The neon-pink sign beaming above Lake Shore Drive says it all: The Drake. Few hotels are as audacious. And fewer are as storied (it has a spot on the National Register of Historic Places).
Sitting atop the Magnificent Mile’s north end, The Drake epitomizes old-school Chicago luxury with its top-notch amenities and regal design, unchanged since the hotel opened on New Year’s Eve 1920.
Guests wanting a taste of “real Chicago” can head down to the ground-floor arcade and stop by the Coq d’Or, the second lounge to open after Prohibition was repealed, or visit the Cape Cod Room, the venerable seafood restaurant where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe once etched their names into the bar.
A Chanel boutique sits across from the Cape Cod for those “Joes” in need of a last-minute anniversary gift.
Guest rooms, elegant with an Old World charm, offer custom-made furniture and some spectacular views of Lake Michigan to the north.
The Drake
Neighborhood: Gold Coast
140 E. Walton Place
Chicago, IL 60611
312-787-2200 thedrakehotel.com
Getting there
Cross streets: Walton and Michigan
Public transportation: CTA Bus: 145-Wilson/Michigan, 146-Marine/Michigan, 147-Outer Drive Express, 151-Sheridan
Parking: self and valet
Wheelchair access
The basics
Prices start at $179 a night, excluding taxes
Floors: 12
Rooms: 535
Hotel amenities: Ballrooms (two), meeting rooms (20), restaurants and bars/lounges (five), 24-hour business center, 24-hour fitness center
Room amenities: Flat-screen television, work desk, minibar, coffee maker, in-room safe
Features
Room service, turndown service, pets allowed, Wi-Fi available (free in common areas); shopping nearby
