My girlfriend and I just returned from a Memorial Day weekend getaway to Chicago, where we stayed at The James. We found a great deal on Expedia a couple of weeks earlier (a non-refundable rate of $176/night for 3 nights) and found it to be a bargain compared to what we could've paid to stay at inferior hotels nearby.

We had an early morning flight from Boston and arrived at the hotel at 9:30AM; the staff was very friendly and accommodating, making us feel very welcome the moment we stepped out of our cab until we checked out 3 days later. We were able to do an early check-in, which made a major difference in that we had an opportunity to relax a bit and freshen up before heading out.

The staff member took us to our room on the 7th floor and showed us all of the amenities - minibar, mini-stereo w/ iPod hookup, flat-screen TV, bathroom, explain the services provided by the hotel, etc. The room was in the west corner of the hotel, so we had a long walk from the elevators, but it was very quiet and we couldn't hear anything from outside.

The room itself featured minimally chic decor and had a king bed that was much more comfortable than most hotel beds I've slept in. The room also featured small sitting corner and also featured a long "bench" against the window with 2 drawers below. There was plenty of space to store luggage without it being visible and obstructive in our room, so I felt the way the room was laid out made it look and feel bigger than its actual square footage.

The only minor issues I found with our room were the closet and bathroom being a bit small. While the rectangular pedestal sink in the bathroom was beautiful, there wasn't much space for toiletries. In addition, the tub had a couple of scratches, but I was much happier to have plenty of towels (the bath towels were especially plush and oversized) and 2 sets of robes and slippers for our use.

As for other aspects of the hotel, I particularly liked the lobby, which featured numerous lounge-style seating areas and a bookshelf full of coffee table books and magazines. The lobby bar (which bridges the lobby itself and David Burke Primehouse) was a great gathering spot for drinks and was a lively hangout throughout our stay.

We ate breakfast one morning at David Burke Primehouse, which was a bit of a mistake. We went at 10AM and even though there were only a couple of other tables occupied, it took 15 minutes before a server even came up to us to start taking our order. It took another 15 minutes before the server returned to bring our juice; at this point, I was frustrated by the poor service that I spoke to the general manager, explaining the situation. He was very apologetic and comped us our breakfast, with our server coming by and apologizing for the lack of service as well. The family seated two tables over also complained about the poor service and the manager also comped their breakfast. The problem with breakfast there is that on weekends, they have an "American dim sum brunch" starting at 10:30; however, they also have breakfast daily until 11AM. This overlap, along with the transition period from 10AM-10:30AM, seems to result in inattentive service for those coming in for a late breakfast because the staff (servers, kitchen, etc.) are so focused on setting up for brunch. My suggestion for guests who want to eat breakfast in the hotel is to either:

1) Order room service for breakfast
2) Go for an early sit-down breakfast
3) If staying on weekends, go after 10:30 for brunch.

My suggestion for the restaurant is to curtail breakfast on weekends at 10 or 10:30 to ensure a smoother transition into brunch. Even though the experience was disappointing, I appreciate the way the manager handled the situation.

There is also a lounge/club attached to the hotel called J Bar. We checked it out on the first night of our stay and while it might be the right scene for some, it wasn't for us. We expected more of a relaxing lounge, but it turned out to be a club more than anything else. Very crowded, DJ, loud music - we walked in, grabbed a drink, and quickly retreated back to our room upstairs...

Misadventures with dining/drinking aside, I would highly recommend The James. It is a very stylish boutique hotel where I think most people would love the rooms and the service provided by the hotel staff. I think the hotel is definitely appealing for the more sophisticated and trendy (yet unpretentious) traveler, and I would definitely stay there again in the future.