China Doll Country located just north of downtown Chicago, offers a complete home with more amenities than most hotels and bed-and-breakfasts.

Each unit is decorated in a style reminiscent of a Chinese country estate. Every room is efficient but friendly, meticulously clean yet warm and inviting. The sunlit rooms have been carefully arranged by hostess Yanan Haring with radiant colors and tasteful artwork and crafts, to achieve the welcoming atmosphere of her favorite homes in her native China.

Each unit has a master bedroom with queen-size bed, an optional second bedroom with full-size bed, a queen-size futon, and queen-size aerobeds on request, so that up to six guests can sleep in up to five separate sleeping areas in each unit. Great for families and larger groups lodging together!

For business travelers or those who like to be plugged-in even while on vacation, we offer free computing and high-speed Internet access in all three units. There is also a laundry facility in the basement, a free library of popular DVD, VHS, and CD titles, and various local guidebooks and menus to help you decide where to go when you venture into the city or order in a meal.

Located in Chicago'a historic Lincoln Park Neighborhood, the location
offers a broad range of restaurants, theaters, bars, and live music. Kingston Mines, Chicago Blue, Briar Street Theater, Wrigley Field, Lincoln Park, Lake Michigan, and the beach are within walking distance.

Deposits

We require a valid Visa or MasterCard to guarantee your reservation. We will not charge your card until you arrive or fail to adhere to the cancellation policy. Lacking a credit card, we will accept a check for the deposit.

Cancellation

More than 7 days' notice: no charge.

2 to 7 days' notice: one night's charge.

Less than 2 days' notice: up to 2 days charged.

All charges are waived if the room is rebooked by another guest.

Check-In/Check-Out

Check-in time is 3:00 p.m.

Whenever possible you are welcome to check in early. This depends on if and when we have prior guests checking out. On an early check-in, we may still be completing the housekeeping. You are always welcome to drop off your luggage before your official check-in.

Check-out time is 12:00 noon.

Whenever possible, we are happy to grant a later check-out time. This depends on if and when we have new guests checking in, and we do need time to do the housekeeping. You are always welcome to leave your luggage for later pick-up.

Children

We strive to provide an exceptional environment for guests of all ages, and children are welcome. When a child 12 or under is an "extra guest" beyond the number included in the standard nightly rate, an extra guest charge of $10 applies. We will gladly provide a crib or high chair upon request, as well as safety gates for the stairways, step stools for bathroom vanities, and an assortment of games, toys, and children's DVDs.

Pets

Pets are welcome. Our only request is that dogs be kept off the beds and out of gardens and flowerbeds. We are happy to provide a doggie bed, food and water dishes, and for our more active canine friends, a portable kennel upon request for when you have to leave your pet alone inside the apartment. There is a $10 per night surcharge for each pet.

If you are concerned about lingering allergens from prior visitors, upon request, we will steam clean the carpets before you arrive. Please let us know in advance if you will want this free service.

Smoking

Smoking is strictly prohibited in the bedrooms. We discourage, but do not prohibit, smoking in the other areas. You are completely welcome to smoke outdoors.

Housekeeping

We will check and restock the kitchen every couple of days. There is a supply of fresh towels and linens in each unit. We will provide weekly housekeeping and linen service. If you can provide a note from your mother swearing that she changed your sheets more frequently, we will gladly live up to your mother's standards. :-)

Laundry Equipment

Please help yourself to the laundry machines located in the basement, and feel free to use the laundry supplies. To keep up with the volume of sheets and towels, we frequently have the machines running and unattended. Do not hesitate to move our loads out. The laundry machines may be used anytime, day or night.

Parking

We provide guest passes for neighborhood street parking.

In case you have difficulty finding parking on the street, we have an arrangement with a nearby nursing home right behind the original China Doll to allow our guests to park in their lot for $10 per 24-hour period with unlimited in-and-out privileges. The entrance to the lot is on Diversey Ave. opposite Walgreen's pharmacy. You should park in the back of the lot and place one of our visitor's passes on the driver's side dashboard. The lot is frequently full in the middle of the day but starts to empty out by late afternoon.

Garage parking is available on the premises for $10 per night, but must be requested at the time you make your reservation.

Public Transportation

To get around Chicago, a car can be unnecessary or even an expensive nuisance. Many guests simply choose to park their vehicle for the duration of their stay, and instead use public transportation for day-to-day getting around.

China Doll Country is conveniently located 4 blocks from the Diversey Ave. Brown Line train stop, 1 block from the #8 Halsted bus, and 2½ blocks from the #22 Clark and #36 Broadway buses. You can purchase CTA visitor's passes at the airport or at www.TransitChicago.com, good for unlimited rides during the period specified. Full fare is now $1.75 plus $0.25 per transfer, so for active travelers, the visitor's pass can be a real bargain. Cabs are readily available everywhere and can even be a bargain compared to the cost of parking your car when you venture downtown.

Health & Fitness

Two local health clubs, the Lincoln Park Fitness Center (444 W. Fullerton Ave.) and the Multiplex Club (3232 N. Halsted St.), offer discounted day passes and short-term memberships for China Doll guests. Ask us for more details.

Breakfast Foods

We stock the kitchen with a nice variety of breakfast foods. Sorry, we do not cook for you, but we are pleased to offer eggs, bacon, several types of cereal, milk, several juices, yogurt, fresh fruit, bagels, muffins, coffee, tea, cream cheese, butter, margarine, and several flavors of jam.