A family vacation is enjoyable, but that is only its outcome.
Planning can be complex, especially when you’re looking for a place to stay that’s kid-friendly and yet allows you to unwind after a long day of excellent parenting.
But you deserve it, after all.
Chicago, the third-largest state in the union, has won Conde Nast’s “Best Large City in the US” award every year for the past three years.
The “Heart of America” is a fantastic destination for family vacations thanks to its wealth of museums, outdoor activities, and beaches, as well as its retail malls, entertainment districts, and great restaurants and bars.
Here are my top recommendations for family-friendly hotels in Chicago to help with travel planning.
Your family’s trip to Chicago can be even more enjoyable and relaxing by staying at one of these hotels, which provides many family-friendly features and services.
- Hilton Chicago — South Loop
So, where can a family stay in Chicago?
With the Hilton, it’s all about luxury – not just in Chicago but anywhere else in the world.
The hotel’s location is excellent; it is close to Grant Park, the city’s greenling, the Shedd Aquarium, the Art Institute, Chicago’s famed “front yard,” and other cultural sites. The hotel provides guests roomy two-bedroom suites.
You can relax in the beautiful indoor pool or try to beat your previous best on the indoor running track.
Sunbathing and relaxing on the Hilton’s expansive rooftop deck throughout the summer is a particular delight.
- Four Seasons Hotel — Magnificent Mile
The Four Seasons in Chicago is a kid-friendly hotel with exquisite accommodations and is a short distance from the Magnificent Mile.
The hotel is a big hit with families because of its fantastic amenities for parents, such as the hotel’s world-class spa, as well as its beautiful facilities for kids, like pizza-making lessons.
They even have a storyteller who will read bedtime stories to your children and an ice cream man who will bring in sundaes for the small ones who have behaved well.
You can turn this into a kid-friendly wonderland by adding the hotel’s toys, snacks, and kid-sized robes.
Both adults and children may enjoy the fantastic pool at the Four Seasons.
- InterContinental Chicago — Magnificent Mile
The InterContinental, one of the numerous plentiful options on the Magnificent Mile, is in a great position, with many entertainment and cultural options nearby.
Visitors can take advantage of the various local attractions or take a trolley to see Navy Pier or Millennium Park.
Additionally, the hotel has a Junior-Olympic-sized indoor pool that is heated, so you can swim leisurely or vigorously as you please.
- Swissotel Chicago — The Loop
The Swissotel is one of the top family-friendly hotels in Chicago, despite being a little costly.
The hotel pampers your little ones with its “Kids’ Suites” and Very Import Kid (VIK) check-in room, complete with a space for playing, coloring, and reading.
These adjacent, independent rooms are filled with kid-sized furniture and many kid-friendly goods.
If this flurry of activity hasn’t worn out your kids, take them to the penthouse’s heated indoor pool for some aquatic fun.
- Residence Inn Downtown — River North
If you want to explore Chicago extensively or just want to relax with your family and unwind, the Residence Inn is a fantastic spot to stay.
This all-suite hotel is located on the Magnificent Mile, so visitors can choose between relaxing in the lovely rooms with full-size kitchens or taking in the local sights.
The hotel’s extended guests are welcome to use the complimentary grocery delivery service or stop at the on-site market for a quick snack.
From Monday through Thursday, the hotel also holds an evening reception where guests can enjoy free drinks.
Additionally, they offer free hot breakfasts.
- Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown — River North
No matter where you look, you’ll find the Hampton Inn and Suites while looking for decent family hotels in Chicago.
In addition to being ideally situated north of the Loop, the hotel offers complimentary Wi-Fi and breakfast to its customers.
Visit one of the numerous parks in the area with the kids for a fun-filled day, or swim in the heated indoor pool at the hotel.
- Homewood Suites Downtown — Magnificent Mile
Due to its large indoor pool, kid-friendly lobby with cider and chocolate, and family suites, the Homewood Suites make a great family pick.
A fully furnished kitchen and separate living and sleeping areas are included in each suite.
Visitors can take advantage of the free grocery delivery service and have a family dinner in their suites, or they can visit the adjacent restaurants to sample some of the regional cuisines of Chicago.
Thanks to the hotel’s excellent position on the Magnificent Mile, spend the day exploring the many retail centers, cultural landmarks, and nearby museums.
- Embassy Suites Downtown — River North
The Embassy Suites is a fantastic family-friendly hotel with a pool only a short distance from the city’s leading attractions.
Families can have an excellent complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and a luxuriously comfortable stay in the hotel’s two-room suites.
The hotel also holds an evening reception where guests can enjoy complimentary refreshments and drinks.
After a long day of sightseeing, return to the hotel to relax in the heated indoor pool or whirlpool.
Could the day have ended better? I disagree.
- Best Western Plus River North — River North
For your money, you receive a lot of value.
You may park for free at the hotel, and because of its excellent location, you’re right in the middle of the downtown celebration.
On the Magnificent Mile, you can spend hours shopping your heart out or travel a short distance to the Navy Pier by free trolley.
The hotel features a lovely indoor pool for adults and children.
Families can choose between the ordinary rooms and the suites, the latter of which is the more considerable choice and has a separate living area.
