Design Local
L7 Chicago by LOTTE
“Korean-accented Loop retreat”
The Study at University of Chicago
“Scholarly campus retreat”
The Publishing House Bed and Breakfast
“Soulful literary loft”
Hotel Zachary, Chicago, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
“Wrigleyville architectural clubhouse”
The Emily Hotel
“Modernist artist workshop”
Sophy Hyde Park
“Literary Hyde Park haven”
The Hoxton, Chicago
“Fulton Market social depot”
Local
The Guesthouse Hotel
“Andersonville residential bolthole”
Majestic Hotel
“Tudor residential den”
The Study at University of Chicago
“Scholarly campus retreat”
L7 Chicago by LOTTE
“Korean-accented Loop retreat”
Hotel Zachary, Chicago, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
“Wrigleyville architectural clubhouse”
The Publishing House Bed and Breakfast
“Soulful literary loft”
Sophy Hyde Park
“Literary Hyde Park haven”
The Emily Hotel
“Modernist artist workshop”
Social Design
Soho House Chicago
“Industrial warehouse rendezvous”
Chicago Athletic Association
“Gilded-Age athletic playground”
The Hoxton, Chicago
“Fulton Market social depot”
The Robey
“Art Deco flatiron tower”
Viceroy Chicago
“Pleated glass perch”
Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile
“Cantilevered prism showcase”
Freehand Chicago
“Bohemian Art Deco waystation”
The Godfrey Hotel Chicago
“Cubist roofscape haven”
Wellness
The Hotel at Midtown
“Urban athletic playground”
Soho House Chicago
“Industrial warehouse rendezvous”
The Peninsula Chicago
“Polished skyline beacon”
The St. Regis Chicago
“Sculptural riverfront landmark”
The Langham Chicago
“Modernist riverfront showpiece”
Eurostars Magnificent Mile
“Industrial concrete roost”
Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park
“Postmodern parkside retreat”
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago
“Sculptural skyline landmark”
Design $–$$
The Rose Hotel Chicago O’Hare
“Boutique airport waystation”
The Robey
“Art Deco flatiron tower”
Hotel 55 Chicago Downtown
“Curated art depot”
Hotel EMC2, Autograph Collection
“Art-and-science showcase”
Hotel Felix
“Eco-conscious boutique haven”
Arlo Chicago
“Glass-crowned Loop revival”
The Hollander
“Industrial warehouse lofts”
Staypineapple, an Iconic Hotel, The Loop Chicago
“Landmark skyscraper showcase”
Medalled $–$$$
The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center
“Gilded Age survivor”
Palmer House Hilton
“Gilded Beaux-Arts dowager”
The Drake Hotel
“Lakeside grand dame”
LondonHouse Chicago
“Beaux-Arts riverfront showpiece”
Pendry Chicago
“Gilded Deco showpiece”
The Hotel at Midtown
“Urban athletic playground”
Chicago Athletic Association
“Gilded-Age athletic playground”
Viceroy Chicago
“Pleated glass perch”
Lively
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago
“Lakeside tower retreat”
The Peninsula Chicago
“Polished skyline beacon”
Park Hyatt Chicago
“Water Tower art hideaway”
Thompson Chicago, by Hyatt
“Moody Gold Coast refuge”
The Talbott, Autograph Collection
“Gold Coast Georgian bolthole”
The Gwen
“Sculpted Deco revival”
The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago
“Skyline atrium haven”
InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile
“Gilded Jazz-Age monument”
Wellness Central or lively
Swissôtel Chicago
“Triangular glass outpost”
The St. Regis Chicago
“Sculptural riverfront landmark”
The Langham Chicago
“Modernist riverfront showpiece”
JW Marriott Chicago
“Burnham banking quarters”
Waldorf Astoria Chicago
“Gold Coast couture refuge”
Trump International Hotel & Tower
“Soaring riverfront flagship”
Eurostars Magnificent Mile
“Industrial concrete roost”
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago
“Sculptural skyline landmark”
Classic
Hilton Chicago
