Miz Trin just loves Chicago. Not only is it home to her precious Cubbies, but she had the distinct pleasure of calling it home for several years. Now I only get to see it when I come out for a visit. And when circumstances call for a Michigan Avenue landing pad, this is the only place Miz Trin will touch down.

Le Meridien Chicago is located on Michigan Ave in the same building as Nordstroms, close to the Wrigley Building and other Michigan Ave landmarks. Though the main entrance to the hotel is actually on Rush Street, you can access it from Michigan via a circuitous route that wends past (among other things) a Sephora. Close access to cute cosmetics is definitely NOT a drawback.

The lobby is several floors up, and manned by a reception desk that has never failed to be polite and efficient whenever Miz Trin stops in for a visit.

But the most delightful thing about Le Meridien is the rooms. In a town where even some of the better hotels could do with a little sprucing up, Le Meridien provides well-priced rooms with modern decor, luxurious sheets, and 21st Century amenities. Everything a space diva needs when she's away from home. Things like an oversized tub for soaking in while drinking champagne. And a cordless phone with two lines for setting up fabulous outings in the City of Broad Shoulders. Oh, and let's not forget the high-speed Internet connection.

While the rooms are a tad small, they are what every urban boutique hotel strives to be. But the best part is that there is no urban boutique hotel 'tude to cope with. This is not a hotel run by Ian Schrager, where every patron somehow feels a need to prove worthiness just to walk in the door. (Miz Trin has never been a fan of the velvet rope ethos.) Rather, this is a place run with european sensibilities of practicality, attention to detail, and genuine attentive service.

The restaurant in the hotel, La Cerise, has a very overbearing modern sensibility and decent (if expensive) food. Which means that room service is actually a good idea. Provided, of course, you are operating with an expense account. Indeed, Le Meridien is an excellent choice for a business traveler. You get all the diva perks of a european hotel, at about a quarter of the cost of staying at the Ritz. And the location is convenient to whatever downtown meetings you happen to be attending.

Now granted, it's not in the far more hip neighborhoods of Wrigleyville or Wicker Park. And Miz Trin makes no apologies for that. As soon as there's a boutique hotel in Wicker Park that can provide luxe and friendly service, Miz Trin will have something to consider. Until then, Le Meridien remains a nice alternative to those pricier Michigan Ave addresses.

Recommended: Yes