- Loews Chicago Hotel
One of the forerunners of family-friendly travel, the Loews chain was among the first to provide a full-fledged kids’ program and family-friendly amenities long before rivals even contemplated the idea.
The hotel offers services like child-proofing kits for families with children under four years old through the “Loews Loves Kids” program, in addition to other specially designed family packages.
The Loews Chicago Hotel’s prime location in the heart of the action, across from the Magnificent Mile, and proximity to other popular destinations like Millennium Park, Navy Pier, River Walk, and the Art Institute only serve to increase its attractiveness.
Families can also take advantage of the hotel’s year-round “Urban Explorer Family Package,” which combines a scavenger hunt through the city with a visit to its top attractions.
Along with the bundle, they also offer a fascinating “adventure kit” with items like water bottles, backpacks, compasses, and sunglasses so you can channel your inner Christopher Columbus!
- Fairmont Chicago at Millenium Park — Downtown
Where to stay in Chicago with kids? The Fairmont Chicago, located in the city’s downtown, is a wise choice.
The hotel is open all year and closes to popular attractions, including Millennium Park.
Wintertime offers special discounts and packages for ice skating at the nearby Maggie Daly Park. In contrast, summertime provides packages for the Shedd Aquarium and a gourmet picnic in Millenium park that your wallet will appreciate.
For children and adults, the holiday season at the Fairmont is magical. The hotel goes all out, offering enjoyable events like the Kids Cookie Camp, organized by the hotel’s chief chef and employees.
Families can stay in the hotel’s family suites, which provide separate rooms for the parents and children.
The hotel even offers cribs and dependable and effective babysitting service to guests who need them.
The cherry on top is that young kids under five can eat for free off the hotel’s kids’ menu, and older kids between the ages of six and eleven can do so for half off the regular menu.
- Omni Chicago Hotel — Magnificent Mile
The Omni Chicago Hotel is challenging to match because of its recent renovations and superb location.
The Omni Chicago, the only all-suite hotel to grace Michigan Avenue, offers something to offer every family member, no matter their age.
The hotel’s suites are tastefully decorated, with traditional French doors dividing a parlor from a bedroom.
Even some suites have sofa beds for guests to use as extra beds.
The hotel is ideally situated in an area with fantastic dining, shopping, and sightseeing options. They even have an “American Girl” package with tons of extras, a massive hit for the brand’s customers.
The family can go food shopping with renowned chef Gordon Ramsey at the farmers’ market for all those aspiring Michelin-star cooks.
But there’s more.
With Gordon Ramsey, return to the hotel and have him prepare supper for you.
You can spend the leisurely days lounging in the hotel’s fantastic pool or climbing up to the sundeck on the fifth level.
The hotel’s 676 restaurant offers a delicious Midwest American breakfast buffet for children; the buffet is free for children under five.
- Great Wolf Lodge, Illinois
With 80,000 square feet of the water park (wave pool, family slides, toddler-specific water play area, outdoor oasis, pool, and cabanas), an adventure park (the Great Wolf Adventure Park) complete with climbing walls, rope courses, and an arcade, and more than enough eateries to satisfy any eater, there is no end to the activities that will keep your family entertained at the Great Wolf Lodge.
The hotel has 13 suite options, including kid-friendly Wolf Den and KidCabin apartments with bunk beds.
Families can also choose one of the hotel’s fantastic multi-bedroom family suites.
Check out all 8 of the hotel’s restaurants, including Barnwood.
The food at this sophisticated restaurant is prepared using only locally sourced products, offering a distinctive farm-to-fork dining experience.
The restaurant’s selection of wines, specialty drinks, and craft brews will satisfy the parents, while the delicious meal will keep the kids happy.
- Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago — Downtown
Last but not least, the Radisson Blu won my heart for its stunning setting, affordable rates, and first-rate amenities and for being pet friendly.
Giving a pet a home away from home is like giving up a family member. Therefore, extra props to Radisson Blu for being the considerate establishment it is. Despite not being pet-friendly, the hotel is close to places like Millenium Park and the Magnificent Mile.
The rooftop pool will no doubt be a hit with the youngsters, while parents can relax by the pool and take in the city’s unique cityscape.
In addition, the hotel has cabanas, a running track, a yoga room, an indoor pool, hot tubs, and fire pits.
A weekend afternoon tea and a quick laundry service (3 hours only) are also available to guests.
Booking the Kids Kamping Package will transform your hotel room into a campsite, complete with a tent, sleeping bag, and camping activities as the kids go on a camping vacation.
The year-round offer includes M&Ms, popcorn (enough for 4), family movie choices, a special kids’ breakfast (for two kids) and breakfast for adults (for two adults) each morning at the hotel’s Filini Restaurant, as well as one night of valet parking (1 car).
Final Thoughts
Remember, this isn’t a comprehensive list; it’s just a compilation of the author’s personal preferences and observations about which Chicago hotels offer children the most pleasing family holiday experience.
All the hotels included are renowned for their top-notch kid-friendly amenities and exciting family packages with activities for everyone from the tiniest infant to grandpa and grandma.
Choose the type of vacation you want and book a stay at one of these family-friendly hotels in the “City of Big Shoulders”: leisurely or energetic, affluent or modest, in the center of things, or out in the country.
