Tried to book downtown but due to Marathon everything was booked or over priced. Checked B&B's on trip advisor and found Cat's Cradle. Great choice. The house is perfect. Large rooms and completely modern baths. Kitchen is well stocked and can be used anytime. Bos service(CTA) at front door and "L" 2blocks. Bob and wife great host.It takes about 30 minutes to get downtown chicago either way but rogers park is anice area. Felt safe walking from train at night. Also lake is only 2 blocks. Great weekend.

My husband and I stayed at Cat's Cradle for 3 nights in August, 2012. We highly recommend this B&B! Here are a few details:

Location: It is located in Roger's Park, which is the farthest north one can go in Chicago before leaving the city proper. It is also two blocks from the Lake. The neighborhood is safe and there are a lot of people bustling around. And cameras, my gosh, there are cameras everywhere! There are lots of neighborhoods in the area to explore if you desire. We had oru car so we drove to Evanston one evening to Lou Minalti'es for pizza and to Andersonville one day just to explore.

Transportation: Right across the street is the bus depot where we caught the city bus for 50-minute ride into the city. I think it was $2.25 pp each way. It have us a chance to see the city so we didn't mind. On the way back from the city we rode the express bus so the ride was only about 30 minutes. We did not use the rail system at all during our visit.

The B&B - Well, it's a beautifully restored home with beautiful woodwork and architectural details. The main rooms are on the first floor, bedrooms and private baths on the 2nd, the innkeepers live on the 3rd. We only ran into the innkeeper a couple times during our visit (just a quick 'hello, enjoy your day' in passing), The kitchen on the main floor is fully accessible to guests and is always stocked with coffee, tea, yogurt, cereal, milk, fresh fruit and pastries. The have a sun deck where we ate our breakfast each morning. We know there were others guest but we never ran into them. Our bedroom had the most comfortable bed and the sheets were divine. So nice to come home to after a day of walking around the city.

One more thing......this B&B is right next door to a house built by Frank Lloyd Wright. My husband just thought that was so cool. What a pleasant surprise to find that out.

Having never stayed in a B&B before, I wasn't sure what to expect. Upon arrival at Cat's Cradle, I was warmly greeted by the owner and given a tour of the magnificant home. The detail to restoration was extraordinary and the house had a rich history to the area. Everything was immaculate! The community kitchen was fully stocked with all a traveler's breakfast and snacking needs including gormet coffee and tasty pasteries. My room was beautiful and maintained the air of "Old Chicago" in the walls and decor with an updated bathroom including fluffy robes and all ammenities one could hope for. Since it was summer, I didn't try the heated floors or towel rack...but what a luxury that would be on a cold morning! The bed was fitted with soft sheets and coverings and was so comfortable that except for family packed days, I could have lounged there for the entire stay. I would recommend this cozy B&B to anyone traveling to the Chicago area. Bus lines, taxis and the EL are close by so a journey into the city is no issue at all. The lake is within walking distance for swimming or strolling and the neighborhood is a joy to walk through, with families out and about. Anytime I am in Chicago again I will make this B&B my home away from home...I hope you will do the same!

Members of my bridal party and family stayed at Cat's Cradle for my wedding last week and we also used some of their space for our rehearsal dinner and post-wedding brunch. The house is beautifully restored and the public spaces (living and dining rooms, sun room & basement) are spacious, comfortable, and homey. They offered us use of their grill for our rehearsal dinner bbq and since we had rented out the whole house, we could make full use of the kitchen as well. (Though as far as I know, even if you're just staying in one room, you can still use the kitchen to cook yourself breakfast in the morning -- check with the proprietors first, though, to make sure). They're flexible, friendly, and generally great people there. Highly recommended!