“Beaux-Arts convention flagship”
The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center
“Gilded Age survivor”
Palmer House Hilton
“Gilded Beaux-Arts dowager”
The Willows Hotel
“Prohibition-era residential hideaway”
The Drake Hotel
“Lakeside grand dame”
Swissôtel Chicago
“Triangular glass outpost”
Social Lively
ACME Hotel Chicago
“Rock-inspired social lair”
Moxy Chicago Downtown
“Playful River North crashpad”
The Wit Chicago
“Loop nightlife spectacle”
Nobu Hotel Chicago
“Industrial Japanese roost”
The Godfrey Hotel Chicago
“Cubist roofscape haven”
Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile
“Cantilevered prism showcase”
The Gwen
“Sculpted Deco revival”
Thompson Chicago, by Hyatt
“Moody Gold Coast refuge”
Editorial mentions
Pendry Chicago
“Gilded Deco showpiece”
LondonHouse Chicago
“Beaux-Arts riverfront showpiece”
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago
“Lakeside tower retreat”
Waldorf Astoria Chicago
“Gold Coast couture refuge”
Park Hyatt Chicago
“Water Tower art hideaway”
Opened 2024+
Hyatt Centric Chicago O’Hare
“Polished airport quarters”
Hotel Riu Plaza Chicago
“Glass-ledge skyline spectacle”
Residence Inn by Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile
“High-rise residential hangout”
A
ACME Hotel ChicagoRock-inspired social lairSocialDesignLocal$$ Ambassador Gold CoastStoried Gold Coast holdoutHeritageSocialClassic$$ Arlo ChicagoGlass-crowned Loop revivalDesignHeritageSocial$$C
Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central LoopRestored railway quartersHeritageDesignSocial$$ Chicago Athletic AssociationGilded-Age athletic playgroundDesignHeritageSocial$$$ citizenM Chicago DowntownModular Loop design outpostDesignSocialLocal$$ City Suites HotelVintage Deco lodgingsDesignHeritageLocal$$E
Eurostars Magnificent MileIndustrial concrete roostWellnessDesignSocial$$F
Fairmont Chicago, Millennium ParkPostmodern parkside retreatDesignWellnessLuxe$$$ Four Seasons Hotel ChicagoRottet Studio shaped open interiors with botanical art installations and dropped glass chandeliers. 44-foot (13-metre) indoor waterfall-edge swimming pool under a domed skylight with Roman-style columnsLuxeDesignWellness$$$$ Freehand ChicagoBohemian Art Deco waystationDesignSocialHeritage$$H
Hilton ChicagoBeaux-Arts convention flagshipHeritageClassicSocial$$ Hilton Vacation Club Hotel Blake ChicagoHistoric Printer's Row showpieceHeritageDesignLocal$$ Hotel 55 Chicago DowntownCurated art depotDesignSocialLocal$$ Hotel Chicago Downtown, Autograph CollectionModernist riverfront lodgingsHeritageDesignSocial$$$ Hotel EMC2, Autograph CollectionArt-and-science showcaseDesignLuxeSocial$$ Hotel FelixEco-conscious boutique havenDesignHeritageLocal$$ Hotel Indigo Chicago-Vernon Hills by IHGSuburban boutique innDesignSocialLocal$$ Hotel Lincoln - JDV by HyattEclectic parkside throwbackSocialDesignLocal$$ Hotel Riu Plaza ChicagoGlass-ledge skyline spectacleDesignSocialLocal$$ Hotel Zachary, Chicago, a Tribute Portfolio HotelWrigleyville architectural clubhouseDesignSocialLocal$$$ Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent MilePolished Streeterville perchDesignWellnessSocial$$ Hyatt Centric Chicago O’HarePolished airport quartersDesignLuxeSocial$$ Hyatt Centric The Loop ChicagoArt Deco strongholdHeritageDesignSocial$$ Hyatt Regency ChicagoRiverfront convention commonsDesignSocialClassic$$ Hyatt Regency McCormick Place ChicagoConvention campus exchangeWellnessSocialLocal$$I
InterContinental Chicago Magnificent MileGilded Jazz-Age monumentHeritageWellnessDesign$$$J
JW Marriott ChicagoBurnham banking quartersHeritageWellnessLuxe$$$K
Kimpton Gray HotelLandmark skyscraper clubhouseDesignHeritageSocial$$$L
