Allegro Chicago Hotel Rating: 4.0 Pearls

The Loop, Chicago, Illinois

Every Kimpton boutique has a theme, and at the Allegro, it's "Be a Star" -- a play on the Theatre District location. The musical and theatrical allusions -- the baby grand piano in the lobby, the red carpet on the grand staircase, the guitar paintings in the rooms -- might be lost on some guests, but the bold, eclectic style and friendly service will not.

The Art Deco building originally belonged to the Bismarck Hotel, built in 1926, and the design introduced in the 2008 renovation aimed to incorporate stylistic influences from the 1920s all the way through to the present. The result is part Hollywood Golden Age glamour, part retro, and part contemporary -- and entirely cool and stylish.

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Hotel Allegro is set on the western side of The Loop, with a great location amid restored old movie theatres and hundreds of dining and shopping options. Many tourist attractions, like the Millennium Park and the world-class Art Institute of Chicago, are within walking distance. For longer distances, all subway lines are within four blocks.

• 15-minute walk to the Art Institute of Chicago
• 15-minute walk to Millennium Park
• 6-minute drive to the Magnificent Mile
• 7-minute drive to the Buckingham Fountain
• 7-minute drive or 20-minute subway ride to the University of Illinois at Chicago
• 12-minute drive to Kenwood and Hyde Park neighborhoods
• 15-minute drive or 45-minute subway ride to the Museum of Science and Industry
• 17-minute drive or 27-minute subway ride to Wrigley Field
• 20 minutes by subway to the Pilsen neighborhood
• 20-minute drive to Midway International Airport
• 25-minute drive to O’Hare International Airport

Double Deluxe Room

Rooms are decorated in shades of blue and silver -- blue carpets, silver wallpaper, blue 1960's cruise ship-inspired headboards, mirrored 1940s-inspired desks -- and the resulting style feels very Hollywood glam. Renovations were completed in 2008, and technology is up-to-date, but some guests have complained that carpets still look worn and bathrooms lack modern fixtures. Some suites feature Jacuzzi tubs.

• 37-inch flat-screen TV
• iHome docking station
• Mini-bar with organic items
• Wi-Fi for $10 day (free for Kimpton loyalty program members)
• Safe big enough for a laptop
• Aveda toiletries
• In-room spa services ($135 - $200)
• Free yoga accessories

Fitness center

• Free hosted evening wine hour
• Free tea and coffee
• In-room spa services
• 24-hour valet parking for $49 per day or self-parking for $45 per day
• Free overnight shoeshine
• Concierge available 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• 24-hour fitness center
• Meeting and event space: 14,000 square feet, including 15 flexible meeting rooms with multimedia and audiovisual equipment
• 24-hour business center with laptop stations and printer
• Babysitting services

• Encore Lunch Club + Liquid Lounge serves sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads for lunch Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The bar is open until 1 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and serves food until 11 p.m.
• 312 Chicago serves Italian cuisine in an elegant room with mahogany decor. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Room service available from Encore 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.