Top 18 Cool and Unusual Hotels in Chicago

hotel

Visiting the city that used to be called “the pulse of America” should definitely be on your agenda.

Chicago boasts the history starting from the early 1800s when the city was founded, plus it attracts tourists with the mighty Lake Michigan.

This city is for many reasons considered one of the USA’s greatest cities.

It has another nickname, the Windy City, which was given to the city because of both the changeable nature of the residents and politicians and the strong breezes that blow off Lake Michigan.

Our suggestion is not to miss visiting this city if you have a chance, as you will be astonished by its impressive architecture, museums, parks, the skyline, and live music scene, if jazz, blues, and rock clubs are your cup of tea.

Some of the sites that we also consider worth exploring are ethnic enclaves where you can taste the city’s best food.

Now, if you have decided that this city is your next holiday destination, we would like to tell you about the extremely unique hotels in Chicago.

Let’s dive into some of the best, unique and beautiful hotels in Chicago.

Contents

The Robey – an Instagrammable hotel

Our first choice is the Robey Hotel, due to the fact that it is very trendy and set in the heart of Chicago’s hippest neighborhood.

By going out of the hotel through the main entrance you get to the streets of Wicker Park and Bucktown.

You will be surrounded by bands, boho chic, and vegan eateries.

What makes this hotel so unique are triangular suites equipped with the latest technology, wooden floors, and luxe linens.

The hotel boasts a fabulous rooftop terrace with a pool and Cabana Club cocktail bar.

Rooms are equipped with cable TV, and free WiFi, and you will have to pay around $120 per night.

theWit Hotel – an upscale hotel with gorgeous views

theWit Hotel is actually a striking glass building located in the heart of Chicago’s theatre, arts, and shopping district.

This is a 4-star hotel that offers stunning views, and extraordinary culinary delights for its guests.

You can enjoy your stay as you will be staying in smart and stylish guest rooms.

Each room has its own look and personality as they are all equipped with a spa-style bathroom, floor-to-ceiling windows, amazing river views, flat-screen TVs, and iPod docks.

We know that romantic hotels in Chicago are numerous, but we still suggest this hotel as its offers more than accommodation.

Visitors are amazed by a rooftop lounge from which a view of the whole city is available.

Some of the additional highlights of this hotel are a private movie theatre, an onsite spa, and the cuisine of the State and Lake Restaurant.

If you wish to stay in the Wit,  you can expect to pay $120 per night.

Talbott Hotel – a popular boutique hotel

Talbott Hotel is a boutique hotel located a few steps away from the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue.

It boasts 4-stars and has to offer well-equipped rooms and wealthy interiors.

The style of this hotel is retro-chic with industrial touches.

Some of the facilities you get at this unusual Chicago hotel include free Wifi, widescreen TV’s and Italian linens, and all this for at least $120 per night.

For those looking for even more luxury, there are upgraded rooms with Apple Mac Mini computers and soaking tubs.

The hotel has the contemporary chic hotel restaurant, 20 East, where you will pay traditional American prices for various types of craft beers.

The calories you get drinking beer can be burned in the hotel fitness center.

We highly suggest eating alfresco in the hotel’s beautiful patio area.

Hotel EMC2 – a modern/vintage chic design hotel

Hotel EMC2 in Chicago belongs to the prestigious Autograph collection.

It is set near the central Magnificent Mile Shopping District in the Streeterville neighborhood.

We need to say that this is a beautiful hotel, that has 4-stars, and is very highly rated.

At  Hotel EMC2,  interiors that designed so that you have a feeling that you are at the crossroad of art and science.

Luxurious velvet furniture in combination with industrial lighting, dark wood floor, gives the hotel an unforgettable look.

Visitors can relax in both modern and vintage rooms that are equipped with flat-screen TVs, minifridges, coffeemakers, and designer toiletries.

All these facilities are available for the price of $110 per night.

Those who enjoy food should not miss the Albert restaurant where they can try gastronome delights.

