After you take an obligatory selfie in front of the twinkling Chicago Theatre marquee, shift your gaze just to the east and you’ll see theWit Chicago with its neon-yellow zig-zag of glass running up the facade. This 27-floor tower was built in 2009 in the northeast corner of the Loop, a neighborhood named for the shape the elevated train (called ‘the L’ for short) makes as it coils around Chicago’s downtown business district. Newly renovated in 2023, theWit is all freshened up and ready for business travelers, wedding guests and bachelor/ette party revelers.
Why stay at theWit Chicago?
With the Chicago River on one side and the lights of storied State Street on the other, theWit is well-situated among the city’s top attractions for travelers. One of the Chicago Transit Authority’s busiest L stations—State/Lake, originally built in 1985—is right outside theWit’s front door, making travel to even the furthest corners of the city pretty convenient.
True to its name, the hotel is full of witty and whimsical touches, from the angels-wing chandeliers in the lobby to a custom art installation on the second floor featuring famous figures known for their wit, from author Emily Dickinson to actor Jackie Chan to comedian Steve Martin. Though the entire city is at your doorstep, theWit offers plenty of entertainment within its own walls, like live music Friday and Saturday nights in the first-floor restaurant, bumping DJ sets in the rooftop lounge and personal training sessions in the fitness center.
What are the rooms like?
All 310 of theWit’s guest rooms—36 of which are suites—have a hotel-meets-art-museum feel, with sleek-lined, neutral-toned furniture and sculptural table and floor lamps in cherry red, canary yellow and sky blue. Toffee-colored carpets with a swirling brushstroke pattern made me feel like I was in my own life-size expressionist painting. Bathrooms are chic and well-lit, with modern fixtures and horizontal subway tiles surrounding the shower and soaking tub. In a clever bit of brand synergy, the shampoo, conditioner and body wash are courtesy of sustainable beauty brand Five Wits, founded by New York-based stylist Joey Silvestera. My one-bedroom suite featured a kitchenette with a cherry-red Nespresso Citiz, which brewed an early morning espresso flawlessly. There are some minor spots where finishes are starting to show some wear—a lifting wallpaper edge here, some pilled upholstery there—but overall it feels funky and refreshing.
What are the best restaurants and bars at theWit?
The big nightlife draw at theWit is ROOF, the 27th floor lounge with a retractable roof that feels like a sunny greenhouse during the day and a glittering glass-walled club at night. You can order feels-like-vacation cocktails such as the Jalisco—a sparkling riff on a margarita with notes of elderflower, cucumber and coconut—and sink into a sofa or semi-circular booth. Not content to be married to any one cuisine, the menu hops from wood-fired pizzas to maki to crudo to shrimp cocktail. If you’re a sucker for a clever highbrow/lowbrow juxtaposition, try the caviar-topped Pringles (yes, the stackable canned chips) draped over smoked salmon mousseline. The meat and cheese board was fine if forgettable, while the fluffy bao buns stuffed with bulgogi beef, Thai-inspired chicken and spicy soy-ginger tempura shrimp will live rent-free in my mind for weeks. After 9pm on weekends, expect a DJ, laser lights, bottle service and a steady rotation of bachelorette parties. It feels much more peaceful in here on Saturday mornings, when a fitness instructor leads a yoga or pilates class before brunch service begins.
State and Lake Chicago Tavern is theWit’s full-service restaurant and bar, found just off the first-floor lobby and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. With plenty of deer-antler decor and plaid flannel-backed chairs and booths, the dining room evokes the popular nouveau-hunting lodge vibe of its late-noughties birthdate. The breakfast menu offers the expected pancakes, waffles, omelettes and French toast, but I’d recommend the Pressed Croissaint, a pair of buttery croissants crisped on a panini press, stuffed with cream and drizzled with dark cherry sauce—it tastes even better than it sounds. Room service is also available.
What is the service like at theWit?
