11 Hotels in Chicago Under $300 a Night
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With its incredible museums, beautiful Riverwalk, exceptional shopping, and gorgeous views, it's no surprise that Chicago is a popular destination for travelers, or that it's constantly at the top of our Readers' Choice Awards list for the best big city in the US. Directly on Lake Michigan, this city offers the best of both worlds: you can spend the morning at the lake shore, and the afternoon exploring the bustling city streets—shopping, taking pictures with The Bean, and hopping on the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier. There's a little something for everyone, whether you're a couple on a romantic trip, foodies in search of the best restaurant, kids who want to play in the Crown Fountain, or families interested in architecture.
Chicago has some pretty impressive hotels to boot. When it comes to picking a place to stay, there's no shortage of amazing choices, from penthouses with incredible views of the water to chic Airbnbs that have you questioning whether you should really just move to the Windy City. But visiting Chicago can be tough on your budget, once you start balancing the costs of lodging, airfare, food and drink, and activities. Luckily, there are plenty of affordable hotels in the city that offer all the great design and amenities you'd hope for, but are relatively more wallet-friendly. At the 11 spectacular properties below, you can find rooms for $300 a night or less, so you can put any extra money to good use on souvenirs, riverboat tickets, and delicious restaurants. From the Loop to Hyde Park, these are the best, most affordable hotels in Chicago.
How we choose the best affordable hotels in Chicago
Every hotel review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.
Christian HoranhotelViceroy Chicago
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Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024Set in the Gold Coast Historical District, the contemporary-chic Viceroy has a retro Chicago façade and midcentury furnishings within. Textures and patterns grab the eye, including an abstract headboard wall, a carpet that looks like a sand-hued topographic map, and—yes—quotes from Marcel Proust, reproduced on the lobby's 30-foot wall. You'll love the Southwestern-style throw pillows and teal curtains, which inspire tranquility at night, while the Nespresso machine serves a valued purpose in the morning. Don’t skip the onsite restaurant, Somerset, which serves modern Mediterranean and cocktails that blend old-world flavors with a fresh twist, such as the Olive Branch martini or Red Silk cocktail, with labneh-washed tequila, Campari, and pomegranate liqueur. —Elaine Glusac
Mike SchwartzhotelSable at Navy Pier Chicago, Curio Collection by Hilton
$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2022Named for a ship stationed at Navy Pier during World War II, Sable has the most enviable tourist location, anchored on the far end of the 3,300-foot-long pier, looking back at the city skyline. The glass exterior brings the outside into the building and cleverly quotes nautical design. Taking a cue from Lake Michigan, the hotel’s 223 rooms channel the Great Lake in a marine blue and whitecap color scheme with pale driftwood and sand tones in furniture and fixtures. Brass accents and curved lines channel classic ship design, and floor-to-ceiling windows flood the rooms with light. Navy Pier has not traditionally been a foodie destination, but the hotel upgrades your choices beginning with Lirica, the ground-floor restaurant that spills out onto the pier, serving pan-Latin surf and turf in dishes like frutos do mar, a rich tomato-based seafood stew, and lomo envuelto, which playfully riffs on your classic Wellington. Spread over a whopping 20,000 square feet, the rooftop Offshore is a scenic spot for a cocktail or mocktail, complemented by a covers-all-bases menu running from sushi and salmon poke to smoked wings and colorful flatbreads. —E.G.
citizenM Chicago Downtown hotelhotelcitizenM Chicago Downtown
$Hotels under the citizenM name have acquired a global fanbase for their commitment to affordable, elevated hotel stays incorporating joyfully offbeat touches—all situated in bustling neighborhoods that showcase a city’s best. The team’s Chicago location is no exception. Vibrant colors, high-tech features, and eye-catching, retro art capture the playful vibe of this property, which draws an international, discerning, and well-traveled crowd. Rooms may be small, but they’re mighty, carefully outfitted with guests in mind who are seeking the discovery of travel alongside the comforts of home; find it in these spaces with European cotton sheets, supremely fluffy pillows, soundproof windows, blackout blinds, and colored mood lights. All of this is just a short walk to some of the Loop’s best attractions, including Millennium Park and The Bean, Lake Michigan, the Art Institute, and the entertainment found throughout the Theatre District. —Nicole Schnitzler
Le Méridien Essex Chicago/Marriott InternationalhotelLe Méridien Essex Chicago
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2024From its airy midcentury-modern design to the unbeatable views of Chicago’s skyline and Lake Michigan, Le Méridien Essex Chicago fits all the cosmopolitan chic of the Windy City’s downtown into 14 compact stories. Seated just across from Grant Park, the hotel has prime accessibility to major must-dos in the city, being just a five-minute walk from Museum Campus and a 15-minute walk from the Art Institute of Chicago. Le Méridien Essex Chicago’s 274 guest rooms are filled with subtly elegant details such as the hidden speakers in the bathroom mirrors and custom Frette bathrobes. The thoughtfulness extends to every nook and cranny of the property— for instance, in the fitness center, guests can spin on Pelotons equipped with Hulu and Netflix. The in-house restaurant, Grant Park Bistro, serves New American classics with European panache—think charred broccolini risotto and Iberico pork skirt steak.
