night I finally figured out what the source of the noise was and unplugged the darn thing). Secondly, and just as disturbing to sleep, the room features a lot of lights that can't be turned off at bedtime—a bright side-table clock and electronic wall panels controlling all the lights in the room. Those who like a dark room when they sleep will be disappointed. Still, I've encountered worse—and at places where the price is double, and the staff is half as nice. Overall, this is a top pick for Chicago.