Historic hotels in the Magnificent Mile

The Magnificent Mile — the stretch of North Michigan Avenue between the river and Oak Street — is Chicago’s showcase boulevard of shopping, landmarks, and luxury. The Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, and the historic Water Tower all stand along or near it, and the hotels here range from five-star towers to refined boutiques.

Guests are steps from flagship stores, the riverwalk, and the lakefront, in one of the most recognizable settings in the city.

Several of these buildings began as something else entirely. The InterContinental was built in 1929 as a private club for Shriners, and the pool where Johnny Weissmuller trained before playing Tarzan is still there. The Warwick Allerton put its Tip Top Tap in the penthouse, a 1940s haunt of Sinatra and the Rat Pack made famous by the radio show that broadcast from it. The Gwen is named for Gwen Lux, the sculptor who carved the Art Deco panels on its facade and one of very few women working in architectural sculpture at the time.