L7 Chicago by LOTTEKorean-accented Loop retreatDesignLocalHeritage$$ Le Méridien Essex ChicagoMid-century parkside addressHeritageDesignSocial$$ Loews Chicago HotelModern Streeterville stageLuxeSocialDesign$$$ LondonHouse ChicagoBeaux-Arts riverfront showpieceHeritageDesignSocial$$$M
Majestic HotelTudor residential denHeritageLocalClassic$$ Marriott Marquis ChicagoTowering convention showpieceDesignSocialLocal$$ Moxy Chicago DowntownPlayful River North crashpadSocialDesignLocal$N
Nobu Hotel ChicagoInteriors blend Japanese minimalism with industrial brick, featuring mango wood millwork, Crittall-style windows, and freestanding teak soaking tubs. Indoor Tranquility Pool surrounded by daybedsDesignLuxeSocial$$$$P
Palmer House HiltonGilded Beaux-Arts dowagerHeritageClassicSocial$$ Park Hyatt ChicagoInteriors feature custom cushioned window daybeds, Mies van der Rohe Brno desks, and curated local contemporary artwork. 25-yard heated indoor lap pool and hot tub with skyline views and direct seasonal access to NoMI GardenLuxeDesignWellness$$$$ Pendry ChicagoGilded Deco showpieceHeritageDesignLuxe$$$R
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, ChicagoUndulating concrete balconies wrap the exterior, framing interiors with a fifty-foot fireplace. Indoor heated lap pool, outdoor seasonal junior-Olympic swimming pool, wading splash pool, and hot tubsDesignWellnessSocial$$ Renaissance Chicago Downtown HotelRiverside rooftop perchSocialDesignLocal$$ Residence Inn by Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent MileHigh-rise residential hangoutDesignLuxeSocial$$S
Sable at Navy Pier ChicagoLakefront pier perchDesignSocialLocal$$ Sheraton Grand Chicago RiverwalkRiverfront convention stalwartWellnessSocialClassic$$ Silversmith Hotel Chicago DowntownHistoric Jewelers Row landmarkHeritageDesignLocal$$ Sofitel Chicago Magnificent MileCantilevered prism showcaseDesignSocialLuxe$$$ Soho House ChicagoSoaring timber ceilings, exposed brickwork, salvaged concrete, and eclectic vintage furnishings across a 1907 warehouse. 80-foot heated outdoor rooftop pool open year-round with skyline views and daybedsDesignWellnessSocial$$$ Sophy Hyde ParkLiterary Hyde Park havenDesignSocialLocal$$ Sports Illustrated Resorts ChicagoHistoric bank outpostHeritageDesignSocial$$ Staypineapple, an Iconic Hotel, The Loop ChicagoLandmark skyscraper showcaseHeritageDesignLocal$$ Swissôtel ChicagoTriangular glass outpostWellnessClassicDesign$$T
The Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel Chicago LoopArt Deco throwbackHeritageSocialDesign$$ The Blackstone Autograph CollectionPresidential Beaux-Arts showpieceHeritageDesignClassic$$$ The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention CenterGilded Age survivorHeritageClassicDesign$$ The Drake HotelLakeside grand dameHeritageClassicDesign$$ The Emily HotelModernist artist workshopDesignSocialLocal$$ The Godfrey Hotel ChicagoCubist roofscape havenDesignSocialLuxe$$ The Guesthouse HotelAndersonville residential boltholeLocalDesignSocial$$ The GwenSculpted Deco revivalDesignHeritageSocial$$$ The HollanderCustom birch plywood beds and green leather circular banquettes set against exposed brick. Outdoor sixth-floor rooftop dipping pool on the terrace at Solana.DesignHeritageSocial$$ The Hotel at MidtownClean lines, concrete, and walnut millwork, plus a signature suite designed by Venus Williams. Indoor 5-lane 100-foot / 25-yard lap pool open year-round, and 24,000-square-foot seasonal outdoor resort pool and sun deck with cabanasWellnessResortDesign$$$ The Hoxton, ChicagoMid-century furnishings, two-toned rose walls, and raw exposed concrete ceilings. Open-air seasonal rooftop swimming pool adjacent to Cabra on the 12th floor with sun loungersSocialDesignLocal$$ The Langham ChicagoMid-century modernist architecture framing riverfront window walls and custom blown-glass ceiling installations. 