Athletic Association Hotel, Chicago
Expert reviews
“Gorgeously restored and imbued with a modern spirit of play, the Chicago Athletic Association captures many of the city’s most compelling attractions — architecture, history and food — under one handsome roof.”
“The Chicago Athletic Association Hotel is all dark wood, leather and retro-clubby public areas where whiskey glasses clink. It’s in the thick of downtown’s action — ace for business travelers and power sightseers. Playful touches like the Game Room keep things from getting too stuffy.”
What guests liked
- Excellent location
- Great neighborhood
- Rooftop bar
- Boutique style
- Comfortable beds
- Excellent Wifi
All you need to know
Located on 12 South Michigan Avenue in the popular Chicago Loop district, this four-star establishment provides the very best in accommodation and hospitality for tourists and travelers in the city. The hotel is located in a landmark building in the bustling Downtown area of Chicago. The hotel offers a wide range of splendor and spectacle including a high-spirited club atmosphere and a great view of the city skyline. The hotel is also located close to some of the notable buildings and famous places in the city; The Art Institute of Chicago is located 100 m away from the hotel while the world-renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra is just 300 m away from the hotel premises.
The rooms in the hotel are elegant and stylish featuring athletic style décor and modern furniture which makes the perfect home away from home for guests in the hotel. The hotel rooms are fitted with amenities that make for a comfortable stay such as a 42-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and a minibar.
The hotel rooms also provide luxury offering such as brass fixtures, Egyptian cotton linens, vintage athletic gear and warm color that gives the perfect touch of elegance.
The hotel has a grand ballroom that features 19th century stained glass windows and a modern fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment. The business center is designed to suit all the professional needs of guests in the hotel.
The guests in the hotel can enjoy several delicious cuisines served in the on-site restaurant.
Hotel deals & lowest price guarantee
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Location
Recent guest reviews
13 June 2025
Tiny room with view of a wall.
The food was good.
Menu was limited and pricey. Service was slow.
26 May 2025
Very poor
Location was great. Bellman was terrific.
Hotel manager and the concierge on Saturday evening were a disaster, giving me the wrong information about taxi service on Sunday.. Trying to book a room directly with the hotel rather than through a booking agent. Took me over 40 minutes to make contact even with a voice and then another 10 minutes to locate Central Hyatt reservation services. I'll not use Hyatt again
13 May 2025
Very disappointing
Location was great and vibe is very cool.
Terrible noisy room close to street level. Complained but wasn’t able to move us until the next night. They really should have comped our room but gave us nothing.
7 May 2025
Fairly underwhelming for the price
The location is great for tourist spots such as the aquarium, the art institute, skydeck and 360.
Overall we were pretty underwhelmed by the service (which was generally great in Chicago), the lack of room service on day 1 and the staff’s lack of interest. We wouldn’t choose to stay here again.
6 May 2025
Very expensive, not the best amenities, good for a dine out but not as a hotel
The phone in room wasn't working, had to call central reservations to be given property phone, kept calling from my cell phone until someone answered me just to be able to order my in room dining!!! Room 1013
6 May 2025
Exceptional
Modern bathroom, comfortable bed.
Rooms are expensive but conference was held in this hotel.
26 March 2025
Too hot, too loud and very uncomfortable bed
Location
Very uncomfortable bed
24 March 2025
Favorite hotel in Chicago
Might be my favorite hotel I’ve ever stayed in. The staff were SO attentive and kind. Our room was a little small, (corner king) but it was the perfect amount of space. There was a huge wardrobe to put our belongings in. The shower was a rain shower which I normally hate, but this one had great pressure.
I can’t think of a single thing I didn’t like. It was perfect!
17 March 2025
Great anniversary weekend
Location, history of the building, friendly staff
Beds and pillows are horrible
28 February 2025
very good - lovely place, next time I will ask for a room with a view
location was amazing
the pillows
6 February 2024
Fabulous
The place is iconic and historic. Very beautiful. Living history.
A little pricey. But it is Chicago.
1 January 2024
Wonderful
Great game room , bar , restaurant and shake shack
No coffee machine in room
25 December 2023
A historic gem in downtown Chicago
Location was great Such a historical building with great amenities including game room Restaurants and 2 bars Very nice room as well
Thermostat was difficult to control
20 December 2023
Nice place- but be prepared to be too warm in your room
Location was great- right across the street from art museum. Historic building with great hang out space.
Lighting was awful in guest rooms. Too hot and dry in the room. No counter space in bathroom for toiletries.
13 November 2023
It was a beautiful place to celebrate our "mini moon" after our wedding ceremony!
The staff at check-in was very friendly, and every part of the hotel was beautiful. We loved the view from our room! We also had a wonderful meal at Cindy's, and enjoyed visiting the balcony.
10 November 2023
Perfect for a short stay
a lot of options in the hotel for everything!
Room size was small, but very clean
5 November 2023
Great Location and Staff
Great location and staff. Nice rooftop bar/restaurant.
Rooms was little small and the lobby a bit dark.
23 October 2023
Pleasant
Public space
The rooms are small and there is barely any space to put your clothes, especially if more than one person is staying in the room.
