InterContinental Chicago
Built in 1929 to serve as the Medinah Athletic Club for the Shriners organization, this Magnificent Mile landmark has been renovated using the club’s 1930 yearbook as a guide and by employing state-of-the-art restoration techniques. The result is an opulent wonderland of terracotta fountains, hand-painted murals, marble mosaics and a 12,000-pound Baccarat crystal chandelier – the largest in North America. When they are not relaxing in one of the hotel’s 790 lavish red-and-gold colored guestrooms (spread across two towers), guests can dine at the Continental Restaurant, sip award-winning martinis at The Bar, or go for a dip in the junior Olympic pool.