Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

STAYCATION REVIEW Feeling the vibe at ACME Hotel Company
Special to the online edition of Windy City Times
by Andrew Davis, Windy City Times
2017-08-15

This article shared 1339 times since Tue Aug 15, 2017
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


I was really feeling the edgy, musical vibe at a recent staycation at ACME Hotel Company ( 15 E. Ohio St.; ACMEHotelCompany.com ).

However, it felt strangely familar—and I figured out why. I had, not so long ago, stayed in another local place that possesses a similar vibe: The Hard Rock Hotel. At ACME, I was getting a sense of deja vu, although the River North boutique spot definitely has its differences from that larger spot. Here's a closer look:

—Location: ACME is in the heart of the River North area, and is just steps from the Mag Mile. Of course, this means all the restaurants, dining and shopping you can handle is just a short distance away. Even public transportation ( buses on Michigan Avenue and the Red Line stop at Grand and State ) is nearby—but that's one of the great things about the CTA.

—Feel/atmosphere: As previously stated, there's a definite edge at ACME ( especially when compared to its predecessor at that address—Comfort Inn & Suites ). There are various eye-catching props throughout the hotel, and the elevators are papered with covers of albums from musicians ranging from the Rolling Stones to Lady Gaga.

The rooms are fun and funky, with items such as a bathroom with a lipstick-smooch LED set-up that gives the room a red glow—and which can make showers really intimate when all the other lights are out.

Other intriguing aspects of the rooms include comfortable seating, hi-def televisions, Amazon Alexa and even a chalkboard on the door ( to carve your own identity or to let housekeepers know if they can enter ). There are no closets, although there are set-ups featuring bars with hangers, ironing boards and robes.

—Amenities: West Town Bakery is on the first floor, and offers some delicious pastries, sandwiches and the like from the morning until about 8 p.m. And for those who need a kick in the morning, there's a "Knock and Drop" service that leaves a thermos of java at your door. However, if you have a craving at, say, midnight, you'll have to go to one of those nearby restaurants or use an app like GrubHub.

The Berkshire Room is the evening hangout—a first-floor cocktail lounge that offers a large variety of drinks as well as plenty of secluded spots. ( The Bodega, on the second floor, is a '70s-style lounge that's only open on Fridays and Saturdays during the summer. )

The workout facility ( in the basement ) is unlike any I've ever seen/used. Surrounded by a tall, chain-link fence, there are weights, a couple cardiovascular machines and a punching bag—perfect for working off stress.

And there's the Bunny Slope, a hot tub located next to the fitness facility that's outfitted with skis. However, the basement also has a business kiosk—and a laundry room, which I wished more hotels had.

—"Love Is Love": Specifically for same-sex couples ( through the end of the year ), ACME offers a "Love Is Love" package, which comes with a cocktail kit for two as well as rainbow beads and customized pillowcases to take home.

Bottom line: ACME Hotel Company is a pretty cool place to stay. It has style ( even if it was a little familiar to this guest ) and an attractive hangout area in The Berkshire Room. Plus, the location is pretty hard to beat.

Note: This hotel visit was based on an arranged invitation.


This article shared 1339 times since Tue Aug 15, 2017
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Baby Tate grows up with 'Sexploration' 2024-01-10
- The multitalented pansexual artist Baby Tate has plenty to say on her Sexploration: The Tour. She's packing up her "Wig" and traveling to Chicago to perform an inclusive set of songs such as "Luv Everybody" at ...


Gay News

Disney exhibition chronicles a century of entertainment history 2023-11-21
- Disney100, a large-scale traveling exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company, has opened at the Exhibition Hub Art Center, 2367 W. Logan Blvd., in Bucktown. Hundreds of props and artifacts from the company's ...


Gay News

Club Q shooting survivors to speak at Chicago's Beer Culture Summit 2023-10-15
- Last November, Jessica Fierro traveled back to Colorado after speaking at the annual Chicago Beer Culture Summit. Just one week later, her family changed forever at Club Q, a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs. Her daughter's ...


Gay News

Newsom ends California's travel ban against anti-LGBTQ+ states 2023-09-14
- On Sept. 13, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he signed SB 447 by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), which ends the state's restriction on taxpayer-funded travel by state agencies and departments ...


Gay News

After HRC's State of Emergency declaration, Canadian government recognizes threat of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation 2023-08-30
--From a press release - WASHINGTON— Just two months after the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) issued a National State of Emergency in response to the unprecedented and dangerous onslaught of anti-LGBTQ laws passed across the country, the Canadian government has updated ...


Gay News

Stonewall veteran Miss Major visits Brave Space Alliance 2023-08-09
- Miss Major, a Black transgender activist who has fought for more than 50 years for her trans/gender nonconforming community, is on tour to call attention to anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ laws across the country. Traveling with her ...


Gay News

Illinois Poor People's Campaign to join faith leaders from 30+ states on Capitol Hill to demand action 2023-06-18
--From a press release - WASHINGTON - Poor, impacted people, advocates and faith leaders with the Illinois Poor People's Campaign will travel to Capitol Hill June 19-21 to highlight poverty as an American death sentence and demand action to end murder ...


Gay News

Travel consultants release best and worst countries for trans rights 2023-06-06
- Asher & Lyric have released "The 203 Best (& Worst) Countries for Trans Rights in 2023." This new study is an accompaniment to its annual LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index to specifically address trans issues. The countries ...


Gay News

Yucatan adventures--with an LGBTQ+ twist--await in Mexico 2023-06-05
- The Yucatan region lies between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea in southeastern Mexico. It is home to the states of Campeche and Quintana Roo, and features a variety of destinations appealing to LGBTQ+ ...


Gay News

WORLD Zero Discrimination Day, African countries, facility damaged, travel items 2023-03-10
- On Zero Discrimination Day this year (March 1), under the theme "Save lives: Decriminalize," UNAIDS showed how the decriminalization of key populations and people living with HIV saves lives and helps advance the end of the ...


Gay News

SAVOR Peruvian spot Tanta; fundraiser for The Evolved Network 2023-03-09
- One of the best things about Chicago cuisine is that you can travel the world without ever leaving the Windy City. The River North spot Tanta (118 W. Grand Ave.; https://www.tantachicago.com/) embodies one such example. Tanta ...


Gay News

The Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade turns 25 2022-11-02
- The legendary Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade returned for the 25th time on Oct. 31. Kicking off at 7:30 p.m. from Halsted Street and Belmont Avenue, the parade route traveled north before looping back to a large ...


Gay News

Esquire: Chicago has three of the country's 'most fun' LGBTQ+-inclusive bars 2022-10-27
- Esquire magazine's editorial staff curated a list of the "most fun and inclusive LGBTQ+-friendly bars"—and the choices may seem surprising. The magazine chose the Uptown spots Big Chicks and Carol's Pub as well as the Andersonville ...


Gay News

ATTRACTIONS SkyBridge Michigan opens as world's longest timber-towered suspension bridge 2022-10-25
- SkyBridge Michigan is now open as the world's longest timber-towered suspension bridge. After more than a year in the works, SkyBridge Michigan made its debut to the public on Oct. 15, hosting thousands of guests on ...


Gay News

Philadelphia hosts street renaming ceremony for gay tourism expert 2022-10-11
- On Oct. 11, Philadelphia officials will honor the late civic pride booster, celebrated author and former Visit Philadelphia President/CEO Jeff Guaracino by renaming a portion of South 13th Street after the tourism marketer and LGBTQ+ trailblazer ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.