We decided to stay here partly because of Tripadvisor No 1 position and partly because of good room price deal (300 USD per night).
It is a nice, big hotel and as you would expect from Sofitel more fancy oriented.
Rooms are large with very (really very) comfortable bed and HD plasma TV though a bit soulless.
On the first night we ate at Cafes des Architectes and it was very pleasant experience, tuna was amazing and I would definitely recommend eating there at least once. We were there for breakfast too and food was nice but it seemed to me that they were understaffed; waiting for breakfast could have been a little bit shorter (it is not buffet, you have to order everything).
There is a diner next to the hotel called Tempo, we haven’t been there but all the time people were waiting in the line to get in so maybe it is worth trying eat there at least for breakfast.
Hotel is full of business people even on the weekends and hotel has very strong business feeling, it seemed to me that this is perfect hotel for businessmen who would like to feel that they are at very stylish place.
On the arrival there was no bell boy or anybody waiting for us (we came at around 9 p.m.) but all on all other days there were really many staff people taking care of doors and taxis incl your bags.
Gym is on smaller size and if you arrive at around 7a.m. it can be full (happened to me once). Equipment is top quality though.
It was funny how everyone in Chicago reacts with admiration when you say that you are staying in Sofitel.
Overall it was pleasant experience and we would stay there again.

We recently returned from a 3-day weekend at Chicago's Sofitel Water Tower. Here are our observations:

Positive:

1. The hotel is located in the very upscale, beautiful Gold Coast of the city, two blocks from Michigan Avenue, and also a few blocks from the beach.

2. Every aspect of every management and employee-level worker at the hotel was professional, gracious, friendly and accommodating to a fault.

3. The hotel interior is beautiful, modern and elegant without any hint of excess or phony snobbiness.

4. Our room (27th floor) was spacious, extraordinarily clean, and ethereally quiet. We had a view of the city and Lake Michigan. The bed was by far the most comfortable we've ever experienced, and the marble bathroom with separate shower was purely decadent. All of the usual luxury-level hotel amenities were provided, including the usual toiletries, a very powerful hair dryer, robes, slippers, iron, ironing board, fully-stocked minibar, large electronic safe, 40" flat-screen TV, a desk with hookups for internet, etc.

5. Some niceties were provided upon our arrival, including a cheese platter, fruit, chocolates, and bottled water.

6. The restaurant (Cafe Des Architectes) provided wonderful service and abundant , 5-star food. Our room came with breakfast included. When we opted to have only coffee one morning because we had brunch plans elsewhere, we received a $30 credit on our hotel bill for not eating, a very thoughtful (and virtually unheard of) gesture.

7. The bar (Le Bar) was also very accommodating for late-night drinks, food and desserts. It was crowded and hopping until 2am nightly, yet we got a table and fast, friendly service both visits

Negatives:

1. There was no coffee-maker in the room. We were quite surprised at this, considering the plethora of other amenities offered.

2. Contrary to what we were led to believe, the hotel charges $10/day for internet access.

3. No daily newspaper was provided.

The biggest negative of all was that we only got to stay for two nights at this terrific hotel. You can spend a lot more at other hotels in the neighborhood (Peninsula, Four Seasons, etc.) but I'm not sure how much better the accommodations or service could possibly be to merit the additional charge. The Sofitel Water Tower was one of the finest hotels we've ever had the good fortune to stay at in the world.

My husband and I have stayed at several hotels in Chicago over the last few years (the Renaissance on Wacker, Westin Michigan Ave, and Hotel Monaco) and the Sofitel is definitely our favorite. The beds at this hotel are amazing (I didn't want to leave in the morning!), our room was comfortable,clean, and bright, and the bathroom was very spacious. The lack of a coffeemaker was perhaps a slight inconvenience, but honestly, it's Chicago -- there's a Starbucks on every other corner.

The location is within walking distance of many restaurants and shops (only a block and a half away from the Ghirardelli chocolate shop -- a great plus for any chocoholic :)), including all the craziness of Michigan Avenue.

We found the staff to be very friendly and polite. The only problem we encountered was a miscommunication between the front desk and the valet one morning when we wanted to pick up our car. Somewhere between our call to the front desk and the front desk's call to the valet, our request for our car was lost and we ended up standing outside for several minutes, wondering if the valet had lost our car. But as soon as we returned to the front desk to inquire about the delay, we were offered an apology and the valet rushed our car out to us very quickly. No harm done, and it certainly didn't tarnish our view of the hotel.

All in all, a great hotel, and we'll definitely return the next time we're in Chicago!

Sofitel Chicago is a great place to stay, if you dress and act like a well-to-do European. Think twice if you like to wear casual clothes or are of small stature, or a person of color.

The rooms here are nice- I liked the huge window that covered one wall, and the color schemes of warm beige, that are calming and comfy. Also, the restrooms are roomier than the typical hotel, and has a separate bath and shower.

The service? Well, I definitely felt the staff could have been a lot nicer. Most staff that I interacted with were very stiff and snotty. There is no warm greeting from front desk nor smiles from doormen. Several times, the doormen would ignore my presence and fail to open the door for me, although they saw me nearing the hotel doors. I stayed at the hotel for a week, so I ended up opening doors for myself numerous times.

The doors themselves are very inconvenient if you are handicapped or old, as they are very narrow and heavy double doors.