Top 10 of Chicago’s Most Historic Hotels

By Nicole Sroka

Though known for being a bustling city filled with industry, Chicago also harbors several historic buildings in the form of hotels. Embedded with intricate architecture and histories of famed guests, these iconic hotels contribute to the overall beauty of the Windy City.

Inspired by a former article, I decided to generate an interactive map which displays 10 of Chicago’s most historic hotels. Each hotel listed is based on independent research and is ranked based on the year the hotel was made open to the public.

Ranging from the famed Palmer House Hotel to The Whitehall, each hotel offers guests the option to immerse themselves in buildings filled with history. One can sit in The Blackstone Hotel‘s iconic barbershop room where notorious mobster Al Capone once sat and received his haircuts.

Conveniently located near or within The Loop, each hotel allows its guests the ability to interact in events throughout the city. Guests at Hotel Allegro are in the center of Chicago’s famed Downtown Theatre District and can catch shows at The Chicago Theatre or the Cadillac Palace Theatre.

Historic hotels contain unique stories and radiate atmospheres that showcase their progression throughout different eras. Those who visit some of Chicago’s oldest hotels will attain a better understanding of how each building contributed and impacted the culture of the city.

(Editor’s note: All images and videos used in the interactive map were rights free and labeled for reuse. Credits are listed in the in the description of the interactive map. | Map by Nicole Sroka)