Let me start out by saying I loved the Sax the moment we walked in. The decor is amazing. Upon entering, we asked if an upgrade was available and the lovely girl at the desk upgraded us to a king room.

Holy beautiful. From the snakeskin chair to the red light in the bathroom (we couldnt stop singing 'roxanne' by the police) and the sheer size of the bathroom, everything was amazing. The bed was very comfortable and the temperature in the room was wonderful.

We didn't get to sample Bin 36 (next time though, for sure!) and while we were going to head into Crimson Lounge, the music they were playing was kind of cheesy. But then again by that point it was around 1 am and the crowd was mostly too drunk to notice. The staff was extremely friendly and I would definitely stay here again.

I have stayed at the Hotel Sax a few times and each time I have gotten a great rate on a good room. The beds are comfortable, the sheets are nice, and the room is clean and comfortable. The staff is pleasant and accommodating. The room service was prompt and the breakfast was average. Free coffee in the lobby in the morning was nice. In the shower they offer shower gel, shampoo and conditioner in large shared pump bottles, this I was not crazy about and I have not seen it in another hotel. All in all I would say if you can get it for a good price, this is a nice hotel, it looks just like the pictures, the decor is interesting and there is basically nothing wrong with it.

Background: Hubby had a business trip, so I tagged along. Lived in downtown Chicago for 3 years, so needless to say we were excited to be back!

Pros:
- Great location - next to the "corn cobs", House of Blues, downtown and the river
- Ambiance - sexy decor, don't know how else to describe it. Take a look at the pics, lots of velvet, deep reds, etc. Actually I think someone described it as a Disney Haunted House vibe. Yes, a sexy Disney Haunted House vibe.
- Staff - very friendly staff! I was sick and had some left over Soup Box (fast food soup place, do try the lobster bisque mixed with tomato soup if you're keen) and wanted to heat it up. I called room service and they delivered a microwave, bowl and spoon quickly and without a fee.

Cons
- View: website says ceiling to floor windows, but doesn't mention the wall dividers in the window (will post pictures) in our room
- Small room: we had a room with one huge bed in it - and that's about it. There was a table along the wall at the foot of the bed, a flat screen, 2 chairs and 2 end tables, all squeezed into a small room.
- Limited HD channels: we wanted to watch the Niners and Giants game from the privacy of our room and had to watch on a non-HD channel. If you plan to stay in doors and watch TV, call in advance to find out HD channels available. I know not a deal breaker, but it was the NFC championship game!
- Mini bar charges! We got charged 1 M&M and 2 Miller Lite beers after the fact ($17). And we did not touch the bar. I called in and we got refunded (still waiting for confirmation) which was easy and fast, but I am wondering if they do that to all their customers, to see what they can get a way with?

Conclusion
Good for business trips. You're in and you're out. You've got a swanky bar in the lobby, Harry Caray's down the street, House of Blues at your finger tips and Caribou Coffee around the corner. If you are coffee and mocha lover, I do highly recommend Carbiou's mocha - dark chocolate! Each on comes with a Chocolate espresso bean. :)

I attended a conference at the Sax last week and spent Friday night at the hotel. The decor and atmosphere was fun and contemporay. The staff was outstanding and very accommodating. Fabian and a young lady from housekeeping were very personable and made our stay there special. We like to have stay vacation in the city and will choose the Sax next time. Our only complaint was the plumbing. The shower was great but the toliets need to be replaced.