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This towering Magnificent Mile hotel has a little more to it than meets the eye. Built back in 1929, the InterContinential Chicago functioned as a members club that comprised everything from a mini golf course to a bowling alley. However, it was forced to shut its doors during The Great Depression, and remained vacant for decades.
That was until InterContinental took it over, investing a quarter of a billion dollars into renovations and reopening the building as the hotel we know today back in 1990. The original architecture has been honored, from the restoration of 12,000-pound crystal chandeliers to reworking its stunning golden dome, all while incorporating modern touches.
What are the rooms like at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile?
The junior suite reads like a mini, modern-day apartment with a touch of understated regality: the deep blue entryway leads to the living room with a suede couch of the same color, which is offset by dark woods and godlen tulip light stands.
There’s colorful artwork, and the room housed two bathrooms, one with sky blue tiles and a full tub, and one off the bedroom which featured a walk-in shower, which both stocked with Byredo products. There’s a bit of wear here—dents on the walls and some cracks in the paint—we’ll allow it at such a storied hotel.
What are the facilities like at InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile?
Beyond double glass doors on the 14th floor, the gym at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile is a step above the standard, with treadmills and bikes plus plenty of dumbbells and weighted machines. But follow the staircase up just one more floor, and you’ll stumble across the greatest retreat of them all: a junior Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool.
In a hall flushed with blue and white Spanish Majolica tiles, marble pillars and a serene fountain of the god of Neptune, the pool feels more like it’s in ancient Rome than downtown Chicago. The hotel plays to the tranquility of it all with weekly sound bath sessions, but families can find fun here too as the weekends bring movie nights with BYO floaties and a standalone popcorn machine.
What’s the area like around the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile?
The hotel has Magnificent Mile in the title, does it not? Step right outside, and you’ll find yourself among one of Chicago’s premier tourist and shopping districts—all 13 blocks of it. Just a few blocks south, you can stroll along the iconic Chicago Riverwalk or glimpse more of the city’s architectural heaveyweights by booking the Architecture River Tour.
What is the food and drink like at InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile?
Did you know Michael Jordan has a steakhouse in Chicago? Well, now you do. Established in 2011, the appropriately-named Michael Jordan’s Steak House Chicago reads like a classic, ever-so-slightly dated hall of steak, with dark woods and red upholstered booths, and plenty of nods to number 23 with portraits of the man himself as well as Easter eggs dotted around the room. I can’t say I ate here, but I did have a decent Old Fashioned while catching a basketball game (fitting, I know) on one of the many TVs and projectors about.
Stroll through the hotel’s Hall of Lions (a striking former smoking room) and you’ll find yourself at Richard Sandoval’s Casa Chi. It’s menu explores Japanese and Latin fusion: think lobsters dressed in sriracha mayo and stuffed into wonton taco shells and thinly sliced beef tiradito, accompanied by Fresno chilis and crema and slightly overpowering (truffly ponzu).
Order the fajitas and a 500F searing block will be brought to the table, ready to sizzle your protein, be it prime tenderloin, steak, shrimp or shellfish. As for breakfast, check out Center Court on the second floor for standard buffet options as well as à la carte brunch classics.
DETAILS
Address: 505 N Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
Price per night: Prices start at $225 per night
Closest transport link: You can take the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) straight from the airport to the Washington stop before hopping on a bus or taking a 20-minute walk.
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