Editorial score of 9.4 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.
Why is The Langham the top hotel in Chicago?
The Langham is our number one Chicago hotel because it puts the city's most generous service inside one of its greatest buildings and points the rooms straight at the river. The hotel opened in 2013 on floors two through thirteen of AMA Plaza, the former IBM Building, a 1971 Mies van der Rohe skyscraper at the bend of the Chicago River in River North. The Mies exterior is a masterwork of the International Style, and the Langham's warm interiors give it a hospitality the tower never had as a corporate address. Because the hotel sits low over the water rather than high above it, the rooms read the river bend at close range, framing the Riverwalk, the bridges and the Magnificent Mile in a way no higher hotel matches.
The building is only half of it. The Langham runs a staff-to-guest ratio among the most generous in American urban luxury, and it shows in the individual attention, the near-flawless housekeeping and a concierge team with real access to the city's hardest restaurant reservations. The rooms are among the largest in Chicago, the two-floor Chuan Spa is the most serious wellness facility in the city, and Travelle is a destination restaurant rather than a convenience. U.S. News ranks the Langham the top hotel in both Chicago and Illinois. For a business trip, an anniversary or a milestone weekend where a river-view room seals the occasion, it is the benchmark, and it earns the position.
What are the best rooms to request?
Request a high, north or east facing room and treat the river view as the whole point. The 316 rooms and suites are among the largest of any luxury hotel in Chicago, starting around 450 square feet and rising through a deep range of suites, and they are finished in warm greys and champagne tones with walnut vanities, floor-to-ceiling windows, deep soaking tubs and separate showers. The single most important booking decision is orientation, because the rooms that face the bend of the river deliver the signature Langham outlook over the Riverwalk and the bridges, while inward-facing categories at the same size look at the city grid instead. On the guest floors the water sits close below, so the view is intimate rather than distant, which is exactly what most guests remember.
One honest caveat. Because the Langham occupies the lower floors of AMA Plaza rather than the top of the tower, this is not a skyline-from-altitude hotel, and guests hoping for a bird's-eye panorama should set expectations for a close, ground-level river view instead. The interiors are polished and contemporary rather than storied, so travellers who want the carved plaster and period drama of a grande dame will find them calm and current. The one recurring guest quibble is that the wardrobe space runs modest. Book the highest river-facing category your budget allows and there is very little else to fault.
Ask for a room facing the river bend on the highest available guest floor for the Riverwalk and bridge view, and book a Chuan Spa slot for the morning after arrival. If you are celebrating, the concierge team can arrange afternoon tea at the Pavilion and handle champagne and flowers in the room, so give them your timing a day ahead.
What is the dining and afternoon tea like?
Dining is a reason to book, not an afterthought. The signature restaurant is Travelle Kitchen + Bar, a Mediterranean kitchen built around a glass-enclosed show kitchen and a bar that draws a River North crowd of its own, and it works equally well for a working breakfast or a long celebratory dinner. In the lobby, the Pavilion pours the Langham's signature afternoon tea, a brand tradition carried over from the London original and one of the most charming rituals downtown, with savoury bites and pastries served through the afternoon. Between the two, you can eat and drink well without leaving the building, which the surrounding River North and Riverwalk dining only extends.
Does it have a spa and pool?
Yes, and the wellness offer is the strongest in the city. The Chuan Spa is a two-floor, East-meets-West sanctuary built on traditional Chinese medicine principles, with a full menu of massage, acupuncture, cupping and facial treatments and a couples suite that is the most sophisticated in Chicago. On the fourth level there is a 67-foot indoor pool wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows, long enough for genuine laps and unusual for a downtown hotel, alongside a well-equipped fitness centre. The Chuan Spa is a real destination rather than a token facility, and it is the detail that most clearly separates the Langham from its rivals.
Signature amenities
At the bend of the Chicago River
River North · in AMA Plaza at the bend of the Chicago River
What's nearby
- Chicago Riverwalk
Riverside promenade1 min walk - Magnificent Mile
Michigan Avenue shopping5 min walk - Marina City
Landmark towers4 min walk - Millennium Park
The Bean & Pritzker Pavilion12 min walk - Art Institute of Chicago
World-class museum15 min walk
The tower, the rooms, the spa
Tower
River-view room
Chuan Spa
TravelleHow does The Langham compare with Chicago's other five-star hotels?
Against the field, the Langham is the river-view, service-and-spa benchmark, and the choice comes down to which view and which mood you want. Four Seasons Chicago is the Magnificent Mile alternative, higher up with lake views and the brand's reliably excellent service. Waldorf Astoria Chicago is the Gold Coast romantic, a restored 1928 Beaux-Arts building with Gucci Osteria on the ground floor. The Peninsula Chicago is the grand Michigan Avenue address with the best rooftop bar in the city. The Langham's own trade-off is that it sits low over the water rather than high above it, so it trades a skyline panorama for an intimate river outlook.
| Hotel | Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Langham Chicago | Riverfront Mies landmark | River views, spa, top service | Low floors, not a skyline view; premium rates |
| Four Seasons Chicago | Magnificent Mile classic | Lake views, consistent service | Set above a shopping tower |
| Waldorf Astoria Chicago | Gold Coast Beaux-Arts | Romance, dining, character | Fewer rooms, quieter setting |
| The Peninsula Chicago | Grand Michigan Avenue | Rooftop bar, big suites | Top-of-market rates |
Frequently asked questions
Is The Langham Chicago worth it?
Yes. It is routinely ranked the best hotel in Chicago and first in Illinois by U.S. News. It pairs a landmark Mies van der Rohe building at the bend of the river with river-facing rooms among the largest in the city, the two-floor Chuan Spa, Travelle dining and the most generous service in town. The trade-offs are top-of-market rates and a polished modern tone rather than historic drama.
When did The Langham Chicago open and which floors does it occupy?
The hotel opened in 2013 on floors two through thirteen of AMA Plaza, the former IBM Building, a 1971 Mies van der Rohe skyscraper at 330 North Wabash Avenue. The tower rises 52 stories, but the Langham occupies only the lower floors, with private offices above. Rooms look out over the river bend and the Magnificent Mile.
How many rooms does The Langham Chicago have?
There are 316 rooms and suites, among the largest of any luxury hotel in Chicago, starting around 450 square feet. They are finished in warm greys and champagne tones with walnut vanities, floor-to-ceiling windows and deep soaking tubs. A high, north or east facing room delivers the signature river view.
What dining, spa and pool does The Langham Chicago have?
Travelle Kitchen + Bar serves Mediterranean cooking from a glass-enclosed show kitchen, the Pavilion pours the Langham's signature afternoon tea, and the two-floor Chuan Spa is the most serious spa facility in Chicago, built on traditional Chinese medicine principles. There is also a 67-foot indoor pool on the fourth level.
Where is The Langham Chicago located?
At 330 North Wabash Avenue in River North, at the bend of the Chicago River, steps from the Riverwalk and the Magnificent Mile. Millennium Park, the Art Institute and Michigan Avenue shopping are a short walk, and the city's river architecture cruises depart moments away.
Other luxury stays in Chicago
#2 · Mag MileFour Seasons Chicago
#3 · Gold CoastWaldorf Astoria Chicago
#4 · Mag Mile