Elite Traveler Fall 2022

EXPLORE CHICAGO

From right Nobu Villa at Nobu Hotel Chicago; Penthouse Suite at Viceroy Chicago

CHI SLEEPS

THE LANGHAM CHICAGO In fi nity Suite We’re certain Ludwig Mies van der Rohe would approve of how The Langham gracefully fi lls the fi rst 13 fl oors of his landmark 1971 Bauhaus skyscraper, the 52-story IBM building, a bronze-glass-sheathed architectural wonder. The architect’s last o ffi ce building, it broke eco-conscious ground with elements such as double-paned glass. Redone in 2013 with reproduction van der Rohe sofas, sleek contemporary elements and Langham’s signature pink accent touches, the hotel lords over the Chicago River with views of Lake Michigan. Plan a cocktail party in the spacious In fi nity Suite, a two-bedroom, two-bath sanctum, anchored by a beguiling gold painted grand piano. While in residence, save time for The Langham’s famous afternoon tea, order up a champagne cart or reset in the tranquil Chuan Spa. From $12,000. Contact Lindsay Srednicki, hotel manager, lindsay.srednicki@langhamhotels.com, +1 312 923 9988, langhamhotels.com and myriad cultures. Since many structures were destroyed after the Great Chicago Fire (1871), the city took advantage of rebuilding in the most avant-garde trends. Queen Anne, Richardsonian Romanesque and Georgian Revival style paragons dominate the still opulent Gold Coast, a historic district plentiful with bon-ton shops, restaurants and bars. Exemplary in the area, the glam Viceroy Chicago gives new life to a 120-year-old building, melding the past with the present. Retro gold and black accents, for example, contrast with contemporary city views and a rooftop pool. Take in the vibe in the 16th fl oor’s 1,675-sq-ft Penthouse Suite, which has butler space, a media room and an immense terrace. Splurge with the Luxury in the Gold Coast experience, which includes Penthouse accommodations, private jet air charter to/from Chicago, a private yacht excursion, a specially curated tasting menu and more. Penthouse Suite from $1,500; from $15,000 for the experience. Contact David Katz, director of sales and marketing, david.katz@viceroyhotelsandresorts. com, +1 312 586 2000, viceroyhotelsandresorts.com VICEROY CHICAGO Penthouse Suite Architecture bu ff s know that Chicago’s astonishing array of building styles mirror the Windy City’s history With touches of zen and Japanese gracefulness, this hotel, co-owned by Robert De Niro, focuses, too, on evoking the industrial roots of Chicago’s West Loop, exuding the city’s multiculturalism and celebrating urbanity. Elegantly chic, it features spellbinding skyline views, expectedly Nobu-driven cuisine options and a place for splashing at the 11th- fl oor rooftop, NOBU HOTEL CHICAGO Nobu Villa

which is kitted out with an indoor tranquility pool. Tuck into the Nobu Villa, designed with soaring 14-ft-high ceilings and bird’s-eye city views. With room for 10 guests for private gatherings, a signature pool table, a teak soaking tub and a private sleeping area, the villa-like suite pampers larger crowds or just those who like lots of space. Allow the concierge to schedule a private sound bath to enjoy en suite, courtesy of local wellness center The Lab. From $2,999. Contact Rhonda Drury, director of sales and marketing, reservations@nobuhotelchicago.com, +1 312 779 8888, chicago.nobuhotels.com Eye-poppingly design-centric, this fl ashy, all-glass skyscraper was designed by hero Chicago architect Harry Weese. It boasts far-reaching views that gaze toward the Chicago River, the Navy Pier and Millennium Park. Guests devoted to wellness can work out in the huge, state-of-the-art, penthouse fi tness center — or even better, they can reserve the Vitality Suite. Equipped with Kneipp water therapy features in the bathroom, the fi tness haven wows with a Wellbeing Wall, packed with gym equipment, a Peloton Bike, a water rower and a lineup of televised exercise programs. A refreshment center sates with infused water and superfood-packed, house-made snacks, while a crystal bowl sound bath recording, Lunya silk sleepwear (to take home) and pillow options (from Spelt to Swiss Stone Pine Shaving) ensure a good night’s sleep. From $12,000. Contact Brittany Robbins, area director of marketing & communications, created an ode to Art Deco with its 2021 re imagination of the landmark 1920s-era Carbide & Carbon Building, a pinnacle in the popular Loop neighborhood, near a slew of attractions. Studio Munge redesigned and reinvigorated the guest rooms, suites and hotel at large with contemporary appeal and old-world gravitas. With a youthful verve, the hotel displays an impressive artwork collection by both internationally renowned and local artists of many disciplines. Check into either of two Pendry Suites, one each on fl oors 35 and 36. Opening to approximately 1,000 sq ft, they’re sleeky furnished and designed to complement the urbane SWISSOTEL CHICAGO Vitality Suite brittany.robbins@swissotel.com, +1 506 388 6948, swissotel.com PENDRY CHICAGO Pendry Suite Keeping haute architecture at the forefront, Pendry

outdoor scenery. Enjoy a cocktail at Bar Pendry, where a Sunday afternoon Boozy Tea includes live entertainment by Chicago musicians. From $3,115. Contact James Winning, director of sales and marketing, james.winning@pendry.com, +1 312 777 9000, pendry.com

WALDORF ASTORIA CHICAGO Presidential Suite

For a little Paris in Chicago, sashay over to the 60-story Waldorf Astoria, cannily designed by architect Lucien Lagrange to echo the grand hotels of Paris in the 1920s. Locked into prime real estate in the exclusive Gold Coast neighborhood, the 215-room hotel spoils guests with such attributes as a 14,000-sq-ft spa and health club, 8,000 sq ft of meeting space and 24-hour room service. As the hotel’s crème de la crème, the 2,400-plus-sq-ft Presidential Suite occupies the 26th fl oor as elegantly as a Right Bank pied-à-terre. With two charcoal blue hued bedrooms, as well as a duo of bathrooms, two terraces and a fi tness room (out fi tted with athletic extravagances such as an Echelon Fitness Mirror), the lustrous home-away-from-home more than su ffi ces. Ever swanky, the nearly fi ve-decades-old Ritz-Carlton Chicago got swishier with its recent, monumental, $100m renovation — a stunning facelift for a Second City legend. On the Gold Coast, ensconced in Water Tower Place just steps from Lake Michigan, the hotel summons history at every turn — think: craft cocktails in the Club Lounge, art that showcases the city’s architectural history and views of the incomparable skyline from every window. So exclusive it cannot be booked online, the Presidential Suite, reimagined with a contemporary fl ourish by award-winning design fi rm BAMO, rises two fl oors by way of a curvy balustrade. While common areas and the commodious bedroom feel airy with views of Navy Pier, the charcoal marbled bathroom with its deep black soaking tub beckons as a hedonistic hideaway. From $10,000. Contact Lauren Johnson, travel industry sales manager, lauren.johnson@ritzcarlton. com, +1 312 573 3409, ritzcarlton.com From $15,000. Contact Judson Corrie, guest relations manager, judson.corrie@ waldorfastoria.com, +1 312 646 1300, waldorfastoriachicagohotel.com RITZ-CARLTON CHICAGO Presidential Suite