Thompson Chicago – one of the best modern hotels in Chicago

We know that Thompson Chicago hotel is just one of so many luxurious Chicago hotels on the Gold Coast, but we have selected it due to the fact that it is located a short distance from Lake Michigan and its interiors have been designed by British design icon Tara Bernerd.

Thompson Chicago hotel is a 4-star exceptionally rated hotel that has to offer outstanding bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, which will allow visitors to enjoy fantastic views of the famous Chicago skyline.

Some other highlights of this hotel are high-thread-count sheets, flat-screen TVs, and rainfall showers.

It gives a chance for food lovers to try specialties in one of the best eateries in the city, Nico Osteria, which is located in the hotel.

Excellent drinks and cocktails are served at the smart Salone Nico, a bar that is known as one of Chicago’s most popular.

For the price of $150 per night, you can take advantage of a complimentary luxury car service that is also offered at Tompson.

Chicago Athletic Association – a hipster hotel set in an 1890s Gothic building

Chicago Athletic Association Hotel is located in an 1890s Gothic building.

It used to be the home to an exclusive sportsmen’s club in Chicago’s Downtown area.

It has an ideal location being that the hotel overlooks Michigan Avenue, so the Chicago Athletic Association is considered as the best-located hotel in the city.

What makes this Chicago hotel stand out among so many attractive accommodations is the gothic building, delicate lighting, and characteristic furniture.

The interior looks like an English mansion house.

You will be stunned by comfortable wood paneling and floor tiling.

Furthermore, there are unique bedrooms that resemble the traditional clubrooms of athletic associations, while at the same time provide a lot of comforts.

Besides drinks and cocktails, its rooftop bar enables guests to admire fantastic views of Millennium Park and the city.

In the Drawing Room you can have tea or coffee next to a fireplace and all this for $150 per night.

The Kimpton Gray Hotel – an upscale Art Deco hotel

The Kimpton Gray Hotel is a 4-star hotel that boasts classy and fashionable accommodation.

It is located in a building that dates from 1894 and after a 12-minute walk, you can reach central Millennium Park.

Plus, the hotel boasts the finest views in the city in combination with amenities that are not found in many other places in Chicago.

Those include loaner bikes and a yoga mat in every room.

To make the experience even better, you can visit the rooftop lounge where you can eat and drink, or you can take advantage of the day spa, salon, and fitness centers.

All these amenities are actually expected from an upmarket hotel and the price you need to pay starts from $100 per night.

Virgin Hotels Chicago – a number 1 hotel by Conde Nast Reader’s Choice

Being that Conde Nast Reader’s have chosen it as the number 1 hotel in Chicago, we had to include Virgin Hotels Chicago on our list of the best places to stay.

This is one of those trendy Chicago hotels with excellent location in Chicago’s Loop area in Downtown.

What attracts travelers the most is that once they get out of the hotel entrance, they have plenty of things to see and do.

The hotel was designed with great attention to detail, so bedrooms are full of luxurious furnishings and ornamental pieces.

This 4 star Virgin Hotels’ Chicago offers a rooftop bar area from which you can experience magnificent views of the city.

The rooftop bar is closed during winter, but when the weather allows, you can see a DJ and a lively crowd of people dancing until the early hours.

Prices at Virgin Hotels Chicago start from $150 per night.

Freehand – budget Chicago accommodation  located in a 1927 building

Freehand is located in the River North neighborhood of Chicago.

Travelers choose this hotel as their accommodation being that they get easy access to all areas of the city.

The hotel is set inside one of Chicago’s numerous Downtown skyscrapers.

Both communal spaces and rooms were designed with great taste and style.

The Freehand hotel also boasts an award-winning cocktail bar called Broken Shaker.

It serves exotic cocktails and light bites, and it is worth visiting.

Some of the other amenities designed to make visitors feel more comfortable are a fitness center, cheap parking, and a coffee bar.

The prices are quite reasonable and start from $60 per night.

The Versey – a reasonably priced hipster hotel

Another hotel in Chicago that offers excellent accommodation for a reasonable price of $75 per night is The Versey.