21 October 2023
I’d definitely stay here again
Gorgeous accommodations and great location
A bit pricey, but you get what you pay for
16 October 2023
Fabulous
location
beds and pillows need an upgrade
10 October 2023
It was wonderful and would definitely stay there again.
It was a beautiful hotel, right in the center of everything. I was there for the marathon and it was in the perfect location. Really enjoyed my time there.
14 September 2023
An excellent stay for business travel in central Chicago.
The building is a masterpiece and well maintained. The rooms are wonderfully comfortable with good beds. The staff are excellent, very friendly and accommodating to guest's needs.
Many private events in the hotel keep significant areas of the hotel off limits to paying guests. While it's natural that private events are held in hotels, on each stay at the Athletic Association we have not been able to enjoy the Game Room in the evenings (usually about half of the time), and Cindy's was usually at least half closed. It would be nice to maintain these areas for the paying guests.
13 September 2023
Very good
Is beautiful hotel with a great location
I honestly do not mind paying for a high-end hotel. But I do not believe the prices meet Is the quality of the rooms you receive.
5 September 2023
A convenient location with great services for a mid-size wedding event.
Location was great. Staff was great, very helpful. Food was very good. We came for a wedding and all facilities, services and food were excellent.
Room and furniture in the room was a bit shopworn. The shower flooded the bathroom floor. The room wifi was okay but limited the number of devices on at one time, which made it difficult to manage who could be on at one time (there were four of us sharing the room). The lobby internet was abysmal, more like dial-up.
4 September 2023
Excellent
I love the interior decoration of the room and the vintage style the location was perfect being in the heart of downtown
I didn’t like how I wasn’t a priority at Cindy’s I was the 10mins early and forced away. When I returned 10mins later I was told by the same staff member that forced me away that they were fully booked
14 August 2023
Very good
Perfect location for sightseeing. Excellent view from rooftop bar
Parts of the hotel were under renovation
31 July 2023
Very good
Broken phone and shade in bedroom on arrival. Staff couldn’t fix either and nothing additional was offered to make up for the inconveniences for a “suite” having these issues on check-in
29 June 2023
It's all in the details
Every detail is considered. From the custom light fixtures to the thoughtful and hospitable doorman. I would come back anytime. Loved all the hooks in the bathroom and the custom cabinets and giant windows.
I was able to stay because of an online promotion. It was on the higher end of what my travel budget allows. But after having stayed at Palmer House -- similar budget -- I would come back again. My view wasn't great but not a deal breaker.
9 June 2023
Not your average hotel. This funky place o responsive staff and a
Liked breakfast and LOVED the “great hall.” The wait staff was a bit inexperienced, but they were uniformly responsive and eager. The “maid” for my room was WONDERFUL.
The room was awfully small; hotel prices in Chicago are very high.
24 May 2023
Nostalgic, cozy, playful full-service hotel a walk away from Chicago's amazing, diverse offerings.
Location was exceptional. Right on Michigan Avenue and the entrance to the park. Just blocks from Lake Shore Drive and the lake front and within walking distance of great cafes, bars, food, entertainment.
The rooftop bar was closed for a private event when we got there and no one told us even though we'd been trying to make reservations there for days. The front desk however, part of the property's excellent staff, did right by us, howeveer.
17 May 2023
I loved my stay!
I liked breakfast and its location a lot. The vegetarian quiche was especially delicious
The room was awfully small, though perfectly adequate. It was also marvelously clean!
21 April 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and would definitely be back.
I love the interior design of the room. It's cosy yet not too small. Love that the heat works well and that room service was superb! Just a ring and they would bring what you need in a jiffy. My favourite part of the stay was the breakfast area and the games room. I had so much fun with my friends just hanging out there. It was comfortable and welcoming.
Definitely the hot water tap. It only has really cold and then really hot. Difficult to predict.
14 April 2023
Over all we loved the hotel and will be back.
The room was great, although the "view" was of the hotel's interior brick walls. The location was the best we've stayed at in Chicago. The hotel facilities (bars/restaurants/game rooms) were very nice.
The AC wasn't working, and the shower glass didn't prevent water from flooding the bathroom floor.
12 April 2023
Full of character and charm this hotel offers contemporary comfort with a nod to the past
Exciting contemporary room design that pays tribute to the building's historic past as an atheletic association from a bygone era. Rooms were quiet and very comfortable. Great location near cultural sites, Millenium Park, public transit, and good restaurants.
The common areas in the hotel's lobby got crowded in the evenings and were noisy--from the photos on the website I expected a cozy quiet setting. You need advance reservations for the rooftop restaurant, we hadn't realized this and were not able to get a table. Given that the rooftop is a major selling point for staying at this hotel I was sorry that guests were not prioritized.
10 April 2023
Neat place... Bars closed too early
Decor and comfort of the room was cool
The fact that Cindy's and ALL the hotel bars wouldn't serve us a drink before 11 pm. It said Cindy's closed at 11 pm and we couldnt get an elevator up there to toast my birthday. Which was real bummer!! :(
6 April 2023
This hotel was awesome and we will totally come back.
