Best Chicago hotel with pool
 

I am looking for recommendations for a downtown Chicago hotel with a nice pool where 6 girlfriends can have a weekend together. We'd like to get adjoining suites or rooms together. If you also have ideas on what to do or where to eat that would be great too.

Indoor or outdoor pool?

The Inter-continental had one of the most beautiful indoor pools i've ever seen when I stayed there a few years back. It looked like it was from a movie set from the 20s or 30s. I dont recall if there was a hot tub or not, but I do remember several celebrity citings (people who were staying there while shooting movies). Hotel location is great too.

Second Rachel's post. I've been in it. And that hotel is in my favorite area as well to access either north or south.

The Swissotel has an enclosed pool, small to mid-sized within a gym complex that is glassed and views the entire curve of the lakefront, as it juts out into the lake on a point. But you are several blocks more from Michigan Ave. and access to either direction. Also the pool is ok but not the real draw, and I think you may have to pay to use also.

I'll check out both of those places. Since we'll be there in summer I don't think it matters if its indoor or outdoor. Many years ago I stayed somewhere downtown that had a nice rooftop pool but I have no idea now what it was. We don't mind walking as long as its a reasonable distance from the Michigan Ave. stores. When I was there with my family recently we walked from the river Sheraton to the stores and restaurants all the time.

Not an officianado on Chicago hotel pools but the mentioned Inter-continental pool is kinda cool in a retro kind of way. Johnny Wisemiller (original Tarzan) used to hang there back in the day.

IMHO, if you're coming here in the summer, head to the beaches! North Avenue, Oak Street, and Ohio Street beaches are all close to down town. Oak Street and Ohio Street are walkable depending on where you stay. The W Lakeshore hotel recently opened near Ohio St. beach. Oak Street beach is walkable from N. Michigan Ave. There is something about hanging at Oak St. beach with the Chicago skyline over your shoulder. No, they're not ocean-like beaches miles long but the water is refreshing and you don't have the saltwater factor. The park district sets up a restaurant at Oak St. beach each summer that you could eat at.

To treat yourselves to a nice dinner, head to NoMi in the Park Hyatt. Make reservations. Take a lake or river cruise. Get cultured at the Art Institute or other museums. Baseball fans??? Catch a Cubs or White Sox game. There is always one team in town. Theatre, concerts, clubs...I could go on and on. Whatever you want out of a weekend, you could find it. Check other Chicago posts and for idea overload, go to metromix.com.

Thanks for all the great ideas. I will look into metromix too. Both pools were beautiful and if anyone knows of a rooftop one that would be good too in summer. Any suggestions on how to do rooms for 6? We are longtime friends and don't mind sharing a bed for 2 nights.