Editorial score of 8.7 of 10, the composite average of the three factors above (Rooms, Service, Location). Method at our methodology page. Affiliate disclosure: booking links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, and never change our verdict.
Is the Ace Hotel Chicago still open, and what changed?
The building is still very much open, but the Ace Hotel brand has left it. The 159-room property at 311 North Morgan Street was rebranded as The Emily Hotel under owner Onni Group, so the address, the concrete-and-glass architecture and the design-led boutique character carry on under a different flag. We keep the page here because guests still search for the Ace, but the honest answer to book against is The Emily. It sits in Fulton Market, the West Loop district that transformed over the last decade from a meatpacking corridor into the location of Google's Chicago offices and the city's most celebrated restaurant row along Randolph Street.
What makes it worth a look is the combination of neighbourhood and price. The Emily carries the lowest entry rate of the twelve Chicago hotels we rank, and it puts you at the doorstep of a dining scene the Magnificent Mile trophies would charge two or three times as much to be near. The building keeps its industrial character rather than smoothing it into a chain finish, the rooftop and the bars give it a genuine night-time draw, and the Morgan CTA station two minutes away links you to the Loop in minutes. This is a four-star lifestyle boutique rather than a full-service luxury hotel, so calibrate for personality and location over marble and turndown, and it delivers.
What are the best rooms to request?
Request a higher room away from the street and treat the neighbourhood as the amenity. The 159 rooms sit inside a concrete-and-glass building that keeps the raw, industrial feel of Fulton Market rather than hiding it, and the design leans into that material honesty with a pared-back, contemporary fit-out. Categories run from compact configurations up to larger rooms, and the value case is strongest a rung or two above the entry level, where the extra space makes the low rate feel generous rather than tight. Because this is a design boutique rather than a luxury flagship, the pleasure is in the character of the building and the quality of the neighbourhood at the door, not in a long list of in-room extras.
One honest caveat. This is a value-led boutique, so the entry rooms are efficient rather than expansive, and a building on a busy Fulton Market block can carry street and nightlife noise on weekends, which is worth planning around if you are a light sleeper. There is no spa and no pool, and the service model is friendly and streamlined rather than white-glove. Ask for a higher floor set back from the liveliest frontage, lean on the rooftop and the bars for your evenings, and the lowest rate on our Chicago list turns into one of its better deals.
Book a table at one of Randolph Street's celebrated kitchens before you arrive, then build the evening around a drink at Selva on the seventh floor and, in warm weather, the rooftop and its seasonal Rooftop Cinema Club. Use the Morgan CTA station two minutes away rather than a cab when you head into the Loop.
What is the dining and the bar scene like?
For a boutique this size, the food-and-drink programme is a real reason to book. Fora is the ground-floor restaurant, a globally inspired kitchen open from breakfast through brunch, lunch, happy hour and dinner, which makes it easy to start and end the day in the building. Up on the seventh floor, Selva is the cocktail bar, built around spins on the classics and a deep list of small-batch, family-owned mezcals and tequilas, a genuinely characterful spot for a pre-dinner drink. The rooftop lounge and garden is the property's calling card, and in the warmer months it hosts the seasonal Rooftop Cinema Club, screening cult favourites and classics under the sky. Step outside and Fulton Market's restaurant row does the rest, with the city's most celebrated kitchens a short walk in every direction.
Does it have a spa, pool or gym?
The Emily keeps its facilities light, in line with its lifestyle-boutique positioning and its low rate. There is a fitness centre for guests who want to keep a routine, but no spa and no swimming pool, so travellers building a stay around wellness should look elsewhere in the city. What the hotel offers instead is a strong social spine, the ground-floor restaurant, the seventh-floor bar and the rooftop, which together give it a livelier in-house scene than most hotels at this price. For a Fulton Market trip built around eating, drinking and the neighbourhood, that is exactly the right set of priorities.
Signature amenities
In the heart of Fulton Market
Fulton Market, West Loop · formerly Ace Hotel Chicago
What's nearby
- Randolph Street restaurant row
Fulton Market dining2 min walk - Morgan CTA Station
Green & Pink Lines2 min walk - Time Out Market Chicago
Food hall5 min walk - Google Chicago offices
1000 W Fulton Market5 min walk - The Loop
Downtown core15 min via CTA
The building, the rooms, the rooftop
Building
Design room
Rooftop
ForaHow does The Emily Hotel compare with Chicago's other boutiques?
Against the field, The Emily is the lowest-priced, most neighbourhood-led choice of the boutiques, and the comparison comes down to which district you want at your door. Soho House Chicago is the other West Loop option, a members' club that admits hotel guests, built around restaurant access and a rooftop pool. Virgin Hotels Chicago is the Loop pick, more polished and playful with the Commons Club bar and clever room layouts. Hotel Lincoln is the Lincoln Park alternative, quieter and greener, with a rooftop over the park. The Emily's own trade-off is that it is the most pared-back on facilities, with no spa or pool, which is exactly why it undercuts the rest.
| Hotel | Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Emily Hotel | Fulton Market design boutique | Dining scene, value, rooftop | No spa or pool; simplest rooms |
| Soho House Chicago | West Loop members' club | Restaurants, rooftop pool | Club-first, fewer rooms |
| Virgin Hotels Chicago | Playful Loop lifestyle | Bar scene, clever rooms | Loop empties after dark |
| Hotel Lincoln | Lincoln Park boutique | Park views, quiet, families | Further from downtown |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ace Hotel Chicago still open?
The building still operates, but the Ace Hotel brand has left. The 159-room Fulton Market property was rebranded as The Emily Hotel under owner Onni Group. It keeps the same address at 311 North Morgan Street and the same design-led boutique character under a different flag.
How many rooms does The Emily Hotel have?
There are 159 rooms across a design-led boutique in a concrete-and-glass building that keeps the industrial character of Fulton Market. The property carries the lowest entry rate of the Chicago hotels we rank, which is a large part of its appeal for a value-led city stay.
What are the restaurants and bars at The Emily Hotel?
Fora is the ground-floor restaurant, a globally inspired kitchen open from breakfast through dinner. Selva is the seventh-floor cocktail bar built around small-batch mezcals and tequilas, and there is a rooftop lounge and garden that hosts the seasonal Rooftop Cinema Club in the warmer months.
Where is The Emily Hotel located?
At 311 North Morgan Street in Fulton Market, the West Loop's dining and design district. Randolph Street's restaurant row is at the door, the Morgan CTA station is a two-minute walk, and Google's Chicago offices and Time Out Market are close by.
Is The Emily Hotel good for a solo or group trip?
Yes to both. Its creative Fulton Market energy and the restaurant density suit a solo traveller who wants a base with a point of view, while the rooftop, the bars and the neighbourhood's nightlife make it a strong pick for bachelor and bachelorette groups who want the West Loop rather than the tourist core.
Other luxury stays in Chicago
#6 · West LoopSoho House Chicago
#8 · LoopVirgin Hotels Chicago
#9 · Lincoln Park