Chicago Loop Chicago, Illinois
Renovated
2021
Price
$$
Rated for
Heritage Classic SocialOutside the door
The house
HiltonGilded Beaux-Arts dowager
A colossal Gilded Age institution where generations of Chicagoans gather under vaulted ceiling frescoes and Tiffany candelabras in the palatial lobby.
“It’s just up the stairs from the hotel’s magnificent lobby and has a rich history most anyone working at the hotel will be willing to tell you more about.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
An 1871 Beaux-Arts landmark, featuring the Empire Room and the original 1893 brownie.
Remarkable
A continuous Chicago institution hosting generations of civic galas across its gilded ballrooms.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
The 1,641 room hotel is designed to evoke French revival drawing inspiration from Bertha’s own heritage.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Anchoring the central Loop, the hotel puts State Street department stores, the Theatre District, and Millennium Park right outside the door.
The rooms
Traditional rooms favor simple, comfortable furnishings and dark-wood accents, providing a functional base high above the bustle of the Loop.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
Heated on the eighth floor, the indoor lap pool sits beneath a vaulted glass skylight and exposed wood beams.
The spa and gym
The fifth-floor spa provides hydrotherapy wet rooms and salon styling, and a three-level health club spans 10,000 square feet.
Dogs stay too.
At the table
Potter's Bar pours Prohibition-inspired cocktails among yellow club chairs, and Lockwood Express serves grab-and-go coffee and boxed brownies.
How it began
Potter Palmer built the hotel as an 1871 wedding gift for his wife Bertha, only for fire to claim it thirteen days later.
Good to know
Stay here
Palmer House Hilton
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Chicago
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
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.
The eight vibes
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.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
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.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.