We lucked out and got half off of the rooms. The hotel is in a great location for walking to the subway (the El), and the Magnificent Mile. Also the Hancock Tower is just a couple of blocks away, right on the Magnificent Mile. The service was excellent, and we had no complaints during our stay! If you stay here, you are getting great service and a great location, guaranteed!

Extra notes, walk out the front door and take a right, there's a great breakfast place called Tempo Cafe!

Chicago was so fabulous, we decided to stay on for a few days after our conference ended, and wound up at the Sofitel due to the reviews here and a special price the Sofitel was offering. It was the best decision possible. First of all the Sofitel rooms are exquisitely comfortable, with perfect beds, pillows, robes, slippers, lots of storage for all your clothes and impedimenta, and gorgeous baths with tub and separate shower stall with great shower head. The modern decor is surprisingly warm and spacious-feeling, much nicer "in person" than the internet photos suggest. The lobby and common areas are quite nice. The restaurant is rather expensive even by Chicago standards (e.g., $18 for a turkey sandwich) but the quality of our breakfast meal of Belgian waffles ($16 pp including choice of juice) and French-press coffee was very nice, presented and served perfectly. A nice extra: the Sofitel room safes are large enough for a widescreen laptop if you kitty-corner it in. The widescreen TV was an LG, with no loss of perspective, i.e., the picture wasn't oddly stretched. Free computer access is available on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Front desk, door, bellman, and housekeeping service is impeccable. Our room overlooked the western part of the city, which isn't terribly inspiring, but the high-floor location improved it and was appreciated. The location is at the edge of the Mag Mile and Gold Coast, close by the Water Tower and Hancock Tower (about 2 blocks) so it's easy to catch a bus. The Chicago Metra station is relatively close too. It's not as convenient as the Loop area if you're in town for the theater, but there are some fabulous restaurants nearby, such as the Grand Lux Cafe and Quartinos, which are both along E. Ontario St, as is Trader Joe's if you need some basic groceries. There is a Starbucks about 3 minutes walk away on Chestnut St closer to the Mag Mile. Across the street is an Ing Bank cafe --- I didn't buy anything there, but a lot of people were loading up on the inexpensive coffee and pastries there in the morning.
Conclusion: this hotel is totally awesome. Stay here and you'll be spoiled for life for any other hotel with fewer amenities or luxuries.

This was my second stay at The Sofitel, the first being a one-night stay in late 2007. This time, I was there for five nights.

I do love this hotel. But having become a connoisseur of hotels as of late, there are a couple of minor things that prevent me from giving the Sofitel Water Tower 5 stars. But let me start with the good stuff...

* Super comfortable beds.
* Great Bose alarm clock.
* Robes and slippers provided.
* Excellent gym for a hotel. People have noted that the gym is small...I've stayed in a lot of hotels and this was pretty good for a hotel gym. 6 of 7 treadmills. Three cross-trainers. At least one exercise bike. A lot of free weights and some weight machines. Also, the gym is free, unlike at the Sheraton where you have to pay.
* Lovely little bar. Even when I lived in Chicago, I would come here for martinis and cocktails. I just really like the vibe.
* Super clean. One thing I tend to notice is hotel wear and tear on walls and carpets. My room was pristine. The gym walls were pristine as well. Facilities is really doing their job here.
* Great Aveda bath products.
* Free coffee and croissants in the a.m. No one seems to mention this, but it's there in the cafe. (Unless I was supposed to pay and didn't realize it.) The first morning, I asked if they had any tea and they said yes, what kind. I asked for mint tea and a few minutes later they brought me my own pot of REAL FRESH mint tea. It was awesome. Good croissants too.
* And lastly--and this might sound silly--but the baguettes at breakfast were fantastic. Because I live in London and spend a lot of time in France, I eat a lot of baguettes. The Sofitel's baguette at breakfast was amazingly crunchy on the outside, yet just the right amount soft on the inside. I had to ask if they make it themselves on site, and they do.

So, the main thing that prevents this from being a slam-dunk for me is the lack of free wireless. Even if I had just gotten a free 10 hours or something, I would have given this five stars. But the fact that I had to buy the T-mobile package was really annoying.

The other minor quibble was the consistency of housekeeping. One night, during the turndown service, they didn't leave me any bottled water. And during the regular morning service, one day, they forgot to replace my bath products so I didn't have any conditioner left. Also, I'm a sucker for when they lay out all your beauty products on a towel on the sink--I see that a lot at higher end hotels--and they didn't do that here. In short, this wasn't five-star housekeeping. Although it was good and very clean.

So...you really can't go wrong here. My constructive comments are really aimed more at whoever is reading this at the hotel so they can kick things up a notch!

There are times in one’s life when we know an experience is extraordinary. My traveling companion and ventured to the Windy City for a weekend of entertainment, socializing and relaxation and I was impressed by the top shelf treatment we received at the Softiel Chicago Water Tower. The seamless transition beginning with curbside luggage service to prompt, courteous room service was executed by a staff well trained in hospitality.
Hotel employees took a special interest in where we were from and our weekend plans. We especially remember Vera and Paula for being pleasant and helpful. In addition,
Chef Martial Noguier prepared delectable off the menu vegetarian dishes to accommodate my dietary choices. When you’re in Chicago, experience this.