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I spent most of last week in Chicago for work. Chicago is one of my all-time favorite cities…I absolutely love it there. I went to college there and it’s not too far from where I grew up in Michigan so it’s like my second home. And during my visit the weather was absolutely perfect. I almost forgot how beautiful the city is in the summer! I had such an amazing time but what made my trip even better was staying at The James Hotel. I’ve stayed at The James once before and now after two great stays I’ve deemed the hotel worthy of Haute Hotel status here on So Haute!

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The James Lobby

The James is a luxury boutique hotel with impeccable service and a warm atmosphere. Being inside the hotel feels like you’re in a place “where the cool kids hang out” yet it also exudes a quietness that makes you feel relaxed and a sophistication that makes you feel like you’re in a special place. The James is characteristically modern both in its decor and in its amenities. One of the features I love is the small library in the hotel lobby that’s filled with current magazines and a well edited selection of amazing fashion, art and design books that are available for guests to peruse. During my most recent stay, I took a copy of Julian Schnabel’s book up to my room and got lost flipping through the pages which highlight his fascinating work.

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A Guest Room

The James’ architectural and interior design was done by the New York based firm Deborah Berke and Partners who created a modern, minimalist and slightly masculine retreat that exudes both style and comfort. In the rooms, cool tones of gray are juxtaposed with warm wood paneling and hints of red.

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A Loft Suite

The decor includes custom furniture such as the hotel’s signature wooden platform beds combined with modern furniture classics like the Noguchi table you see in the photo above and the Eames lounger that you see in the photo below. The clean bathrooms are tiled with slate and marble and feature deep soaking tubs along with many uniquely modern fittings and fixtures. I’m kind of a snob about bathroom amenities in hotels so I was pleased with the selection of Kiehl’s products in the bathrooms at The James.

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A Penthouse Suite

Other pleasing guest room amenities include 42″ plasma TVs, ipod docks and dimmable lighting. And if you have a pet traveling with you, no worries. The James is pet friendly as evidenced by the huge doggie bowl of water at the hotel’s front entrance.

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Inside David Burke’s Primehouse

The James also wins points for having an amazing restaurant: celebrity chef David Burke’s Primehouse. The ultra cool steakhouse, which offers 24 hour room service for hotel guests, features an extensive menu of creative, modern cuisine including prime cuts of dry aged steaks which are their specialty. I’m easy to please so the highlights for me were the incredible, buttery popovers that are served before your meal as well as their truffled fries sprinkled with asiago cheese. They were SO good! It’s not a surprise that Primehouse has quickly become a Chicago favorite that is enjoyed by hotel guests as well as local Chicagoans.

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Inside JBar

If you’re looking for a little nightlife action, The James’ JBar is a great place to visit. JBar is the hotel’s sophisticated lounge that offers amazing cocktails in a cool atmosphere. It’s one of the “it” places to see and be seen in the city and is frequented by many of Chicago’s boldface names. I would highly recommend a stay at The James on your next visit to The Windy City. For more info on the hotel, click here.

7 Comments

  1. Nice and cozy is what I would say when I would be a guest here. The rooms are nice as well as the dining area you can definitely have a relaxing time here.

  2. The place looks great and elegant. I like the way they designed the place and thumbs up for the color combination and the lights. By the look of thing they also serve great food here.

  3. Cool designs on the lobby plus their rooms have a simple yet stylish touch to them making it the unique.

  4. I love white because it symbolizes cleanliness and every time I go to a place I usually wear something which is colored white.