Where to stay in Chicago? – The complete guide to lodgings among skyscrapers
It's important to know which area to book a hotel or apartment in Chicago to enjoy what the Windy City has to offer.
The four most popular areas for tourists visiting the city are:
- The Magnificent Mile – Historic hotel institutions
- River North – Boutique hotels and three-star hotels in the central district
- Downtown Chicago – The Loop – Urban hotels beneath America's tallest towers (except Manhattan)
- O'Hare Airport Hotels – Modern business hotels and motels
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It's recommended to avoid staying in the south side of the city due to relatively high crime rates and limited tourist infrastructure. We'll detail this shortly.
Map of Accommodation Areas in Chicago
Here's everything you need to know about the neighborhoods and lodging areas in Chicago – to choose the perfect base for your stay.
Staying in Chicago is a fun urban experience, especially under the shadow of formidable skyscrapers and bustling streets filled with shopping, restaurants, and entertainment venues. In Chicago's Loop and the Magnificent Mile, you'll find many hotel establishments housed in the city's historic skyscrapers. West of the Magnificent Mile, along the Michigan Avenue corridor in the Near North Side, there are fantastic urban hotels at more modest prices in the elegant River North district.
This guide is designed to help you find the perfect accommodations in Chicago to maximize your experience in this vibrant city. Chicago offers the thrill of a global city with towering skyscrapers, top-notch museums, and a sprawling suburban area, so it's important to choose the location based on your preferences.
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4 Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Chicago
The Magnificent Mile
The hotels on Michigan Avenue from north of the Chicago River to East Oak Street are a rare urban lodging experience. This is the most luxurious location in Chicago and the Midwest, and the most fun place to stay in Chicago to the extreme. Along the avenue are many skyscraper hotels, some with immense historical importance such as the Intercontinental Hotel or The Drake. Along the avenue, there are excellent restaurants, entertainment venues, and more. The Navy Pier and Millennium Park are a short walk away. As you get closer to East Oak Street, the level of hospitality rises, and there is a cluster of the city's luxury hotels.
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Advantages – Luxury, entertainment, perfect and iconic urban view
Disadvantages – Price!!! (But it's worth it!!)
Overall hotel level – High-level urban hotels
River North District
The streets west of the Magnificent Mile in the River North district (the southern part of Near North Side) are a more relaxed continuation of the Magnificent Mile. The district showcases Chicago at its best, not only due to its location near downtown and the Magnificent Mile but mainly because of its fun vibe. River North features a mix of residential streets with commercial streets at a neighborhood level, great restaurants, elegant galleries, and numerous entertainment spots. The district is filled with boutique hotels and great three-star hotels.
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Advantages – Central location and excellent hotels, very reasonable prices for such a super central location.
Disadvantages – Large area, some parts not so interesting. It's important to focus on a hotel located close to commercial areas and public transportation.
Overall hotel quality – Excellent hotels of many types and varying levels of service
Downtown Chicago – The Loop
The Loop of Chicago is the heart of the legendary city by Lake Michigan. To the west of Millennium Park and the museums of Michigan Avenue (in the section south of the Chicago River), are Chicago's tallest skyscrapers alongside smaller skyscrapers, which are essentially the birthplace of modern urban architecture. Over all the fun of downtown, the massive Willis Tower (the Sears Tower) watches over. Downtown Chicago is a vibrant and active place throughout the day, full of boutique hotels and large urban hotels at a four-star level.
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Advantages – Super central location and lively area
Disadvantages – In the evening hours, there are some streets that can be a bit deserted
Overall Hotel Quality – Massive urban hotels of good to high quality
O'Hare Airport Hotels
O'Hare Airport's business hotels are located in the neighborhood of Rosemont, close to the central junction of highways I-90, 190, and 294. These hotels are just a few minutes' drive from the airport terminals. This is a cluster of huge four-star business hotels representing almost all major chains like Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, and more. These are modern hotels with large rooms and excellent amenities. The hotels are conveniently connected to downtown via Chicago's metro system and highways. Nearby, along the highways, are numerous motels and hotels ranging from 1 to 3 stars.
