best bed: StayPineapple Chicago, Chicago, USA

Housed in the wonderful historic Reliance Building,  StayPineapple Chicago is a terrific new discovery in the windy city. Not too expensive; loaded with style and humor. They have successfully built a hotel within a National Historic Landmark. The Reliance Building is all history… the great fire of 1871 had wiped out most of the city, one exception was an old four story bank on the corner of Washington & State. William Hale bought it in 1880 and hired superstar of the early Chicago School, John Root to design the perfect office space. Form had to follow function… he wanted lots of light, plate glass windows would make up the majority of the surface. Work was about to begin when the tenants objected. No problem. They lifted the old structure; building the basement and the first floor underneath it. By the time these were completed the leases had expired, the tenants were gone and Root had dropped dead. His drawings for the rest of the building have never been found. Charles Atwood stepped in; finishing it off by 1895. Unusually every single office had electricity and phone service. It was called Reliance because of its revolutionary functionality. It was a sell out! Even Al Capone’s dentist had his offices here. Sadly, the great times did not last. Over the next hundred years the building had more downs than ups. After years of debate and decline, the building was bought by the city and a luxury hotel opened in 1999. In 2016 the Pineapple group took it over. While it still retains the original marble staircase, office doors and the famous exterior, the addition of pineapple themed touches everywhere has made it all the more enchanting.. Pineapples were amongst the most expensive and exotic foods in the 15 -17^thcenturies. In George Washington’s day they could easily cost the equivalent of $8000US in today’s money. Even the very rich could only indulge rarely. Instead of sharing the actual fruit, images of this treat became a universal sign of welcome and hospitality. Both are plentiful in this charm laden hotel. I loved the complementarity afternoon pineapple cupcakes…

Number of Rooms: 122

Sweet Suite: The Millennium Park View King Suite. The king sized bed is all the comfort you’d expect and the separate living room is a great place to store your shopping or offer a guest the sofa bed but it is the views over the park and lake Michigan that make this suite a dream. Plus it just may be the best bang for your buck in the city.

Favorite Thing: The Naked Experience.. amazing duvets, perfect pillows, big fluffy towels and chic bathrobes… super clean, super comfortable… you’ll want them all against your naked skin

Near By: The Loop, theatre district, Millennium Park, an easy walk (except in the dead of winter when Chicago can get seriously cold) to the Art Gallery of Chicago and Magnificent Mile, the Rookery

Amenities: gym, room service, free WIFI, Atwood restaurant, very very pet friendly, in-room coffee, free afternoon cupcakes

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https://www.staypineapple.com/the-loop-chicago