We had a problem with our first room not being up to a sanitary standard and the staff immediately switched our room with no issue. They were extremely willing to make this a great stay. We loved the game room and it was great to have Shake Shack, a cafe, and the roof top bar all in one!
The shower did not have a door that closed, making the floor extremely slippery/wet. A bit of a safety hazard!
4 April 2023
Pleasant, helpful staff. Good location with tons of character
Central location, easy access by public transport, friendly and helpful staff
Nothing - it was not the fanciesst room I havfe stayed in but it was clean and had character
29 March 2023
lovely building and location.
love the location and amenities
the breakfast package turned out to be over complicated and contains hidden taxes and charges. rooms are also rather noisy certain nights due to loud music played at what I would presume are the bars in the hotel.
3 March 2023
Beautiful architecture, prime location
Its absolutely stunning. Plenty of on-site activities to explore.
Some of the rooms are quite dated and we had a view of other buildings.
17 January 2023
Staff is spectacular.
There were several food options on the premise: Breakfast/tea; Shake Shack (quick bite); lobby area for eating; game room (socializing & food); full fledge sit down restaurant. Although all those spaces are casual, the service was really terrific, both attentive and efficient. The spaces are very open so a little on the noisy side, but everyone -- both servers and customers -- are relaxed so that the overall experience is really very positive.
Soundproofing could be better in the rooms. Definitely heard when people were talking in the hallway. Also, the shower specifically. It is a rainshowerhead so there is no angling it and the partition is shallow so that a shower is somewhat chilly. Tub is very deep. But ventilation in the bathroom is excellent, so there isn't a fogged up mirror or a huge puff of steamy air that releases into the room.
8 December 2022
Ticked off all the boxes
The location was perfect for what we had planned...taking in the lights along Michigan Ave, visiting Starbucks Reserve Roastery, walking to Daly Plaza for Christkindlemarket and shopping. The view from our room was nice (Millenium Park view) and the ambience of the lobby and the fireplaces was very relaxing. Oh, and the bed...best sleep ever...very comfy. Christian at the front desk was also very nice and professional when we checked in.
Felt a bit of uncertainty...was the water in the room complimentary? (yes). If I open up the slippers will I be charged? (no). Why was there just 1 robe in the closet? (we're a couple paying $$$ for a room with a view)...Can I enjoy the fireplaces without ordering a drink or food? (still unsure, but took advantage of hanging out by the fireplaces anyway).
6 December 2022
wonderful holiday weekend!
great location, super clean, excellent amenities!
my only complaint is that our room was so hot! we had to turn off the heat and open the window but it never got below 71 degrees in the room. however I find this is a problem everywhere in Chicago. it’s so cold outside so you bundle up and then every establishment keeps the heat at like a million degrees so it’s just an ongoing battle
21 November 2022
Very good
friendly atmosphere
10 November 2022
Good location but to many private events so bar/dining closed ..
Breakfast superb as we staff but the hotel is dark - except for the rooftop bar. Food at the hotel is good but the dining is all separate from the hotel itself ..
Turn some lights on and get a better sound system for reception area. However biggest gripe no late bar for residents and private functions so games room closed and rooftop closed to residents ..meaning reception area only public .. !
27 October 2022
was really great! breakfast delicious and next to the most important turistic points.
silenciosa limpa modernizada
pequena
11 October 2022
Great location, frustrating hospitality
The building is fantastic and the location cannot beaten. Most of the staff are great and super helpful. The rooms are comfortable and the facilities on the face of it are good.
The hotel has great bars but you have to book them in advance. Cindy's is amazing if you can get into it but good luck with that, even as a guest all I was offered was waiting list. All weekend almost every bar or restaurant was booked out for an event so in the end the only meal I was able to have there was breakfast. Its a shame as the restaurants and bars look great.
16 September 2022
fall stay in Chicago
magnificent building in a great location for business and exploring downtown Chicago
difficult to make quick reservations for the conference rooms thus business is not as seamless as many competing hotels.
22 August 2022
Great place to stay on our first trip to Chicago
beautiful hotel, helpful staff, great location
15 July 2022
very happy
location, staff, rooms
bath was leaking and they had no solution
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Breakfast in the room
- - Special diet menus (on request)
- - Coffee house on site
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Lift
- - Safety deposit box
- - Heating
- - Allergy-free room
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Pet bowls
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
- - Business centre
- - Fax/photocopying
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Express check-in/check-out
- - Luggage storage
- - ATM/cash machine on site
- - Concierge service
- - Private check-in/check-out
- - Invoice provided
Activities
- - Fitness centre
- - Games room
- - Billiards
- - Entertainment staff
- - Evening entertainment
- - Fitness
- - Bicycle rental
Outdoors
- - Terrace
Cleaning services
- - Laundry (additional charge)
- - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
- - Daily housekeeping
Miscellaneous
- - 24-hour security
- - Security alarm
- - Smoke alarms
- - Face masks for guests available
23 June 2025
We loved this historic property walking distance from the Loop, South Loop, Mag Mile and Mill. Park.