World's Best

The 10 Best Hotels in Chicago

The best hotels in Chicago capitalize on the Windy City’s many cultural activities and memorable restaurants.

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Updated on October 11, 2022

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With its vibrant food scene, world-class cultural institutions, and luxury shopping along the Magnificent Mile, the Windy City impresses T+L readers year after year. Chicago's art scene is booming, with public works by a diverse range of artists, muralists, and sculptors further inspiring visitors to book a ticket to our nation's third-largest city. In addition to these attractions, there's an increasingly fantastic hotel scene, and T+L readers took notice as they voted for this year's best hotels in Chicago.

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city hotel, resort, or safari lodge based on their locations and amenities.

Exterior of Pendry Chicago — Courtesy of Pendry Chicago

Like the city's museums and galleries, the hotels that made this year's list showcase exceptional art collections. The Peninsula Chicago (No. 2) recently unveiled an installation by Bob Faust, while works by artists like Jaume Plensa and Anish Kapoor can be found at the Langham, Chicago, which is tucked into several floors of a building designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

The hotels on the list also demonstrate masterful attention to detail in their hospitality. "The service is amazing, top notch quality," said one reader after staying at the No. 4 Waldorf Astoria Chicago. "I would absolutely stay again when I'm in Chicago. All of the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful."

Read on to see T+L readers' picks for the best hotels in Chicago — and what they had to say about this year's No. 1, Pendry Chicago.

1. Pendry Chicago

King Room at Pendry Chicago — Courtesy of Pendry Chicago

The Pendry might be one of the newest kids on the Chicago block — it opened in May 2021 — but the architectural features of the structure that houses the 364-room hotel have been captivating the city for nearly a century. The property was built in 1929 to be the regional headquarters of the Union Carbide & Carbon company — hence the name of the new summer rooftop bar: Château Carbide. The exterior is clad in black granite and gold leaf; inside, Art Deco–inspired touches abound. Clearly, readers were impressed, noting the "old building with new sophisticated charm and elegance."

Score: 97.60

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