Why this building matters
Designed in 1928 by the celebrated firm Holabird & Root, the Chicago Motor Club Building is one of the Loop’s great Art Deco skyscrapers — and for decades it served the motoring public in the early age of the automobile. After sitting vacant, it was carefully restored and reopened as a hotel in 2015, preserving its showpiece lobby: a dramatic two-story space with a restored 1920s mural mapping the nation’s highways, and a vintage Ford Model A on display. It’s one of Chicago’s most charming examples of a landmark rescued through adaptive reuse.
Read the official Chicago Landmarks designation report → (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
- The lobby is the headline — a soaring Art Deco room with a restored mural of the U.S. highway system and a period Ford Model A, instantly transporting you to 1928.
- A quiet, central Loop address on Wacker Place, steps from the Chicago River, the Riverwalk, and Michigan Avenue.
- Genuine landmark character at an approachable price — a rare combination downtown.
What to keep in mind
- A 1928 tower: rooms are comfortable but on the compact side
- Brand-hotel rooms; the magic is in the historic public spaces
Best for Travelers who love Art Deco and want a genuine landmark stay without a luxury price — and anyone who’d enjoy a lobby that doubles as a little museum of the early automobile age.
Summary of guest reviews. Sources: Chicago Motor Club, Commission on Chicago Landmarks, Preservation Chicago. Photography courtesy of Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown/N Loop/Michigan Ave, used with permission. Details may change over time.