Chicago, once referred to as ‘the pulse of America’ is full of so much culture, good food, unique attractions, and incredible city life it’s no wonder people choose to travel there to experience it all. Nestled right on the mighty Lake Michigan in Illinois, Chicago quickly earned its nickname ‘windy city’ due to the gusts of wind that blow off Lake Michigan through the city’s tall towers. Aside from the beautiful Lake Michigan, there are many reasons why one would choose to immerse themselves into the rich culture of Chicago, as opposed to other cities, for their vacation.
Home to some of the most famous architectural designs, incredible museums, large urban parks, incredible once in a lifetime restaurant and food options, Chicago truly is one of America’s best. The well-established city is also known for its incredibly vibrant music scene, specifically its array of jazz and blues music. Many of our great jazz and blues pioneers got their start in underground Chicago clubs, blasting their music into bullet mics. But in case that isn’t enough for you to consider booking your next trip here, Chicago is also known for its fantastically unique hotel options. With some of the wildest, most luxurious hotels, these are some of our favorite exotic hotel rooms in Chicago.
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Freehand Chicago
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Located in the heart of Chicago’s trendy River North neighborhood, the Freehand Chicago is walking distance to some incredible amenities, and within easy access to other areas of the city. Built in 1927, this hotel is housed in a refurbished art deco building among high-rises and skyscrapers, giving guests a true relaxed urban feel. The inside of the building along with its rooms are a gorgeous mix of vintage and modern, holding on to its decades of history, while blending in trendy influences and warm tones. This hotel is also home to award-winning bar Broken Shaker which offers unique cocktails, appetizers, and games.
The Freehand Chicago offers one of the most exotic and luxurious hotel options in the city. The Freehand Chicago Penthouse is a magnificent duplex with two bedrooms, one with a king size bed, and one with two twin size bunkbeds each with drapes for privacy and reading lights above. The suite is designed with double height ceilings, large ceiling to floor windows with incredible views of the city, a gaming area, oversized bathrooms, a work area and desk, and many more luxurious amenities. The Freehand Chicago Penthouse offers a relaxing urban vibe, making you feel like you moved right in (and maybe never want to move out!).
The Gwen
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Located on Michigan Ave. in downtown Chicago, The Gwen offers guests an extremely unique and luxurious experience. Once voted best luxury hotel in Chicago by Travel and Leisure, the Gwen offers breathtaking art deco lobby and limestone panels carved by Gwen Lux, Chicago-born renowned sculptor. The bedrooms of designed with muted tones to encompass the color scheme of the city right outside your window, and offers a modern industrial feel in every bedroom- it truly is something else. With restaurants, bars, shops, and collection of culture right outside the hotel, you will be sleeping in the heart of the city – or perhaps even under the stars.
The Gwen offers the first ever urban glamping experience on the private terrace of the Gwen Lux Suite. On the 16th floor of the building, this terrace takes up 1000 square feet of open air and picturesque views of downtown and iconic architecture. Through this exclusive hotel offer, guests will now have the option to experience the city under the stars. The interior of the glamping tent is extremely lavish. With cozy neutral tones, thick canvas walls for insulation, and a gorgeous Black Pearl bed, this glamping experience will be unlike anything you have experienced before. Guests will also have access to the two bedroom Gwen Lux Suite which accommodates up to six guests.
Hotel EMC2
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Taking a step into the more moody side of Chicago, Hotel EMC2 is a modern chic, vintage hotel part of the prestigious Autograph collection. It is a close distance to the infamous Magnificent Mile Shopping District in the Streeterville Neighborhood and fits the aesthetic very well. The incredible interior captures the creative side of the city, while still maintaining a rough urban vibe, sitting right in the middle of scientific and romantic.
The rooms are all similar size and layout but vary in bed sizes. They are full of gorgeous thick velvet furniture, touches of brass accents, industrial lighting, dark wood floors, oversized artwork, and overall eclectic interior design. The showers are a large class enclosure open to the rest of the room, and the bathrooms are full of designer toiletries that you’ll want to sneak back into your carry-on bag when you leave. What’s even better is every room offers a stunning view of the city from your cozy room up above the busy streets.
ACME Hotel
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The ACME Hotel offers a unique and exotic experience to the guests who choose to stay here. With it’s odd designs and grunge interior design, it truly encompasses the funky urban vibe of the Windy City. Located in central River North neighborhood, it is only a quick five minute walk from Michigan Ave. where guests can experience food, trendy culture, and shopping. This boutique style hotel alternative offers guests a unique experience with eclectic interior design and odd amenities including guitars, high-tech TV’s, speakers, and an Alexa who will even order you coffee and room service.
These rooms are very spunky and indie-inspired with decorations that include minimal modern furniture, bright colors, and tapestries to decorate the walls. The rooms even offer a DIY cocktail kits with a shaker to keep, and a “Hair of the Dog” service to treat any hangover. The “Hair of the Dog” service includes two bottle of Gatorade, a packet of aspirin, and a $25 gift card to MBurger, one of Chicago’s best burger joints, so you can recover quickly and keep the party going. While this hotel is very outside the ordinary, it is built with the party people in mind.
