The Best Hotels With Pools to Book in Chicago

Just a stone’s throw from the Magnificent Mile, Streeterville, the Navy Pier and Millennium Park, this stylish, pet-friendly hotel brings European sophistication to the River North neighborhood in Chicago. Once you’ve clocked some hours at the generous workspace in your room, chill on your private balcony or head to the indoor pool for a dip. Come nightfall, don’t miss the spy-themed onsite restaurant, SafeHouse Chicago, where your mission begins the moment you locate the red door and whisper the secret password.

Situated just steps from Navy Pier and close to popular attractions, including Millennium Park and the John Hancock Center, this luxurious hotel gives you the chance to experience the heart of the city – choose between suites with spectacular city skyline or lake views. If you’re looking for a Chicago hotel with a pool, know this one boasts a 75ft (23m) indoor lap pool, so you can get some lengths in during your stay.

Fitness fanatics, this is one for you, as a guest of this hotel in Chicago, you are an honorary member of its world-class athletic club. Enjoy access to a cornucopia of facilities, including a yoga studio, boxing gym, indoor and outdoor pools with lap lanes, golf simulators and 190 group fitness classes each week – it’s every gym bunny’s wildest dream. After an action-packed day, you’ll be ready to unwind in your boutique room; the hotel even boasts a suite designed by tennis legend Venus Williams.

Book a stay at the Royal Sonesta Chicago River North for a swim with a view. The heated, 17th-floor indoor pool will keep you snug on the rainiest of days, while floor-to-ceiling windows offer stellar views of the River North district. There’s also a rooftop sundeck for summertime lounging, where you can order creative cocktails from the onsite restaurant, CBR. Rooms are adorned with heavy crimson curtains and black-and-white pictures of old Chicago.

This reasonably priced stay in Oakbrook Terrace – 19mi (31km) from central Chicago – delivers everything you’d expect from the Hilton chain: big rooms, a friendly welcome and American restaurant classics served with a pint of beer. The indoor pool is small but heated and fairly quiet due to the remote location. There’s also a fitness center with free weights and treadmills.

Nestled among the sleek art galleries and nightclubs in the River North district, this Best Western comes with a modest, tucked-away pool. The hotel has 150 rooms which are decked out in tasteful greens and grays for a soothing night’s rest, and there are great views from the rooftop deck. Chow down on deep-dish Chicago-style pizza at the Pizzeria Ora restaurant.

It’s hard to know where to start with this opulent, 345-room hotel located next to Gucci and Louis Vuitton on Magnificent Mile. The marble-clad lobby is festooned with white calla lilies and artworks by Warhol and Matisse. Feather-soft terry cloth bathrobes come as standard, and the concierge can score tickets to even the most exclusive plays and musicals. The highlight, however, is the 50ft (15m) indoor pool lined with Romanesque-style columns and topped by dome-shaped skylights.

The leafy bohemian vibe of this boutique hotel reflects its location among the trendy warehouse restaurants in the West Loop. Kick back with a craft cocktail from the basement speakeasy, Lazy Bird, or a shakshuka brunch from Cira, the onsite cafe. The rooftop pool is less notable for its size than its eclectic teal-and-vermillion color scheme, large loungers and stellar skyline views.

Looming over the blossom-heavy Lake Shore East Park, this four-star hotel cuts a magnificent silhouette on the Chicago skyline with its undulating facade. It’s a theme which continues throughout, in the rooms’ curved balconies and the wavy armchairs in communal spaces. The indoor and outdoor pools are long and narrow, more suited to early morning laps than splashing around with the kids.

Modern luxe is the order of the day at this Gold Coast hotel clad in brass and geometric tiles. With metallic wallpaper art, triangular chaise longues and blue velvet curtains, the rooms live up to the high design standards set by the lobby. Chef Stephen Gillanders oversees the seasonal menus at Somerset, the upscale American restaurant on the first floor, and the rooftop pool boasts views over Lake Michigan.