19 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.

The lobby here is a crown jewel in Chicago's architecture scene; guest rooms are simple and elegant, with enough flair to feel updated yet still give a sense of the rich past. Property perks include lake views in certain rooms and the popular Mercat a la Planxa tapas restaurant and bar. Ask about the hotel's storied past; presidents as well as mob bosses have stayed here.

This boutique spot in a onetime cheesemaking factory maintains an artsy ethos, positioning itself as a destination for cool young culture vultures.

On a busy day the lobby of this Hilton might be mistaken for a terminal at O'Hare Airport; it's a bustling convention hotel, but one that retains its distinguished 1920s heritage in a Renaissance-inspired entrance hall and gold-and-gilt grand ballroom. Renovations completed in 2012 provided new dining and drinking options (the venerable Kitty O'Sheas bar remains), while renovations completed in 2015 lend a more modern look to 1,000-plus guest rooms. A grab-and-go market offers Starbucks coffee, pastries, and sandwiches during daylight hours and local craft beers and cocktails in the evening. The 28,000-square-foot gym has enough room for an indoor track and swimming pool.

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.

A multimillion-dollar renovation a few years back updated this spacious landmark in Chicago's historic Printers Row neighborhood; the lobby is dark but welcoming, and the rooms, in a mix of browns, reds, and creams, are very large considering the location. Choose a suite and you'll have a condo-size spread with fantastic views of downtown. It's ideal for business travelers who want to be near the city's financial district, yet close enough to Grant Park, the Art Institute, and other museums to have touristic appeal.

A massive, light-filled lobby—part of a $168-million renovation—is the centerpiece of the Hyatt Regency Chicago, the city's largest hotel with 2,032 rooms in a prime downtown locale. Perched between the Chicago River, Lake Michigan, Millennium Park, and Michigan Avenue, the spot is perfect for business or leisure travelers. Technology updates offer computer screens for self check-in and checkout, as well as free Wi-Fi. Renovated rooms are modern and minimalist with crisp white linens. Stetson's, where sushi is as popular as steak, is definitely a cut above most hotel restaurants.

Mixing architectural elegance with a sleek modern style, this historic property has lots of gorgeous areas, from a bright and welcoming lobby bar to spacious guest rooms with high ceilings and marble baths. Built in 1914 as the Continental & Commercial National Bank, the Daniel Burnham–designed building is in the heart of the financial district and handy to Union Station. Its upscale Italian restaurant, The Florentine, is popular for business lunches and cocktails.

Prominently centered on the financial district, this handsome historical landmark (formerly home to the New York Life building) received a sleek, bespoke redesign appealing to young professionals with discerning tastes. The lobby is spacious, with clean lines and high-vaulted ceilings, while rooms feature a blend of design elements riffing off classic suites.

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."

The epitome of a grande dame, this massive property in the center of the Loop recently underwent a $215-million renovation, but the lobby—with its wow-worthy ceiling mural and lots of gold, marble, and tapestry—preserves the original splendor. Guest rooms, which aren't quite as glitzy, have a boutique-hotel feel. This is the longest continually operating hotel in the United States; it's also the place where brownies were invented in 1893, thanks to socialite Bertha Palmer. The Palmer House celebrates its history along with its more modern attributes, among them a 10,000-square-foot fitness center and spa.

City history and contemporary design come together with stylish elegance at the Pendry Chicago, in the iconic 1929 art deco Carbide and Carbon Building. The minimalist decor with gold accents complement the original building design making guest rooms feel bright and modern. The ground-floor restaurant, Venteux, and the rooftop bar, Château Carbide, highlight French cuisine.

Perched on prime real estate on the south bank of the Chicago River, this cosmopolitan spot is shouldered by high-rises but you can still enjoy fantastic views of the Chicago skyline right from your room. Stay on the slightly pricier club levels for complimentary weekday access to a private business center, continental breakfast, hors d'oeuvres, and nonalcoholic drinks.

Don't be fooled by the tiny front entrance under the 'L'; the Silversmith's oak-covered lobby is enormous and houses a sleek, chandelier-decked restaurant and lounge. The guest rooms—with 12-foot ceilings—are also unusually large, and decorated with luxe touches like sequin-patterned wallpaper and silvery, tufted-leather headboards. The window seats are a treat. Steps from Millennium Park and the Art Institute, this hotel is ideal for art and theater lovers.

This historic property, built in 1895 by D.H. Burnham & Co. as one of the first skyscrapers, retains ornate original details including Carrara marble and wrought-iron-trimmed elevators. Rooms have historic charm (read: they're on the small side) but are comfortable, especially for the business traveler. There's also a great restaurant, Atwood, on-site that serves modern American food.

The atmosphere at this sleek spot, topped by ROOF, one of the Loop's most happening bars, is fun and youthful; the same can be said of the guest rooms, which are moderately sized and modern, with hanging wall art meant to resemble puckered lips. The hotel announces itself with a massive lightning bolt out front and winged lighting sculptures in the lobby. It's the perfect place to see and be seen; you'd never guess this is a Hilton property.