Property
Homewood Suites by Hilton caters to business travelers, but it’s a perfectly cozy place for a family to put up in the heart of Chicago. Full kitchens, separate living rooms with pull-out couches, complimentary meals and even grocery shopping service remove many of the difficulties of staying downtown with children.

Location
The hotel is right off the Magnificent Mile, which means it’s near pretty much everything: Navy Pier, which includes the Chicago Children’s Museum; House of Blues; Hard Rock Cafe and Millennium Park.

Sleeps
Double suites could sleep up to six with two queen beds and the pull-out sofa; our king suite is meant for four, but for our family baby made five and he fit just fine in a portable crib set up by a staff member.

Highlights
Great, friendly service, from the valet parking attendant who reminded me to take my cell phone from the car, to the hostess circulating through the tables at the light dinner buffet. Yes — they have a complimentary dinner with beer and wine Monday through Thursday, in addition to the more standard breakfast buffet all week.

For the kids, the highlight was the 19th floor pool. They swam while I sat back and enjoyed the view of the Trump Tower and the Wrigley Building.

Good to know
Although the hotel is perfectly clean and attractive, some amenities show signs of age, mainly the peeling sides of the pool.

Contact
http://www.homewoodsuiteschicago.com/index.shtml

Homewood Suites Downtown Chicago from TravelSavvyMom on Vimeo.

Written by Carrie Kirby

Property
World class luxury and amazing service in the brand new Trump Tower with beautiful views of Chicago’s famous water tower and skyscrapers on one side and Lake Michigan on the other. Everything is top of the line including the food, room decor and special kid services. Every child is greeted at check in with a TrumpKids bag including a cute stuffed cow, Chicago coloring book and crayons. The indoor pool offers a chest of water toys and the attendant offered us swim diapers, kid goggles, apples and an unusual but refreshing cucumber-ginger drink.

Location
The Trump Tower is located in Chicago on the Chicago River at the junction of North Michigan Avenue and the Loop. Easy walking to good pizza, Rainforest Cafe, shopping, and historic Chicago along the Riverwalk.

Sleeps
2-5 in the guestrooms (2 Queens or 1 King with space for a crib or roll-away). Suites also available- some with 2 bedrooms and more cubic feet than my house.

Highlights
Gorgeous comfy huge rooms with stocked kitchenette. Remote control curtains to play with and lots of pillows to throw around and jump on…just put away the Bling bottled water first ($25 per bottle, decorated with Swarovski crystals) that is precariously placed on a tiny table near the window. My 4 yr old was intrigued by the turn-down service which included the TV turning into virtual fish tank and all the extra pillows disappearing.

Good to know
There’s a Dunkin Donuts across the street. Grab some bagels, cream cheese and juice there and enjoy breakfast in the room. Complimentary tea and Nespresso coffee is available in the room and in the lobby.

Contact
http://www.trumpchicagohotel.com/

Written by Jenny Jensen

Property
Lives up to the Kimpton reputation for family friendly hotels in the heart of the city. The rooms are cheerful and sophisticated with striped wallpaper and very comfy sheets, and the rooms and bathrooms are spacious for downtown.

Location
The Monaco is right on the river, across from the new Trump Tower. Not far from Milennium Park, the Art Institute and the Miracle Mile, and there is an El station nearby for jaunts to more distant parts of the city.

Highlights
My favorite touch was the windowseats, which the Monaco has in every room. With the curtains drawn, the cushioned window nook became a hideaway for my husband and I to take in the view, sip wine from the complimentary wine hour, and use the free wireless while the kids fell asleep.  Our kids’ highlight was the temporary pet goldfish.

Good to know
There is a refrigerator/minibar behind a locked area of the TV cabinet; the key you get with your room card should unlock it.  The hotel’s Web site says it offers special amenities for children, such as little robes, gifts and babyproofing kits, but you may have to ask for these specifically. I called ahead to let them know we had kids with us, but we didn’t get any of those things.  One of these days I hope to try the in-room spa services offered by this and other Kimpton locations. A massage seems like a divine way to pass the time if you are stuck in your room while the baby naps.

Contact
http://www.monaco-chicago.com/

Hotel Monaco Chicago from TravelSavvyMom on Vimeo.

Written by Carrie Kirby

Property
This hotel in the heart of downtown Chicago is a great option for families who want to stay in the city. The hotel’s free daily breakfasts and manager’s reception drinks plus an indoor pool mean that everyone will be happy with this hotel choice.

Location
You truly are close to it all. Just a few minutes walk to Navy Pier, Lake Michigan and Chicago’s famous shopping street, Michigan Ave., you can easily get to everything this great city has to offer.

Sleeps
Each room is a two room suite that can hold a family of four. Contact the hotel directly for accommodations for larger families.

Highlights
The location was excellent! But more than that, this hotel implements the Embassy Suites concept very well. The free breakfasts were great and who doesn’t appreciate a free cocktail after a long day of dragging your kids around the city? Chet would tell you the pool was the best part but he was also partial to riding in the fun glass elevator. And me? Well, I loved the suite. The room was clean and it was so great to be able to walk into the other room to relax when it came time to put Chet down for the night instead of hiding out in the bathroom like I normally do.

Good to know
There are actually two Embassy Suites hotels in downtown Chicago. Make sure to give your cabbie the right address! And that reminds me, attractions like the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium are quite a distance away. Especially in winter time, your best bet is a cab ride — and you can expect to pay about $10 each way.

Contact
http://chicagoembassy.com/

Written by Kayt Sukel

Property
The Best Western River North is a full-service hotel in downtown Chicago. The property is centrally located, close to many family friendly sites, attractions and restaurants, and even offers that incredible, mythical city amenity: free parking.

Location
This hotel is very close to many of Chicago’s hot spots including Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile and Sears Tower. But you can’t beat the location for family friendly dining. The Rainforest Cafe, the Hard Rock and Ed Debevic’s are all within a block or two. And if your kid has a french fry fetish like mine? A very modern McDonald’s is right across the street.

Sleeps
The rooms are HUGE. And that’s even when you aren’t talking about a downtown hotel. A single room can easily fit a family of four. But definitely talk to reservations to get the right room for your specific needs.

Highlights
Location, location, location! This hotel is ideally situated to enjoy downtown Chicago’s best. And if you are traveling to the city by car, the free parking is something you’ll appreciate. Day rates in most city garages could easily add up and overtake your hotel costs. But the real highlight for my kid was the indoor swimming pool. It was the perfect place for him to get out those last bits of energy at the end of the day.

Good to know
Because of the hotel’s downtown location, it can get a little loud at night. Of course, since you are traveling with kids whose personal volumes may go as high as 11, this may be something you appreciate.

Contact
http://www.rivernorthhotel.com/

Written by Kayt Sukel