The check-in staff, spa team and restaurant servers here were all approachable, attentive and warm. Though the front desk has essentials such as toothbrushes and toothpaste available upon request, anything else you may have forgotten can be easily snagged at the two-floor Walgreens one block south. There are convenient digital touches, like a QR code in the room to tip housekeeping staff and express check-out via text for Hilton Honors members, and rooms also have an Amazon Echo Dot speaker with sample questions to ask about specific hotel amenities. I had mixed success with the provided prompts (‘Alexa, tell me about ROOF’ yielded a Wikipedia definition of what a roof is), but you can also use it to request help from the front desk instead of the corded phone on the other side of the room.
What are the spa and gym like at theWit?
At Spa@theWit on the fifth floor, you can book nail services, facials and massages Thursday through Sunday. A welcome switch-up from the all-white, bamboo-veneer look of so many hotel spas, the vibe here is dark and sexy, with a low-lit hallway leading to treatment rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows draped with gauzy privacy curtains. You won’t entirely escape the car horns and other sounds of the city, but the soft music and caring staff will certainly make you feel pampered. After telling my masseuse that I spend most days hunched over my laptop, he focused on my neck and shoulders, kneading with firm pressure that melted away any trace of tension, and even showed me some stretches to try at home—I left feeling about a foot taller. Plan to spend time after your treatment in the Whisper Lounge, which has beach-inspired chaises, cushy bolster pillows, plush lap blankets and a refreshment bar stocked with herbal tea, snacks and bite-sized truffles. As I laid back and closed my eyes, it sounded like the rumble of the L train below could be crashing ocean waves (almost). The business center—an alcove on the fourth floor with two computers and a printer—isn’t much to see, but is available 24 hours a day, as is the clean and bright fitness center, with a Peloton bike, treadmills and a weight room.
What is the area like around theWit?
A stay at theWit puts you right in Chicago’s Theatre District, near the Chicago Theatre and Goodman Theatre as well as the city’s stages for touring musicals (the Nederlander, Cadillac Palace and CIBC theaters). You’re also a few blocks away from the city’s municipal buildings, state and federal government buildings and more than a dozen foreign consulates. Pretty much any form of public transport you could want (L, subway, bus and water taxi) is easy to connect to from theWit, though be warned that the State/Lake L station is due to be closed later this year for a major renovation that will add escalators, elevators and expanded platforms. During that time, the next-nearest station is Clark/Lake, 2.5 blocks away. If you have your car with you, overnight valet parking with in-and-out privileges is available for $86 a night.
You can easily walk to Millennium Park, the city’s top green space, or catch a bus or cab to the Museum Campus, where you’ll find the city's natural history museum, aquarium and planetarium. More offbeat (and seriously ‘Gram-worthy) museums, such as the Medieval Torture Museum and the Museum of Illusions, are also within a couple blocks’ walk. As far as shopping goes, just south you’ll find the historic Marshall Field & Company building (now housing Macy’s department store) and the Block 37 complex with shops such as Zara, Sephora and Akira, a Chicago-born boutique known for flashy fashion.
Why you should book a stay at theWit
A stay at theWit feels like hanging out in the apartment of your coolest, art-obsessed friend. It’s a great fit for singles, couples and small adult groups who appreciate an artsy vibe and cushy amenities. The thumping bass from ROOF could be heard faintly from my room on the 24th floor, so you may want to bring earplugs or request a lower floor on the opposite side of the building from the DJ booth if you’re especially sound-sensitive. But all in all, for those who value centrality and style, theWit is a solid choice.
DETAILS
Address: 201 N. State St. Chicago, IL 6060
Price per night: Standard rooms from $239, premium rooms and suites from $339
Closest transport: The State/Lake L station (Pink, Green, Brown, Orange, Purple Lines) and Red Line subway is right outside the hotel; O’Hare Airport is a 1-hour taxi ride and Midway Airport is a 40-minute taxi ride. Union Station (Amtrak train hub) is a 5-minute taxi ride or 20-minute walk.
Book now: via Booking.com
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