Click here to check availability and prices at the business hotels and motels of O'Hare Airport…
Pros – Really affordable prices compared to the excellent facilities
Cons – Far from the city center
General Hospitality Level – Good and large hotels and nearby motels that are relatively good too
Family Accommodation in Chicago – Motels in the Metropolitan Area
Chicago is one of the few big cities in the USA that really functions as a city. Like New York and San Francisco (and quite the opposite of Los Angeles), it has a bustling downtown filled with shops, restaurants, and entertainment spots. Chicago also boasts good public transportation, and nearly all attractions are concentrated in the city center, whether in the Loop or near North Side and Near South Side. The vast majority of the city's hotels are centrally located, but like any American city, Chicago has a thriving industry of motels on the city's outskirts, close to the highways.
- The motels are a pocket-friendly lodging option for those visiting Chicago, with rates usually much more affordable than finding a place in Downtown or the Magnificent Mile
- For those arriving in Chicago by car, motels are almost the only lodging solution, as it's not advisable to find accommodations in the city center with a car due to the expensive parking issue
- Motels generally offer a nearly uniform standard of spacious and comfortable rooms, two large beds, and a fairly basic breakfast
- Since there are areas in Chicago that are less inviting, it’s wise to ensure in advance that the motel's surroundings are good, especially based on reading reviews on dedicated websites (Booking, TripAdvisor, etc.)
- In all of Chicagoland, you'll find representation of all the major motel chains, such as Holiday Inn by IHG, Hilton brands, Marriott, Westin, and more, as well as major motel brands like Motel 6, Super 8, Comfort Inn, and others
The main clusters of motels in Chicago:
- In the Chicago metropolitan area, there are several clusters of motels. The largest and most important is near O'Hare Airport, to the west of downtown. These motels have convenient metro connections to the city center
- Another large cluster of good motels is located west of downtown along the I-88 corridor between the suburbs of Oak Brook (the birthplace of McDonald's) and Lombard.
- The entire Chicago metropolitan area is interwoven with dozens of highways and their branches. Along these routes and near the interchanges, there is a large abundance of motels.
Important tips and information for finding the perfect place to stay in Chicago
First, search for hotel information online
Before booking a hotel in Chicago, it's a good idea to take some time and read what others who have stayed there think about it. There are dozens of booking websites on the internet, all of which allow you to read reviews of the hotel. Whether you're booking on Booking.com, Expedia, or even through a local agency, take some time to learn about the quality of the hotel you're heading to.
Make it a must to read hotel reviews on Booking.com (reliable since only those who stayed at the hotel can write a review) or TripAdvisor (less reliable – open to anyone who wants to write).
Click here to check hotel availability and prices in Chicago…
- Look for reviews in your language – Most accommodations abroad won't bother faking reviews in a language other than English. If you see a review in proper language (not a Google Translate version), assume it's a genuine review. Reviews in any language will usually cover the same things of interest to all speakers of that language.
- How many reviews were written about the hotel? – If there aren't many reviews, that's suspicious. Focus on hotels with hundreds of reviews.
- Filter out suspicious reviews – The review faking industry is vast. When reviewing a hotel, be skeptical of overly positive reviews (no hotel will write negative reviews about itself).
- Identify reliable reviews – The most reliable reviews are those that are balanced. If you see a mix of good and bad points in the same review, consider it trustworthy.
- Notice repeating patterns – If many reviews mention the hotel being noisy outside, unfortunately, it's likely true. On the flip side, if many reviews say the bed is super comfy, then you're in luck—it probably is! Sweet dreams.
Guy's hot tip – Explore the hotel's street using Google Street View
Google Earth has opened up a world of opportunities for travelers to preview their destinations. Use this powerful tool to check out the hotel's quality and surroundings. See if there are opening windows or if they look dirty. Check the building's condition from the outside—is it refurbished? Are there broken doors or windows, and so on.
Check out the hotel's surroundings too. Is the street busy beyond reason? Or on the contrary, does it seem deserted or neglected? Are there homeless people on the street? Abandoned businesses? Piles of junk? And so on. In Chicago, you don't want to take a risk. If the hotel's appearance or surroundings don't sit well with you, it's better to look for another spot in this skyscraper-filled city.
