Pros

  • Centrally located in trendy River North, near dining and nightlife
  • Stylish rooms feature creative accents and the latest tech
  • Local bar and small plate hotspot on-site
  • West Town Bakery on-site offers organic breakfast and pastries
  • Cozy lounge and game room with Foosball table
  • Fitness center features a hot tub and sauna
  • 24-hour business center
  • Free morning coffee service
  • Free Google Glass rental and free Wi-Fi
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Cons

  • Small rooms, many with no closets
  • Small bathrooms
  • Fee for self-parking
  • Some rooms are on the dark side
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Bottom Line

The ACME Hotel is a boutique in River North aimed at a crowd that's looking for character. The quirky rooms are on the small side, but have high-tech amenities, including plug-and-play hook ups to stream your own content on the generous 46-inch flat-screen TVs. A hot tub, sauna, and free morning coffee service are cool extras that go beyond other hotels in this price range. Rock and roll themed decor and local artwork sets the hotel apart from the competition, along with the on-site Berkshire Room known for its craft cocktails. Another River North boutique alternative, Hotel Felix, lacks the rock attitude, and opts instead for sustainable artwork and an eco-friendly certification.

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Amenities

  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Jacuzzi

Oyster Hotel Review

ACME Hotel Company

Scene

Old Chicago mob haunt turned rock hotel

Originally opened as the Berkshire Hotel in 1924, the building became an infamous mob hangout, something the hotel's bar purposely recalls with its dim-lit period decor. More recently a cheap chain hotel, the ACME itself is now an artsy rock and roll themed boutique with graffiti wall murals, elevators covered in album covers, and a fitness center with liberal amounts of chain link fence. Classic rock music plays in the common areas, much of which are covered by a decidedly punk, blue plaid carpet. In the old building's central lightwell, which many rooms have a view of, local artists suspended sculptures of bare, "painted Ladies."

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Location

In River North, two blocks from the Magnificent Mile

Centrally located in River North, the ACME hotel is surrounded by trendy bars and eateries. Once a warehouse district populated by artists and writers, the neighborhood is best known now for its high concentration of condos, restaurants, art galleries, and boutique shopping. The iconic stretch of North Michigan Avenue, lined with upscale shopping and famous landmarks, and known as the Magnificent Mile, is two blocks away. Chicago's business district core is across the river, less than a 5-minute drive away. Midway International Airport is about a 30-minute drive southwest, and O'Hare International is 40 minutes to an hour, through more congested traffic to the northwest.

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Rooms

Stylish rooms with rainfall showers, iPod docks, and flat-screens with plug-and-play hookups

Rooms are furnished like an industrial loft building with hardwood floors, dark slate accents, and black hand prints on canvas headboards. They also have a lighter side with light lime green walls and bright orange scoop chairs. Giant Pop art zippers cover walls and small porcelain flying pigs adorn shelves. Most of the small rooms don't have closets, favoring an exposed wall-hanging approach instead, but they fit in cozy sitting areas, and some have work desks with roller chairs. Doubles and suites have wet bars with microwaves, and all have mini-fridges as well as automated minibars (careful what you touch, you'll be charged). Tech amenities include iPod docks, 46-inch flat-screen TVs with plug-and-play cables for connecting PCs or Macs, and suites are outfitted with Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin wireless audio systems. Bathrooms are a little cramped and basic, but have great rainfall showers and boutique Lather toiletries.

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Features

Free morning coffee thermos, hot tub, craft cocktail bar, and on-site bakery

Upstairs from the hotel's tiny lobby, the Einstein room makes up for the lack of lounge space below with space to spread out, a selection of board games, and a Foosball table. It can also double as a flexible meeting room that can host up to 40 people. The downstairs fitness center has a sauna, hot tub, and an Everlast punching bag. The atmospheric Berkshire Room kept the original diamond pattern, tiled floors from 1924 and is a favorite neighborhood hangout specializing in craft cocktails and modern small plates. The hotel is also home to a West Town Bakery that's all about organic ingredients, breakfast sandwiches, and all manner of pastries. The hotel staff have a free, handy "knock and drop" service, in which they deliver from the bakery to guest's doors (also hassle free, no tip needed). They also do this on request every morning with a thermos of hot coffee, dropped off at a time of your choosing.

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

ACME Hotel Company

Scene

Old Chicago mob haunt turned rock hotel

Originally opened as the Berkshire Hotel in 1924, the building became an infamous mob hangout, something the hotel's bar purposely recalls with its dim-lit period decor. More recently a cheap chain hotel, the ACME itself is now an artsy rock and roll themed boutique with graffiti wall murals, elevators covered in album covers, and a fitness center with liberal amounts of chain link fence. Classic rock music plays in the common areas, much of which are covered by a decidedly punk, blue plaid carpet. In the old building's central lightwell, which many rooms have a view of, local artists suspended sculptures of bare, "painted Ladies."

See More Scene

Location

In River North, two blocks from the Magnificent Mile

Centrally located in River North, the ACME hotel is surrounded by trendy bars and eateries. Once a warehouse district populated by artists and writers, the neighborhood is best known now for its high concentration of condos, restaurants, art galleries, and boutique shopping. The iconic stretch of North Michigan Avenue, lined with upscale shopping and famous landmarks, and known as the Magnificent Mile, is two blocks away. Chicago's business district core is across the river, less than a 5-minute drive away. Midway International Airport is about a 30-minute drive southwest, and O'Hare International is 40 minutes to an hour, through more congested traffic to the northwest.

See More Location

Rooms

Stylish rooms with rainfall showers, iPod docks, and flat-screens with plug-and-play hookups

Rooms are furnished like an industrial loft building with hardwood floors, dark slate accents, and black hand prints on canvas headboards. They also have a lighter side with light lime green walls and bright orange scoop chairs. Giant Pop art zippers cover walls and small porcelain flying pigs adorn shelves. Most of the small rooms don't have closets, favoring an exposed wall-hanging approach instead, but they fit in cozy sitting areas, and some have work desks with roller chairs. Doubles and suites have wet bars with microwaves, and all have mini-fridges as well as automated minibars (careful what you touch, you'll be charged). Tech amenities include iPod docks, 46-inch flat-screen TVs with plug-and-play cables for connecting PCs or Macs, and suites are outfitted with Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin wireless audio systems. Bathrooms are a little cramped and basic, but have great rainfall showers and boutique Lather toiletries.

See More Rooms

Features

Free morning coffee thermos, hot tub, craft cocktail bar, and on-site bakery

Upstairs from the hotel's tiny lobby, the Einstein room makes up for the lack of lounge space below with space to spread out, a selection of board games, and a Foosball table. It can also double as a flexible meeting room that can host up to 40 people. The downstairs fitness center has a sauna, hot tub, and an Everlast punching bag. The atmospheric Berkshire Room kept the original diamond pattern, tiled floors from 1924 and is a favorite neighborhood hangout specializing in craft cocktails and modern small plates. The hotel is also home to a West Town Bakery that's all about organic ingredients, breakfast sandwiches, and all manner of pastries. The hotel staff have a free, handy "knock and drop" service, in which they deliver from the bakery to guest's doors (also hassle free, no tip needed). They also do this on request every morning with a thermos of hot coffee, dropped off at a time of your choosing.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Babysitting Services

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Internet

  • Jacuzzi

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Swim-Up Bar

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.