Bethany FritzhotelThe Publishing House Bed & Breakfast
$$This chic property is a millennial B&B with a personable team, contemporary loft setting, vintage decor, and a great location for exploring the West Loop dining scene. With clawfoot tubs, walk-in showers, and cozy bathrobes, the 11-room inn boasts many stylish amenities of a big hotel stay alongside the comforts of an intimate retreat. Inside, you'll find a combination of old bones—think exposed brick walls, wood floors, and sizeable windows—and fresh furniture, including platform beds, flea-market finds (like wall-mounted animal heads), and light-flooded windows. Guests are encouraged to hang out in the beautiful communal living area. You’ll discover plenty of dining options when venturing out—including a lively wine bar, The Press Room, in the basement of the building. —E.G.
Courtesy Joie de Vivre HotelshotelThe Talbott
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018Hidden in plain sight, the Talbott is discretion embodied, just steps off Michigan Avenue's bustling Magnificent Mile. Rooms are unfussy but inviting, and the intimate lobby lounge makes for a great escape from the crowds. Notable luxuries include plush bathrobes, bath amenities by Grown Alchemist, and Matouk linens. The intimate lobby lounge is a great place for that first cocktail of the evening. Its restaurant, Laurel, is open for brunch and dinner, with a crowd-pleasing Chicago-meets-Mediterranean menu—best savored on the popular curbside patio. —E.G.
George PapadakishotelThe Godfrey Hotel Chicago
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2024Within The Godfrey Hotel Chicago’s 16-story cubist framework are 194 guest rooms and 27 one-bedroom suites. The hotel is located in the River North neighborhood, which is the heart of Chicago’s arts scene. The Godfrey’s marble-clad, elliptical lobby and fourth-floor lounge area are equipped with custom-designed, digital touchscreen concierge boards, which allow guests to access up-to-the-minute information on weather, flight information, dining, shopping, and local happenings—all delivered directly to the guest’s cell phone at the push of a button.
Anthony Tahlier/Courtesy Virgin Hotels ChicagohotelVirgin Hotels Chicago
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Virgin Hotels' Chicago outpost is all about contrasts: It's buzzy in public and serene in private, and cheeky accents and a cherry-red color scheme contrast with the stately old bank building it calls home. At once clubby and retreat-like, there are loads of dining and drinking options: the ground-level Italian scratch kitchen Miss Ricky's, the rooftop bar and lounge, Cerise, which has great views of the city from its seasonal patio, and the coffee shop, Two Zero Three, perfect for grabbing a flaky pastry or caffeinated beverage. Their rooms, affectionately referred to as chambers, included so many small and charming surprises: a wool-upholstered wall with pockets for things like the TV remote, the cherry-red Smeg fridge, yoga mat, and minibar selections that, thankfully, don't come with exorbitant price tags. Pet-friendly rooms, meanwhile, come with a porcelain dog stationed in the hallway at the front door. —E.G.
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Alan ShortallhotelSophy Hyde Park
$$The University of Chicago, anchor of Hyde Park, serves as inspiration for the Sophy, a 98-room gem on the community’s lively commercial strip, walking distance to campus, the Museum of Science and Industry and, sometime in the near future, the Obama Presidential Center, now being built in nearby Jackson Park. The 44th president was a community organizer and teacher in the university law school before ascending to the highest office, and his presence, along with the other renowned Nobel laureates and MacArthur geniuses nurtured at the UC, are celebrated at Sophy. The hotel is hugely popular with UC prospects and their families touring the campus. Sophy’s large, light-filled suites are there for them with generous bathrooms and separate living areas with sleeper sofas. —E.G.
Courtesy Claridge House/Nicholas James FochtmanhotelClaridge House
$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020It's not easy to find peace and quiet around the Gold Coast, but Claridge House somehow manages to provide a calm oasis in the middle of one of Chicago's busiest neighborhoods. You can thank the hotel's fresh renovation, which transformed the 165-room property into a relaxing home away from home: warm gray walls and light features in the lobby, tastefully minimal rooms with cozy throw blankets, and a luxurious spa located on the second floor. And when you're ready to turn up the energy a few notches, you can simply step outside of the hotel to find museums and restaurants filling every street—plus the shores of Lake Michigan just 0.3 miles away.
Adrian Gaut/Freehand ChicagohotelFreehand Chicago
$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022Freehand Chicago is a find—it's good fun at a reasonable rate in the normally pricey River North neighborhood. The bunk rooms can fit up to four, but the private rooms are thrifty finds with lots of kitchy touches: colorful throw rugs, textile wall hangings, and pillows. A wooden credenza doubles as a desk, and for a bargain hotel, the rooms have seriously large TVs. Guests and locals flock to the café, where excellent coffee is served all day, and to the Broken Shaker, the hotel's stellar cocktail bar. The innovative cocktail creations here, which skew toward the vaguely tropical, include such unique ingredients as hibiscus-sage syrup, while bar snacks go clever-but-crowd-pleasing: think fish tacos, Cuban sandwiches, and mini churros with chipotle chocolate sauce. —E.G.
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