Chicago’s Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, the first Radisson Blu in the U.S., is taking reservations starting today for opening nights beginning this October 31. The exterior of the 81-story architectural stunner (the hotel takes up the first 18 floors) features a trippy, wave-like design, envisioned by Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang architects, and climbs above the city, affording views of Lake Michigan and most of Chicago. (Fun fact: It’s also the tallest building in the country designed by a female architect.) 334 rooms come in two different styles: “naturally cool” and “bold mansion house” (don’t really understand the “mansion house” reference yet). All we can gather from the website is that the latter comes with a flashier, bold color aesthetic. The hotel will also have an indoor and outdoor pool, spa and fitness center, contemporary Italian restaurant Filini, outdoor terrace, and free Wi-Fi for all. www.radissonblu.com/aquahotel-chicago

For general trip-planning info, see our Chicago Travel Guide.