67-foot indoor heated lap pool beneath a star-lit ceiling installation, with an adjacent hydrotherapy spa tubLuxeDesignWellness$$$$ The LaSalle Chicago, Autograph CollectionSkyline private club sanctumLuxeHeritageSocial$$$ THE MIDLAND HOTEL, Chicago, a Tribute Portfolio HotelBeaux-Arts Loop hallHeritageDesignSocial$$ The Peninsula ChicagoFrench Deco aesthetics meet rich Macassar wood and hand-embroidered chrysanthemum silk panels. 83-foot (25-meter) heated indoor swimming pool on the 19th floor with 20-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, skyline views, sun deck, and whirlpool.LuxeWellnessDesign$$$$ The Publishing House Bed and BreakfastSoulful literary loftDesignHeritageLocal$$$ The Ritz-Carlton, ChicagoA 12th-floor atrium centered on the Flying Wave hand-blown blue glass sculpture. 52-foot heated indoor lap swimming pool enclosed in an atrium with skyline views.DesignLuxeWellness$$$$ The RobeyWarm Belgian minimalism meets industrial brickwork, chicken-wire glass, and custom lighting fixtures. Petite seasonal outdoor triangular dipping pool on the 6th-floor Solana terrace.DesignHeritageSocial$$ The Rose Hotel Chicago O’HareBoutique airport waystationDesignWellnessSocial$$ The Royal Sonesta Chicago DowntownModernist riverfront towerDesignSocialLocal$$ The Royal Sonesta Chicago River NorthRiver North glass outpostDesignWellnessSocial$$ The St. Regis ChicagoJeanne Gang stacked glass frustums that undulate above the river, paired with copper accents and lakeside tones. Heated indoor pool enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass framing views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, opening onto an outdoor sundeckDesignLuxeWellness$$$$ The Study at University of ChicagoScholarly campus retreatDesignLocalSocial$$ The Talbott, Autograph CollectionGold Coast Georgian boltholeDesignHeritageSocial$$ The Westin Chicago River NorthRiverfront terrace perchWellnessSocialClassic$$ The Whitehall HotelDiscreet Streeterville stalwartHeritageLuxeClassic$$ The Willows HotelProhibition-era residential hideawayHeritageClassicDesign$$ The Wit ChicagoLoop nightlife spectacleSocialDesignWellness$$ Thompson Chicago, by HyattMoody Gold Coast refugeDesignLuxeSocial$$$ Trump International Hotel & TowerReflective glass, polished steel, and slate-gray interiors framing expansive Chicago River views. 75-foot heated indoor lap swimming pool wrapped in floor-to-ceiling river-view windowsLuxeDesignWellness$$$$V
Viceroy ChicagoA pleated glass tower rises above a reconstructed 1920s facade, framing a soaring Marcel Proust lobby tableau. Seasonal heated outdoor swimming pool and sun deck on the 18th floor with skyline and Lake Michigan views.DesignLuxeSocial$$$W
Waldorf Astoria ChicagoParisian chateau styling with a cobblestone courtyard and a starburst crystal chandelier. Heated indoor 25-yard mosaic-tiled lap pool and hydrotherapy whirlpoolLuxeDesignWellness$$$$Gold. Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver. Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze. They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed. A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
Design. Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe. Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local. It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Heritage. A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness. You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic. The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort. A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.