An upscale vintage lakefront building, the Belden Stratford doesn't have the amenity load of many newer buildings, but still lays claim to a fitness center, sun deck, and on-site restaurants. Units are on the smaller side, ranging from a 288 sf studio to 1,700 sf 2-beds.

Well-maintained 1920s Gold Coast mid-rise. Pros: Highly regarded management company and great roof deck. Con: downstairs bars bring a lot of noise to the party.

This is the bee's knees as amenities go. There's a fitness center, media room, cafe, wine room, outdoor terrace w/ fireplace, and an "aqua center". Bonus: The Parc Huron is smoke-free and has an above-average amount of built-in "green" features.

Flair Tower fancies itself a boutiquey place, with an art-filled, colorful lobby and a clubby atmosphere. Let's see, there's a billiard room, lounge w/ fireplace and bar, pool, spa, terrace, fitness center w/ "technogym", and, best of all, complimentary coffee whenever you damn well please!

Left Bank at K Station gets points for a broad range of unit sizes (studio to 3-bed), proximity to The Jewel, and for a thorough amenity package. Also, staff get high marks in resident reviews. Ditto the Fulton River District.

There's very little range in unit size at 180 N Jefferson. But that, plus the fact of its West Loop location, makes it a great single's haunt. The amenity package is plentiful with a pool, fitness center, club and theater rooms, library, and sun deck. It's also a pet-friendly building.

North Harbor Tower offers "more apartment square footage than any building in Chicago". It's also got great lake views, a fitness center, one of the better indoor pools we've seen, a sun deck, and 24-hour door person. Units range from studios to 3-beds at prices of $1,300 to $3,500.

Next door to Aqua is the elder of the block-- Columbus Plaza. Rents run from $1,700 to $3,100 for studios to 2-beds. Amenity highlights include a year-round sun room w/ retractable skylight, a high-floor fitness center, private garden, and a Wi-Fi lounge.

Here's the big 'statement' building. Recognized as the best new skyscraper worldwide when it finished a couple years ago, Aqua is the brainchild of celebrated local architect Jeanne Gang. It has the city's largest rec deck, three pools, a running track, spa, and numerous lounges and game rooms. Oh, and it's 86 stories tall. Aqua offers studios to 2-beds for $1,700 to $3,500. LSE has been slow to fill in with commerce and services, but the situation is improving.

On the edge of Belmont Harbor, the Hawthorne House has 40 floors and ample amenities, from the rooftop pool to guest suites and round-the-clock door staff. Studios rent for as little as $1,190 and two-beds go up to $2,790. A little more value than downtown, and just as desirable.

Antheus Capital recently overhauled this historic Hyde Park hotel-turned-apartment building, and now its 194-unit buffet is open to anyone with an appetite for beaux-arts/art deco with a dash of Native American iconography (it's like the Powhatan, for renters). The price is right: studios for $975 and the nicest 2-beds for $1,675. There's some suggestion of lousy management, but the experiences are by no means universal.

Roosevelt Collection has made news for its retail woes, but the residential aspect has gone far more swimmingly (unless, of course, you're bothered by the relative desolation of the area). The units are loft-style and the complex includes roof decks, a fitness center, and a multiplex theater (but unfortunately no pool). Stay tuned for a big retail announcement later in November. It's been assured, anyway.

This new Loyola-adjacent mid-rise scored a hefty helping of Yelp boosterism. Otherwise, it wouldn't have showed up on our radar. Residents seem to love the movie nights and wine tastings-- wait, isn't that what wine shops and TVs are for? The building's quality construction and amenities also won high marks. Availability runs from $1,300 studios to $2,375 two-beds.

Village Green's latest installment, the Randolph Tower City Apartments, is the redevelopment of an storied Loop office building. The finishes are impressive, particularly in the common areas. There's also a high-floor pool, sun deck, game room, and lounge. User reviews stick it to the management a little bit, which has been the case with Village Green's other properties. Rents range broadly from a $1,450 studio to a $6,780 penthouse. There's far less variation in square footage.

A newcomer to the luxe rental scene, an alert reader reminded us to plot its coordinates stat! There's not much in the way of user reviews, except one from a disgruntled Pit Bull owner. Available studios begin at $1,655 and 3-beds top out at $7,843! And they're really quite small. Along with the Old Town address, you're paying for a rooftop pool and patio, movie theater, fitness center, private dog run, and 24-hour door staff. Pretty solid lineup.