I recently stayed at the Silversmith Hotel and Suites (two different times) and was impressed with its room size, beds and price. You FT'ers might not want to stay there as it is not part of a big chain frequent guest program and so your stays do not earn status elsewhere.

It is on Wabash near Monroe and my rate was $119 per night (plus lots of taxes!!!). The Palmer House, a block away, was double that and the Hampton Inn-Majestic, also nearby was more expensive even taking into account the included free breakfast.

I usually do not recommend hotels, but having been in Chicago on business several times lately and would have never thought about the Silversmith. My travel agent suggested it when I needed to book 5 rooms and a meeting room. I was so surprised by my good experience and pleased I thought I'd share.

It had a free business center (computers and a sloooow printer, free fitness facility and free internet in the rooms. The down stairs restaurant was very fairly priced and served an excellent breakfast. Did not try it for other meals.

By the way, the El is right out front. If you stay, ask for a room in the back.

We live near the Silversmith and have heard good things about it. Its near the teather district, business district and shopping. Lobby seems to be well done. Have also heard good things about the Hampton Inn around the corner.

I helped plan a meeting at the Silversmith several years ago, when it was an IC Crowne Plaza -- haven't given it much thought since, but I did think at the time that the rooms and building restoration were well executed. It's not the Burnham, but then again the Silversmith actually has meeting facilities.

Another very good conversion of a small downtown office building.

We used the Hampton Inn Majestic once and were extremely pleased. The breakfast area is clean and bright and the buffet excellent. The rooms were clean and beds comfortable. There were no meeting rooms.

On our next trip we needed a meeting room from five people with a lot of papers to spread. The nearby Palmer House quoted $500 for a meeting room vs $150 at the Silversmith. This was on a Sunday afternoon where neither hotel had much else happening.

As mentioned in my original post, the Silversmith's rates are better than the Hamption Inn or the Palmer House. When we returned to Chicago recently we again used the Silversmith and will do so next time.

For you points and miles hounds, you may view the Hampton Inn as not a bad choice if you do not mind paying the extra.

My $119 rate was a AAA rate. Standard rate is around $200 at the Silversmith.

I've done several room blocks at the Silversmith; the hotel itself is good but the staff and management are what kept us going back there. I'd love to do meetings there as well, but we've always needed more meeting space than they have.