ACME Hotel Company Chicago

Chicago’s impressive boutique-hotel scene has tended to stress the business side of things a bit heavily, and for good reason — this is a city that works hard, and is justifiably proud of that part of its self-image. But what it’s lacked is the sort of youthful, budget-friendly rock & roll boutique hotel where work takes something of a secondary role. Something like the Acme Hotel.

It’s an idea that’s very much in the air right now, in more cities than Chicago. But it’s the first of its kind here. The location, in River North, just off the Magnificent Mile, places it in a busy, vibrant neighborhood, but one that’s quite a bit more dressed-down and nightlife-friendly than the central business district, just across the river. And the look and feel of the place will feel perfectly natural to guests of a certain age, or at least a certain mindset — industrial warehouse-chic meets modernist furniture and high-tech gadgetry.

It’d be nothing without a place to socialize, and thankfully there’s an irresistible one in the form of the Berkshire Room, a craft cocktail lounge which also serves small plates in a cavernous retro space. It’s just what this town needs.