Chill out on the Rooftop of the Essex inn Chicago

Unlike Los Angeles and New York, where every other hotel has a nifty rooftop pool, Chicago didn't really have many fab rooftop hang-outs. Well, maybe a few...Like the Essex Inn, which has a rooftop garden, swimming pool and a fitness center.

The massive pool looks more like an atrium or an Olympic competition tank, with the enclosure and the deck chairs and flags and all. The 1350 square foot fitness center, fully equipped with cardio machines, weight-training equipment, CrossTrainers, Lifecycles, treadmills and free-weights, is even more swanky with 6 TV sets. Like I said, the rooftop of the Essex Inn is a nice place to hangout in Chicago. View isn't bad either.

To make it even more of an attraction, the onsite restaurant - Savoy Bar & Grill - is a great place to just sit back and watch the activity in Grant Park across the street. Dining options include Greek, Mexican, and Italian specialties, as well as ribs, roast sirloin, and fried shrimp.

And considering all these facilities, the upscale guest rooms and suites and the perfect location on Michigan Avenue with a bunch of major tourist attractions in Chicago bunched around it, the rates, starting from $199, are pretty darn reasonable.

Of course, you could shave more than 100 dollars off that tab if you looked for some cheap Chicago motels to stay in, and then popped in to the Essex Inn to enjoy the other amenities.

But if this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, then the best way to enjoy your Chicago vacations would be to book in at the Essex Inn and let the luxury wash over you.

Info: 800 South Michigan Avenue Chicago IL 60605; (312) 939-2800; www.essexinn.com/