Hotel Spotlight
The Peninsula Chicago highlights the best of both the local community and its international heritage.
A bustling metropolis of iconic architecture, sport legendry, and an established culinary “style,” Chicago is a mecca for city-lovers to explore. The Peninsula Chicago, with its international flair, occupies coveted real estate along the Magnificent Mile, connecting you to everything you love about the Windy City.
The doormen in their stylish white uniforms and caps will be the first of many distinctions you will recognize as part of the Peninsula experience. The second will likely be The Lobby — not merely a “lobby”— but also a Michelin-star restaurant decked out in gold relief and five-story floor-to-ceiling windows. There they serve the celebrated Peninsula Afternoon Tea and a decadent chocolate buffet on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Taking up a full city block, the 339-room hotel boasts luxuriously spacious accommodations from the 531-square-foot Superior Room to the exclusive 3645-square-foot Peninsula Suite complete with a baby grand piano and wrap-around terrace. Custom Pratesi linens atop king-sized beds in each room exude elegance down to the last thread and with deckedout tablet technology at your bedside; the most exertion you’ll experience will be trying to justify leaving your room.
As with all other Peninsula properties, the Peninsula Chicago carries an air of Asian-luxury style and service that weds harmoniously with Chicagoan Midwestern hospitality. Savor a bamboo basket of freshly steamed dim sum traditionally stuffed with barbeque pork or shrimp while overlooking the city skyline from the Shanghai Terrace, one of four sumptuous dining options — the intercultural marriage bears epicurean delight.
Exchange the seductive orient with rustic farmhouse charm at Pierro Gourmet. The European style café offers a more comforting fare — hearty homemade soups and an assortment of Parisian pastries — paired with the sights and sounds of posh and pulsating Rush Street takes you from a morning café au lait to a crisp Sauvignon Blanc in the evening.
Carry temptation past dusk up to the rooftop terrace where the iconic view of Michigan Avenue is perhaps best paired with succulent foie gras bon bons or an exotic Shōjō cocktail tinged with cherry blossom and sake. Either choice is offered by the team of award winning chefs and mixologists at Z bar. The Peninsula Chicago’s newest lounge was designed for the wanderlust spirit with an immersive culinary experience with international flair.
On the 19th floor, natural light floods through 20-foot tall windows reflecting off the half-size Olympic swimming pool in spectral halos on the water’s surface. The pool area is just one compliment of the spa that also includes a relaxation lounge with fireplace, a fully equipped fitness center, and Sun Terrace with chaises for one of the best views of the city.
If you do venture out of this graceful haven to explore the city, it would only be fitting to do so Peninsula-style. Capitalizing on its expedient location, the Peninsula Academy offers unparalleled access to a number of cultural and historical experiences through several programs that cater to all ages. Encounter Chicago by helicopter, boat, and automobile with the Chicago By Air And Water program or score premiere seats to Broadway’s sold- out shows with the Exceptional Seats To Preferred Performances program. Nearly every program is chauffeured by the hotel’s bespoke BMW house car.
Though the location alone would make anyone feel a part of this expanding worldclass city, it is the simple elegance, attention to detail, familiarity of the crisp white uniforms, and attentive service that makes the Peninsula Chicago the premier choice in the second city. Peninsula.com