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HI Chicago, the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Hostel, in a renovated 19th-century Loop building

HI Chicago Hostel

George F. Kimball Building1886Treat & Foltz 24 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, in the Loop

HI Chicago Hostel. George F. Kimball Building, 1886, Treat & Foltz, 24 E. Ida B. Wells Drive. Photo courtesy of HI Chicago Hostel.

The columned lobby of HI Chicago
The columned lobby of HI Chicago. Photo courtesy of HI Chicago Hostel.
A dormitory room
A dormitory room. Photo courtesy of HI Chicago Hostel.
The common lounge
The common lounge. Photo courtesy of HI Chicago Hostel.
The historic building at Ida B. Wells Drive and State
The historic building at Ida B. Wells Drive and State. Photo courtesy of HI Chicago Hostel.
Grant Park and the Loop nearby
Grant Park and the Loop nearby. Photo courtesy of HI Chicago Hostel.

Why this building matters

One of the largest hostels in the United States, HI Chicago opened in its current home in 2000 after a thorough renovation of a late-19th-century building, where doric columns and tall windows still give the lobby real character. Run by the nonprofit Hostelling International, it offers dependable, sociable, low-cost lodging — dormitory beds alongside some private rooms — with a café, free walking tours, and a hard-to-beat central location.

What guests are saying

What guests love

  • An unbeatable price for a central Loop address a block from Grant Park, a 10-minute walk to the Art Institute.
  • A sociable, well-run hostel with a café, common spaces, and free walking tours.
  • Genuine period character in the renovated 19th-century building’s columned lobby.

What to keep in mind

  • A hostel — mostly shared dorm rooms and bathrooms
  • Lively and social rather than quiet or luxurious

Best for Budget, solo, and younger travelers who want a sociable, central base and don’t mind shared, dorm-style lodging.

Summary of guest reviews. Sources: HI Chicago Hostel, Commission on Chicago Landmarks, Preservation Chicago. Photography courtesy of HI Chicago Hostel, used with permission. Details may change over time.