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The Blackstone Hotel, a 1910 Marshall & Fox Beaux-Arts landmark on Michigan Avenue

The Blackstone

The 'Hotel of Presidents' — a 1910 Beaux-Arts landmark with a
restored ballroom, an Al Capone suite, and Grant Park views.

1910Marshall & FoxChicago Landmark 636 S. Michigan Avenue, facing Grant Park

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection. 1910, Marshall & Fox, 636 S. Michigan Avenue. Photo courtesy of The Blackstone, Autograph Collection.

The Blackstone entrance at night
The Blackstone's Beaux-Arts entrance illuminated at night. Photo courtesy of The Blackstone, Autograph Collection.
A lobby lounge at The Blackstone
A lobby lounge with a fireplace at The Blackstone. Photo courtesy of The Blackstone, Autograph Collection.
The grand staircase at The Blackstone
The grand staircase at The Blackstone. Photo courtesy of The Blackstone, Autograph Collection.
Skyline views from The Blackstone
Sunset over the downtown skyline from The Blackstone. Photo courtesy of The Blackstone, Autograph Collection.
A guest room at The Blackstone
A guest room at The Blackstone. Photo courtesy of The Blackstone, Autograph Collection.

Why this building matters

Completed in 1910 to the designs of Marshall & Fox, the Blackstone is a French Renaissance–inspired confection of limestone, brick, and a mansard roof on the Historic Michigan Boulevard District. Nearly every U.S. president from Theodore Roosevelt onward stayed here, and it was in a Blackstone suite during the 1920 Republican convention that the phrase “smoke-filled room” was coined. Named a Chicago Landmark in 1998, it was restored and reopened in 2008, today an Autograph Collection hotel.

Read more on The Blackstone's own history page → (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 genuine grande-dame landmark with Grant Park and lake views.
  • Layers of history — presidents, the Art Deco-era ballrooms, and a renowned art program.
  • A cultural-corridor location near the Art Institute, Auditorium Theatre, and Museum Campus.

What to keep in mind

  • A historic hotel — rooms vary in size
  • A busy Michigan Avenue stretch

Best for History lovers who want a landmark stay with presidential pedigree on the Michigan Avenue cultural mile.

Summary of guest reviews. Sources: The Blackstone Hotel, Commission on Chicago Landmarks, Preservation Chicago. Photography courtesy of The Blackstone, Autograph Collection, used with permission. Details may change over time.