5 Best Hotels in Chicago, Illinois

This hotel is part of the Hyatt family (in its Unbound Collection) yet it’s very boutique-y, which is the essence of the hotel chain’s upscale brand-within-a-brand. As the former Chicago Athletic Association (operated from 1893-2007 and designed to emulate Doge’s Palace in Venice, Italy), the hotel still gets calls asking about “gym hours” but most locals know this is a cool spot to hang even if you aren’t an overnight guest. You just might be lifting cocktails at Cindy’s Rooftop—not weights in the fitness center.

Within Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s last building design, this black, boxy skyscraper spans 52 stories and sits along the Chicago River in River North. As one of only three Langham hotels in the U.S. (others are in Boston, New York City, and Pasadena, California), the lone Midwestern outpost from the Hong Kong luxury brand checks off all the boxes, including lavish spa treatments and dining with a view. It’s also LEED Gold certified, the highest sustainability level awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council.

There’s not a more fitting neighborhood than the edgy Fulton Market (Chicago’s former meat-packing district) for this Japanese-inspired hotel (with actor Robert De Niro and sushi chef Nobu Matsuhisa as partners) to have popped up in late 2020. Minimal, elegant design marks the attached Nobu Chicago (the restaurant) and the hotel’s rooms, and the rooftop is a sweet year-round spot.

With a clientele that includes high rollers, rock stars, and business execs, as well as families and couples, there’s something for everyone at this luxury hotel. The hotel takes up an entire block just off of North Michigan Avenue. Open since 2001, there are only two other U.S. properties from the Hong Kong brand: in Beverly Hills and New York City.

Tucked into the booming Lakeshore East area near Navy Pier, you get a quiet sanctuary setting (particularly in the spa or while enjoying Japanese dining at Miru) paired with a view of Navy Pier, the Riverwalk, and the Chicago skyline. This luxury hotel, the only St. Regis in the Midwest, is within the tallest skyscraper designed by a woman—Chicago’s own Jeanne Gang. Just look for the blue building that literally shimmers on a sunny day.