Four Seasons Hotel Chicago

Being the closest luxury hotel to Lake Michigan, the Four Seasons offers magnificent views of the water, plus dependably excellent service and amenities.

• Unparalleled views of Lake Michigan
• The location above the tony shops of 900 North Michigan, steps from the lakefront and the popular Gold Coast restaurants
• The Author Suite featuring a private literary collection including personalized editions from Stephen King, Margaret Thatcher, Oliver Stone and Anne Rice.

The elegant Four Seasons sits above a swanky mall, allowing for a remarkably cocooned and cloistered experience (the hotel starts on the 30th floor of the 900 North Michigan building). Even better: high-level rooms plus proximity to Lake Michigan mean that the property offers hands-down the best views in town. Even the city-facing views stand out for their dramatic vistas from above.

The posh rooms highlight the water and skyline views by incorporating the city’s colors: slate blue, nickel and gray. However, several of the one- and two-bedroom suites were overhauled in 2020 and now offer a light and fresh color palette, a change from Pierre-Yves Rochon’s 2009 Parisian take. Elegant touches include supremely comfortable beds with custom linens, marble bathrooms and Malin + Goetz toiletries.

Throughout the hotel you will find an ever-changing exhibition of artwork curated by Chicago-based art consultant Shashi Caudill. Pieces include contemporary photography and abstract expressionism from artists all over the world. The vast lobby is warm and inviting, featuring white marble with gold accents and an open floor plan that leads you right to the Social Lounge with cart-side drink service. Adjacent to the Social Lounge is Adorn, James Beard award-winning chef Jonathon Sawyer’s first restaurant in his hometown of Chicago. Adorn offers a fresh take on American midwestern cuisine, including dinner items such as a “Ribeye Au Poivre” and “Lobster & Spaghetti ‘Joe Beef Style’”.

The hotel has an 8,000-square-foot spa which includes an attractive pool and a full-service, 24-hour gym. There is also elevator access to the 900 Shops of Michigan Avenue, with Bloomingdales offering a discount to hotel guests (a perk not to be dismissed in blizzard-prone Chicago!). In the summer, guests can take advantage of being close to Lake Michigan, particularly the swimmable beach at Oak Street Beach.

For those traveling with little ones, the Four Seasons has some first-rate perks such as a Kids Clubroom, spa treatments designed especially for teenagers and the hotel Ice Cream Man who visits guest rooms and creates custom sundaes.

Families who will appreciate the Four Seasons’ polished service, view snobs who will relish the panoramic vistas of Lake Michigan and gym addicts who will be thankful for the 24-hour fitness center.