The Ambassador East Hotel has been reborn as Public Chicago; the first of what will be a series of urban-contemporary hotels conceived by Hotel Guru, Ian Schrager.

SchRAger came up with the design himself with help from Anda Andrei, in-house architect who has been with him since the Studio 54 days. A giant “Benjamin Button” clock behind the front desk has a second hand that moves backward.

The sunken dining room contains dozens and dozens of glowing orbs in various sizes and finishes reminiscent of champagne bubbles.
Semicircular booths are wrapped in camel-hued Italian leather sitting in front of bleached oak tables.

A coffee bar by day and cocktail lounge by night. the walls are hung with portraits of Dutch photographer Hendrik Kersten’s daughter, in the style of Vermeer, wearing curlers made of Coca-Cola cans and a headdress fashioned out of bubble wrap.

The 285 spacious and oversized guest rooms are designed in a soothing 'no color’ palette with Frette linens that evoke a sense of ease and comfort. The furnishings are an unexpected mix of classic and modern pieces.