Fodor's Expert Review The Ambassador East

Editor's Note: This location is no longer in operation.

One of the few hotels in the residential Gold Coast neighborhood, this small 1920s property is a 10- to 15-minute cab ride from the Loop. The secluded setting makes it popular with celebs and literary figures, and the world-famous Pump Room, which was closed for renovations at the time of writing, used to attract a loyal following (Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall celebrated their wedding in Booth One). Rooms have a certain amount of glitz, with jewel tones and cherrywood furniture. Bookworms, take heed: the "author" suite has held book signings by the likes of John Grisham and Maya Angelou.