Why this building matters
What sets this hotel apart is its lineage. The same River North address opened in 2006 as The James Chicago, a pioneering design hotel, then reopened as the art-filled 21c Museum Hotel Chicago — part boutique hotel, part contemporary-art museum — and continues today, freshly renovated, as Hotel 55 Chicago Downtown. Few addresses in the neighborhood have carried so many of Chicago’s defining hospitality concepts under one roof.
Read Hotel 55 Chicago's history on Historic Hotels of America → (booking directly with the hotel doesn't generate a referral fee that supports our preservation work — the button at right does)
What guests are saying
What guests love
- A design-forward boutique with real character, recently refreshed inside.
- A prime River North address a block from the Magnificent Mile, galleries, and restaurants.
- Boutique scale and design in one of downtown’s most walkable neighborhoods.
What to keep in mind
- Recently rebranded — brand/operations are settling in
- A boutique conversion: room shapes and sizes vary
Best for Design-minded travelers who want a characterful boutique stay in the middle of River North, within easy reach of the Mag Mile and downtown attractions.
Summary of guest reviews. Sources: Hotel 55 Chicago Downtown, Commission on Chicago Landmarks, Preservation Chicago. Photography courtesy of Hotel 55 Chicago Downtown, used with permission. Details may change over time.