Travelers choose it as a budget option and people who stay in this hotel are those who would like to explore the city, rather than experience the hotel’s luxury.

The Versey is located in the central Lincoln Park neighborhood in downtown Chicago.

A tourist can easily get to numerous Chicago restaurants, bars, excellent music venues, and boutiques as they are right in front of the hotel.

Bedrooms are small, but perfect, with free Wi-Fi and a pass to the nearby LA Fitness gym.

We can say that this is a modern hotel which is ideal for people who want fuss-free accommodation in Chicago.

Plus, it is not so expensive, meaning that you can spend your money elsewhere, not in the hotel itself.

Visitors are impressed with the brightly colored lobby full of maps and murals.

The Blackstone Hotel – boasts classic elegance

The Blackstone Hotel boasts being a part of the prestigious Autograph collection, a legendary past, and a 4-stars rating.

Blackstone Hotel is set on the Cultural Mile and opposite Grant Park in Down Town Chicago.

Due to the amazing architecture of the building built in 1910 which the hotel is housed in, it is definitely a place that offers a spectacular experience for travelers.

The Blackstone Hotel is Chicago’s former “Hotel of Presidents” which makes it even more attractive to tourists.

It is worth mentioning that every room is completely unique,  equipped with Wifi, iPod docks, and flat-screen TVs, and the prices start from $120 per night.

If you want gorgeous lake views, you can ask for a room that has them.

For art lovers, this Chicago accommodation offers 1,600 contemporary artworks which are delightful for visitors’ eyes, swish club rooms, a gym, and the onsite Mercat a la Planxa restaurant.

Besides excellent wines that you can try in this restaurant, it has craft cocktails with an original 1960s vibe on the menu as well.

ACME Hotel – a full of tech hotel

Another hotel with an excellent rating is Acme Hotel located in the trendy central River North neighborhood.

People who visit Chicago choose this place for a stay as it is only a 7-minute walk from shops along the Magnificent Mile and the prices are quite reasonable, starting from $90 per night.

What tourists also like is the fact that once they get out of the hotel, they become surrounded by wine bars, restaurants, and fancy boutiques.

Furthermore, this outstanding boutique hotel is a five-minute walk away from Michigan Avenue.

What makes this unique and funky Chicago hotel stand out from others is neon signs, graffiti-painted stairwells, and a lift whose walls are made of classic album covers.

We consider it a perfect place for urban hipsters which also provides excellent accommodation in its rooms which are tech-savvy equipped with free Wi-Fi ergonomic chairs, wireless sound systems, and smart TVs.

There is the option of renting Apple watches and Google Glasses to use.

Once you come back from shopping or city exploration, you can relax in the hot tub, sip a craft cocktail at the bar or eat a pastry at the hotel’s bakery.

The Gwen – a prestigious and unique hotel

The Gwen hotel is a member of a Luxury Collection Hotels.

Once in the past, it was selected as one of the best luxury hotels in Chicago by Travel and Leisure.

Features that make this place different from all the other places is the Art Deco lobby carved by Chicago-born acclaimed sculptor Gwen Lux.

It is a trendy Chicago hotel that is located a few steps from central Michigan Avenue where travelers can find shops, restaurants, and bars.

This means that you will be staying in the heart of the city.

The Gwen is a 5-star exceptionally rated hotel where you will have to pay the price starting from $120 per night.

However, you will be staying in the upscale stylish bedrooms designed in the styles of the Deco period but made attractive to novel generations as they have modern conveniences including luxury toiletries, Keurig coffeemakers, free Wi-Fi, and enormous wall-mounted TV’s.

When other hotel features are in question, they include a sophisticated restaurant, a terrace bar, a gym, and a lobby lounge.

Aloft Chicago City Centre – a colorful hotel

Aloft Chicago City Centre is yet another of the excellent hotels to visit.

It is set in the River North neighborhood in central Chicago, which means that you will be sleeping a 6-minute walk away from Michigan Avenue.

