The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Michigan Avenue Chicago

Four floors of terracotta Gothic Revival façade mark The Gwen's 1929 McGraw-Hill Building on North Rush Street, one block east of Michigan Avenue's retail corridor. The Luxury Collection property preserves the original carved stonework and ornate window surrounds while the interior runs to a contemporary palette of dark wood and burnished metal.

Rooms carry minibars, laptop safes, and deep soaking tubs; corner units face north toward the Chicago River bend. The ground-floor bar draws a post-theater crowd from the nearby Lookingglass and Chicago Shakespeare theaters. A fitness center and sun deck serve as the upper-floor amenities.

Rush Street places guests within a five-minute walk of the Art Institute's north entrance and the Millennium Park skating ribbon. Check-in runs contactless; the front desk is staffed around the clock.