Hotels in Chicago

Chicago is overrun with hotels, especially downtown, and demand keeps prices from falling far. You can still find deals from October to April, outside the holidays, when it's cold and fewer visitors come. Avoid convention weeks and the Chicago Marathon weekend in October if you can, because rates climb and rooms disappear.

Whatever you book, add tax. The combined rate on a Chicago hotel room is about 17.5%, and big hotels downtown now charge around 19% (our accommodation guide explains why). The hotels below all had their own websites taking bookings in September 2026. We've described how expensive each one runs rather than quoting prices, since rates swing hard with the season.

Which area to stay in

Most visitors stay in the Loop or just north of the river in River North or on or near Michigan Avenue. Both put you close to Museum Campus, Willis Tower, Grant Park, Navy Pier and the Magnificent Mile. The Loop goes quiet after office hours and on weekends. The hotel bars and restaurants stay busy, but you won't find many locals there.

Most Chicagoans live in neighborhoods like Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park and Logan Square, and that's where they eat and drink. The bars and restaurants there are cheaper and less touristy. If you'd rather see the city that way, stay in Wicker Park or Lakeview. If you're in town for a Cubs game, a hotel in Wrigleyville puts you across the street from the ballpark. Our where to stay in Chicago guide compares the neighborhoods in more detail.

The Loop

Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, 17 E. Monroe St. The current building opened in 1925, the third Palmer House since 1870. Back in the 19th century it was the first hotel in Chicago with elevators. The hotel still sells what it calls the original brownie. Rooms are big-chain standard, and prices run mid-range to upscale.

Chicago Athletic Association, 12 S. Michigan Ave. The building was a private athletic club until 2007. Now it's a hotel across from Millennium Park, with a game room downstairs and Cindy's, a rooftop bar with a view over the park and the lake. Upscale, and the one we'd pick first in the Loop.

Pendry Chicago, 230 N. Michigan Ave. It fills the 1929 Carbide & Carbon Building, the Art Deco tower in black granite and green terra cotta with gold trim, and has 364 rooms and suites. Bar Pendry is on site. Luxury pricing.

LondonHouse, 85 E. Wacker Dr., at the corner of Michigan Avenue and the river. The rooftop bar is the main draw. Upscale. Our hotels in the Loop page has more.

River North

The Langham, Chicago, 330 N. Wabash Ave. The hotel takes floors 2 to 13 of AMA Plaza, the last building Mies van der Rohe designed in Chicago, and has a swimming pool and the Chuan Spa. Luxury, and one of the city's best hotels.

Freehand Chicago, 19 E. Ohio St. A restored 1927 building with a Broken Shaker cocktail bar on site. Standard rooms are small, and the private quads, with four twin beds and privacy curtains, are good value for a group of friends. Budget to mid-range. See also our hotels in River North.

Magnificent Mile, Gold Coast and Streeterville

The Peninsula Chicago, 108 E. Superior St. This is the hotel in the photo. It's a full luxury operation, down to a pet program that includes a room service menu for dogs and cats. Top of the price range.

Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, 120 E. Delaware Pl. It occupies the middle floors of the 900 North Michigan tower, so rooms sit well above the street. Top of the price range.

The Drake Hotel, 140 E. Walton Pl. Open since 1920 at the top of Michigan Avenue, across from Oak Street Beach. Afternoon tea in the Palm Court and a drink at the Coq d'Or are the traditions. Mid-range to upscale, which is good value for the location.

The Gwen, 521 N. Rush St. A block off Michigan Avenue, with more of a boutique feel than the big Mag Mile names. Upscale.

Hotel EMC2, 228 E. Ontario St., in Streeterville. A Marriott Autograph Collection hotel built around an art-and-science theme, with The Albert as its restaurant, a few blocks east of Michigan Avenue. Upscale.

West Loop

The Hoxton, Chicago, 200 N. Green St. Right in the Fulton Market restaurant district, with its own places to eat and drink, including Cabra Cevicheria and the Lazy Bird bar. Mid-range to upscale.

Nobu Hotel Chicago, 155 N. Peoria St. It overlooks Randolph Street's Restaurant Row and has its own Nobu restaurant and a rooftop. Luxury pricing.

Lincoln Park, Lakeview and Wicker Park

Hotel Zachary, 3630 N. Clark St. Directly across from Wrigley Field. On game days and concert nights the price jumps and the street outside is chaos, and the rest of the year it's a fair-priced base near the Red Line. Mid-range, much higher when the Cubs are home. More options on our hotels near Wrigley Field page.

Hotel Lincoln, 1816 N. Clark St., now part of Hyatt's JdV brand, is the main hotel in Lincoln Park, across from the zoo. Mid-range to upscale. See our Lincoln Park guide.

The Robey, 2018 W. North Ave. The tower at the six-way intersection of North, Milwaukee and Damen, with the Damen Blue Line stop out front. Upscale, and the best-placed hotel for Wicker Park and Bucktown nightlife.

The cheapest options

Chicago has only a handful of hostels. HI Chicago, at 24 E. Ida B. Wells Dr. in the Loop, is the best located, with dorms and private rooms. Our hostels and alternatives page covers the rest. Budget and mid-range chain hotels cluster in the Loop and South Loop, and they're clean, comfortable and plain. If you don't plan to spend much time in your room, they'll do. In the slow months you'll often find three- and four-star hotels deeply discounted too, so compare before you settle for a budget chain.

Staying near the airport

Unless you have a very early flight, I don't recommend staying near the airport. Hotels near O'Hare and Midway can be cheaper, but riding the Blue Line from O'Hare or the Orange Line from Midway every day, or driving in and paying for downtown parking, isn't worth the savings. If you do need one, see our picks for hotels near O'Hare and hotels near Midway.

Photo by Alan Light