5 Best Hotels in The Loop, including the West Loop and South Loop, Chicago

Don't judge this place on appearance alone: the nondescript tower is actually one of the city's most family-friendly hotels, and its location—just five minutes by foot from the Museum Campus—is one reason why. It also offers easy access to nearby attractions like the Art Institute. The erstwhile Essex Inn underwent a $30 million renovation in 2019 that capitalized on its mid-century bona fides (the Essex opened in 1961); the hotel is now part of Marriott's Le Meridien portfolio.

With design savvy inside as well as out, this gem breathes life into an 82-story skyscraper designed by revered architect Jeanne Gang. Indoor and outdoor pools, a game room, a movie screening room, a well-equipped fitness center, and lush landscaping on outdoor terraces are all part of the deal. The location is a winner, too, as it's close to Millennium Park and Michigan Avenue. Eight PCs and a conference room in the business center make this as good a fit for road warriors as it is for families with kids and pets. The lobby-level bar is bright and welcoming.

Theater lovers will relish an opportunity to stay at this art deco–themed hot spot, with its plush banquettes, intimate candlelight spaces, and oversize works of modern art. The service is solid, and the muted metallic walls and blue mohair headboards in the rooms are a treat. The bathrooms are well designed, with gleaming new gray marble, plus updated sinks and vanities. Rent a suite if space is your thing. The building, staying true to its original architecture, keeps the rooms on the smaller side.

Not only is this Holiday Inn close to Chicago's main attractions, it's also within steps of CTA trains that go directly to either O'Hare or Midway airports. Decor-wise the rooms are a bit bland, but they’re comfortable and equipped with pillow-top mattresses, workspaces, and free Wi-Fi. That’s good news for the hordes of business travelers who are drawn here by the hotel’s proximity to the financial district; in summer months they and everyone else have an added incentive to visit—the rooftop pool.

The former Hotel Monaco was purchased by Korea's Lotte hotel group, reopening in 2024 as the first American outpost of Lotte's L7 brand. Works by Chicago artists complement Asian-inspired decor in the newly refreshed rooms; amenities include in-room fitness equipment as well as complimentary coffee, tea, and snacks at the hotel's "Krave Station."