Accommodations
Are you the type of traveler who drops luggage at the hotel, then zips off to sightsee, returning to the room only to sleep? Or do you luxuriate in the surroundings of a full-service resort that caters to your every desire? In this chapter, you’ll find lodging choices for both personalities and plenty in between. What isn’t included are a lot of midrange chain hotels. Just know that Chicago does offer those (like Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn, and Holiday Inn), and visitors appreciate them for standards that are recognized around the world. Save for several accommodations near O’Hare airport, all other hotels are in the city of Chicago. Suburban hotels, also, are generally of the chain variety and certainly fill needs for travelers who do not intend to stay downtown. But this book is about Chicago, and so Chicago is the focus. With so many options right here—more than 30,000 rooms in dozens of downtown hotels alone—if you’re visiting the Windy City, there’s no need to stray.
The hotels and inns selected for inclusion up the ante a bit from the norm: Perhaps it’s a kick-butt location or super eco-friendliness or simply the clout of longevity. You can search by budget or by general area—Loop, Gold Coast and Old Town, Hyde Park and South of the Loop, Lincoln Park and Lakeview, Magnificent Mile, or River North—or read through and get a feel for what’s right for your mood (romance? fun? history?) and your needs (family vacation? quick overnight trip?). Business travelers have their pick of properties, as all types of accommodations offer small meeting rooms or large conference facilities, and most these days provide access to a business center of some kind, whether simply a computer and a printer or a fully staffed room with shipping conveniences.
If you’re traveling with kids in tow, you’ll be happy to know that hotels are getting darn clever about their cool amenities for little ones, from kid-size bathrobes to coloring books to cookies and milk. Plus, ask about specially priced packages that often include passes to Chicago museums or discounts at family-friendly restaurants. And, finally, if you can’t bear to leave Rover behind, let him rove with you. A surprisingly large number of hotels allow dogs too, even fancy schmancy hotels that you might not think would. Though weight limitations on pets and additional fees often apply, Fido can feel right at home with programs that provide bowls, treats, walking services, beds, and more.
Overview
A couple of warnings on the price of your hotel: What’s quoted doesn’t usually include garage or valet parking, which can be upwards of $50 a night, though typical in-and-out privileges ease the pain. The total creeps up even more when the city’s hotel tax is tacked on (as of printing, 15.4 percent). A couple of extra notes: If you’re a smoker, ask first before booking your room, as many Chicago hotels have gone 100 percent smoke-free. If you’d like a little extra TLC, ask about executive or concierge levels, which add on bonuses like complimentary breakfasts and cocktails and private lounges. Enjoy your stay.
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Address: 200 N. Columbus Dr.
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Address: 230 N. Michigan Ave.
3. Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Downtown
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (312) 957-9100
Address: 506 W. Harrison St.
Description: This 145-room downtown hotel offers easy access to the Kennedy, Dan Ryan, and Eisenhower Expressways and to the Loop, with its close Blue Line El stop. When you’re in a rush or just looking for a quick and convenient spot for a bite, stick around for thin-crust pies at the family-friendly Aurelio’s Pizza and Lounge. To experience the best part of this Holiday Inn, stay here during warm weather when you can lounge at the rooftop pool.
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Address: 171 W. Randolph St.
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Address: 1 W. Washington St.
6. Hotel Monaco
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (312) 960-8500
Address: 225 N. Wabash Ave.
Description: This former hat factory built in 1912 near the Chicago River took on an equally dapper existence when it opened as a Kimpton boutique hotel in 1998. The 192 rooms recently underwent a total facelift, giving them an ornate look, complete with chocolate brown hues and lipstick red carpeting, mahogany tables, European-style chaise longues, and mirrored headboards. You don’t even have to leave for pampering: Spa professionals can come right to your room. Taller-than-average guests can request a fitting room—i.e. 9-foot-long king-size beds, longer bathrobes, and higher showerheads. On the lower level, the Prairie Style–inspired South Water Kitchen stands on its own for exceptional creative takes on American favorites like macaroni and cheese and boneless beef short ribs.
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Address: 151 E. Wacker Dr.
8. Hotel 71
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (312) 346-7100
Address: 71 E. Wacker Dr.
Description: A prime location along the Chicago River means that many of the 307 rooms in this 39-story contemporary boutique hotel look down onto the busy waterway. The penthouse ballroom goes even further, boasting floor-to-ceiling windows, while the first floor Hoyt’s restaurant serves up American comfort food along with great street-scene people-watching. Head down to the Riverwalk for summer dining, stroll south to the Art Institute or cross over the river for Mag Mile shopping. Standard amenities like 300-thread-count sheets, windows that open, and in-room Keurig coffeemakers kick up the comfort level.
9. Best Western Plus Hawthorne Terrace
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (888) 675-2378, (773) 244-3434
Address: 3434 N. Broadway Ave.
Insider Pick:
Description: Set back from the street behind a quaint, brick-paved patio, this 83-room Lakeview hotel certainly bests your average Best Western. Meticulously neat rooms come with complimentary bottled water and continental breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and fitness room with therapeutic whirlpool and dry sauna. Its location doesn’t hurt either, in the middle of the bustling Boystown hub.
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Address: 17 E. Monroe St.
11. Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (312) 372-7200
Address: 1 W. Wacker Dr.
Description: This upscale, 27-floor hotel has a riverfront location within a stone’s throw of the Loop and just across from River North art galleries and dining. Done up in sophisticated modern style, the 513 rooms and 40 suites make snuggling in easy with their comfy duvet covers. Plus, all rooms have windows that open onto the city below, many with views up and down the river. In the Concierge Lounge, rooms come with upgrades such as breakfast and afternoon hors d’oeuvres. For a little playtime, the skylit indoor pool, whirlpool, and steam room are open to all guests, and Sony Playstations are available for an hourly charge.
12. The Silversmith Hotel & Suites
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (312) 372-7696
Address: 10 S. Wabash Ave.
Description: Urban on the outside, classy on the inside, this 1896 National Landmark hotel sits right along the El tracks and in the middle of what’s known as Jeweler’s Row. Its composite façade shows signs of Moorish and Romanesque Revival on top, hints of Arts and Crafts on the lower half, and a decidedly Chicago Style in its flat roof and consistently sized windows. The soft lobby with its thick blocky columns and restored marble takes on the Arts and Crafts feel, as do the 143 rooms and 63 suites. The connected Ada’s Restaurant brings in a 1950s-era atmosphere, with orders of New York–style deli plates, kishke, matzo-ball soup, and more.
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Address: 323 E. Wacker Dr.
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Address: 172 W. Adams St.
City: Chicago, IL
Category: Accommodations
Address: 201 N. State St.