The 7 best luxury hotels in Chicago

From the lofty lobby to the jaw-droppingly beautiful guest rooms, a sense of decadence reigns at this Mag Mile beauty. Some of the property’s most memorable luxuries, though, come in the form of experiences. Bookable through an in-room tablet system, the Peninsula Academy allows guests access to exclusive adventures like private helicopter jaunts, guided neighborhood tours, and exclusive cooking classes. The hotel's spa and indoor pool are not to be missed during your stay.

Best for: comfy beds and city views

Budget: ballin'

Plush velvet, cool marble, and a palette of grays dominate guest room decor here, creating a haute air that’s in keeping with the property’s upscale Gold Coast surroundings. All rooms are equipped with luxurious soaking tubs, while deluxe- and suite-level accommodations feature fireplaces and, in some cases, private terraces. The hushed house spa, one of the city’s loveliest, offers bliss-inducing treatments like the warm lava shell massage and a 60-minute gentelmen's facial. Celebrating an anniversary or other special event during your stay? Personal concierges are on hand to help plan a night to remember.

Best for: elegant luxury

Budget: Hefty, but one or two nights couldn't hurt, right?!

You’ll feel like you’re on top of the world at this towering downtown property, which claims the highest luxury guest quarters in Chicago. A sense of grown-up refinement infuses the atmosphere here like a mist of Chanel No. 5, from guest rooms that channel mid-century French interiors to the column-flanked indoor pool. But before you get to thinking it’s strictly a pinkies-up sort of place, consider the menu of whimsical amenities, like the fact that kiddos can choose a toy from the hotel's "treasure" chest upon check-in.

Best for: hands down, it's the pool

Budget: break the bank vibes.

A Chicago architectural icon, the 52-story Mies van der Rohe-designed former IBM Building provides an elegant modernist stage for the Langham, and the hotel answers the call beautifully. All of the indulgences you could wish for are here, from decadent spa treatments to a divine afternoon tea service, but thanks to a prevailing aesthetic that’s resoundingly clean and tasteful, no service or space approaches ostentatiousness. Generously sized rooms (the smallest are 516 square feet) are packed with so many splendid features (like floor-to-ceiling windows and deep Alaskan granite-clad bathtubs) that you’d be forgiven for skipping the sightseeing to lounge around in your robe.

Best for: ultra-calming interiors 

Budget: a mini fortune, so well worth splitting the bill.

Travelers in need of high-end retail therapy will find themselves in pole position at this high-rise property, set above the upscale Water Tower Place shopping center. An extensive renovation, begun in 2016, delivers updated rooms with a minimalist vibe (save for the eye-popping city and lakefront views). An optional Club Lounge add-on comes with access to a chic new 15th-floor salon stocked with nibbles and drinks. A 2,700-square-foot fitness center offers an impressive range of class options, like hatha yoga, Pilates, and high-intensity interval training.

Best for: jaw-dropping riverfront views

Budget: hella pricey, but it's the Ritz.

Assyrian and Spanish design motifs, a legacy of the property’s 1920s origins as the Medinah Athletic Club, add a serious note of drama to shared spaces here (see, for instance, the grand marble staircase adorned with an ornate carved fountain). Rooms are done up in a polished palette of dark wood and gray, with sizeable bathrooms equipped with tubs. With its towering ceilings and rich modern furnishings, the 1,700-square-foot bi-level Presidential suite represents the hotel’s most luxurious accommodations. But arguably the most opulent attribute here is the show-stopping junior Olympic-sized indoor pool—another inheritance from the old Medinah—which features lovely Spanish tile and an intricate coffered ceiling.

Best for: opulent interior design

Budget: hefty on price, but justified by the stunning amenities. 

This Michigan Avenue property makes stellar use of its position beside the old Chicago Water Tower; whether you’re sampling sashimi at the refined NoMI Kitchen or luxuriating on your plush guest room window seat, you’ll be treated to million-dollar views of the landmark edifice below. Most rooms feature fresh white bedding, sleek workspaces, and Eames chairs, while the splurge-worthy, 1,400-square-foot Bottega Veneta suite boasts handsome leather furnishings and sophisticated textiles from the eponymous Italian luxury goods designer’s collection. On the recreation front, there’s a spa and fitness center with a three-lane lap pool, not to mention easy access to the city’s most exclusive shopping district.  

Best for: historic attractions

Budget: packet ramen for a year will cover it...