Some of the amenities that make this hotel popular and exceptionally rated are unique and contemporary front side made of glass combined with retro touches.

Tourists choose this accommodation due to the fact that it is only a short walk from some of the best Chicago restaurants, shops, and nightlife, plus it is not too expensive being that a night stay costs £110.

Furthermore, there are additional highlights in Aloft Chicago City Centre, such as a pool table in the lobby and a gym in the basement.

For those looking for an overnight stay, it is worth mentioning that all rooms are colorful, designed with great attention to detail, and equipped with fast and free WiFi.

So, in this place, you can easily mix business with pleasure, as you can sip a cocktail in the hotel’s very own WXYZ® bar.

If this is not enough, we need to mention that this is a pet-friendly hotel, so your animal friend will get a bed, water, and treats, too.

Kimpton Hotel Allegro – a modern boutique hotel located in the Theater District

Kimpton Hotel Allegro has an excellent location in the heart of Chicago’s central Theatre District.

This is a boutique hotel offering a theatrical feel.

If you choose it as your accommodation in Chicago, you will be only a few steps away from the best shops, bars, and restaurants in the city.

The hotel has earned the 4-star rating due to its elegance, bedrooms with in-room spa services, flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, Wi-Fi access, minibars, and yoga mats, and all this for $80 per night.

If you choose to stay in some of its gorgeous suites, you will have sitting areas and whirlpool tubs.

The other hotel highlights are an Italian restaurant, a fitness center, and the Bar Allegro where you can try excellent cocktails and fine wines.

The hotel is pet-friendly, which makes it perfect for people traveling with their furry friends.

FieldHouse Jones – cool and budget Chicago lodging

Now we have come to a highly rated 3-star hotel FieldHouse Jones.

It did not deserve more than 3 stars, but it still offers distinctly unique Chicago accommodation by which justifies our desire to put it on this list.

It is located in the trendy central North River neighborhood and it will take you a 3 minutes walk to get to the Chicago subway station.

The hotel is retro sports-themed, offering flexible room types.

Something that travelers do not expect, but find in this hotel are custom-made beds, hand-crafted tiles, wide-plank oak floor, and original art.

FieldHouse Jones interiors are really designed to impress everyone.

Inside the hotel, there is a’DropShot’ coffee bar where you can enjoy your brunches, light lunches, and hot coffee.

All this is available at a very reasonable price for every kind of traveler, that is $40 per night.

The Ace – a hipster’s hangout

After mentioning a three-star hotel, we are getting back to The Ace, a four-star hotel in Chicago.

The Ace hotels are known for industrial-looking concrete and glass building in the West Loop of the city.

However, we cannot but mention its cool bedrooms, eateries, and funky communal spaces.

At the Ace Hotel, you will be staying in guest rooms that offer skyline views, for the price of $120 per night.

The hotel boasts the City Mouse restaurant, the Waydown bar, and the Stumptown Coffee Roasters Café.

In this industrial-style hotel, you will get everything you need and even more, such as organic cotton sheets, DAB radio, and flatscreen TVs.

Those who pay to stay in a suite will find a turntable or an acoustic guitar so they will get the chance to become the Chicago rock star.

The Guesthouse Hotel – a chic apartment hotel

The Guesthouse Hotel is the last on our list, but the most expensive one, as you will have to pay the price of $140 per night.

This is definitely a luxury hotel offering comfortable accommodation in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of the city.

Once you get out of this highly-rated Chicago hotel, you will be surrounded by famous stores on central Armitage Avenue, the cafés, restaurants, and sweet shops of Clark Street.

Those looking for history will be able to explore the Andersonville neighborhood.

The Guesthouse has one, two, and three bedrooms suites.

These suites are equipped with granite kitchens, private balconies, or patios with gas grills, and in some of them, you can find soaking tubs as well.

In this hotel, long stays are available.

The Guesthouse offers a penthouse suite with a private rooftop deck if you are eager to see some amazing skyline views.

Leave a Comment