Chicago has one of the great urban waterfronts in the world, and the Riverwalk puts you right in the middle of it — architectural boat tours launching a few steps from your hotel door, restaurant terraces hanging over the water, the skyline reflected in the river at dusk. The hotels along this stretch run from intimate boutique properties to soaring five-star towers, but what they share is that downtown-core location that makes the whole city walkable from the moment you check in. Here are the best luxury options right on the Riverwalk.
Table of Contents
Chicago Riverwalk Hotels
| 1. The Langham Chicago Best Spa on the Riverwalk Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: 5-minute walk to the Riverwalk, River North Guest Reviews: Deep soaking tubs with river views, Chuan Spa treatments, Travelle riverside dining, Blissful Beds Best Room: Club Suite, 1 Bedroom, River View Price: From USD $350 – $900 per night |
| 2. Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago Highest Floors Above the River Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: Steps from the Riverwalk, River North Guest Reviews: Floor-to-ceiling river views, full kitchen in suites, Terrace 16 outdoor terrace, 75-foot indoor pool Best Room: Grand Deluxe One Bedroom Suite With River View Price: From USD $250 – $900 per night |
| 3. The Westin Chicago River North Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: On the Riverwalk, River North Guest Reviews: 320 RiverBar outdoor patio, Heavenly Beds, Kamehachi sushi, 20th-floor Club Lounge Best Room: Deluxe King Suite River View Price: From USD $165 – $550 per night |
| 4. Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel Best Rooftop River View Bar Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: Directly opposite the Riverwalk, Chicago Loop Guest Reviews: Raised rooftop bar, river views, Staytion Market bar, indoor pool, marble bathrooms Best Room: Executive Suite, 1 Bedroom, River View Price: From USD $175 – $600 per night |
| 5. LondonHouse Chicago, Curio Collection by Hilton Chicago’s Only Tri-Level Rooftop Bar Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: Corner of Michigan Avenue and the Riverwalk, Chicago Loop Guest Reviews: Tri-level rooftop bar, river and Magnificent Mile views, 21st-floor cupola terrace, spa credit included Best Room: Vista Suite Price: From USD $120 – $550 per night |
| 6. Hyatt Regency Chicago Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: 4-minute walk to the Riverwalk, Chicago Loop Guest Reviews: Stetsons steak and sushi, BIG Bar city views, farm-to-table American Craft Kitchen Best Room: Junior Suite, River View Price: From USD $115 – $700 per night |
| 7. Swissotel Chicago Best Panoramic River and Lake Views Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: On the Riverwalk at the river-lake junction, Chicago Loop Guest Reviews: Triangular all-glass tower, 43rd-floor penthouse gym, river and lake panoramas, Palm steakhouse Best Room: Skyline Duplex Suite Price: From USD $145 – $700 per night |
| 8. Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown Closest Hotel to the Riverwalk Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: 1-minute walk to the Riverwalk, Chicago Loop Guest Reviews: Hoyt’s river view dining, Art Deco architecture, steps from Riverwalk, pillowtop beds Best Room: Superior Suite, 1 King Bed, River View Price: From USD $150 – $600 per night |
| 9. Loews Chicago Hotel Best Lake Michigan Suite Views Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: 8-minute walk to the Riverwalk, Streeterville Guest Reviews: Streeterville Social rooftop, Lake Michigan views, 75-foot indoor pool, floor-to-ceiling corner windows Best Room: Lake View Suite Price: From USD $150 – $650 per night |
| 10. Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk Only Hotel with Its Own River Dock Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Location: On the Riverwalk, Streeterville Guest Reviews: Shula’s Steak House, river and lake views, indoor pool sun deck, own boat dock Best Room: Executive Suite, 1 Bedroom, Non Smoking, Lake View Price: From USD $175 – $600 per night |
Why the Chicago Riverwalk Changes How You Experience the City
Most cities keep their waterfronts at arm’s length — a scenic detour rather than the beating heart of daily life. Chicago did the opposite. The Riverwalk runs 1.25 miles along the south bank of the Chicago River through the downtown core, with restaurants, kayak rentals, boat tour docks, public art, and open-air bars spilling right to the water’s edge. When your hotel sits directly on or within a short walk of it, the city organises itself differently. You can step outside and be on an architecture cruise in ten minutes, grab a riverside table for dinner without hailing a cab, and watch the skyline light up from a terrace that costs nothing to reach. It is the best vantage point in Chicago, and staying close to it makes the difference between seeing the city and actually being inside it.
The Loop vs River North: Which Side of the River Suits You
The Riverwalk hotels split roughly into two zones, and the difference is worth knowing before you book.
- The Loop — the south bank, anchored by properties like the Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown, Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, Hyatt Regency Chicago, and Swissotel Chicago. This is the city’s financial and theatre district. It’s quieter at night, closer to Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago, and tends to attract a mix of business and leisure guests. If you’re here to see the major cultural sights or attend a show, the Loop side gives you a slightly calmer base without sacrificing Riverwalk access.
- River North — the north bank, where The Langham Chicago, Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, The Westin Chicago River North, and LondonHouse Chicago sit. River North is livelier after dark, with a dense concentration of restaurants, rooftop bars, and galleries within walking distance. It’s the better choice if nightlife and dining variety matter as much as the riverfront itself.
The Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk and Loews Chicago Hotel sit in Streeterville, slightly east — closer to Navy Pier and the lakefront, with a slightly different pace than either the Loop or River North.
What the Chicago Riverwalk Actually Offers
The Riverwalk is divided into named sections, each with a different character.
- The Marina — between State and Dearborn streets, this is the hub for boat tours. The Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise departs nearby, and Wendella Boats launches from the Michigan Avenue Bridge dock. This stretch is typically the liveliest, especially on summer evenings.
- The Cove — a calmer stretch ideal for kayaking. Urban Kayaks rents from here, giving you a low-angle view of the towers that no boat tour matches.
- The Jetty — floating gardens and wetland installations, with open seating and a quieter atmosphere suited to an early morning walk.
- The Marina City section — the stretch in front of Bertrand Goldberg’s famous corn cob towers, with some of the Riverwalk’s best al fresco dining options clustered nearby.
Boat tours are the single activity most worth booking in advance during peak season. The Chicago Architecture Center cruise (departing from the DuSable Bridge dock) is the most educational, with trained volunteer guides covering over 40 buildings. Wendella offers a lake-and-river combo for a wider perspective. Both fill quickly on summer weekends, so booking the night before from your hotel is sensible.
When to Book — and When to Avoid
- May to September is when the Riverwalk fully activates — outdoor terraces open, kayak rentals run daily, and the Sounds of the Riverwalk free concert series runs June through October. Hotel rates peak in July and August, particularly on weekends. Book at least six to eight weeks ahead for this window.
- St. Patrick’s Day weekend (typically the Saturday before March 17) is one of Chicago’s biggest events of the year. The Plumbers Union dyes the river emerald green — watched best from Upper Wacker Drive and the bridges over the river. Hotels within walking distance sell out months ahead and rates spike sharply. If you’re coming for the green river, book as early as possible. If you’re not, consider avoiding the weekend entirely.
- October and November offer mild weather, much lower rates, and thinner crowds. The Riverwalk stays open year-round, though many riverside restaurants and vendors close for the winter by late October. Indoor amenities — pools, spas, rooftop bars with enclosed terraces — become more relevant in this window.
- December through February sees the lowest rates on the list, but Chicago winters are genuinely cold and windy. The Riverwalk is walkable and dramatically atmospheric in snow, but most outdoor activity shuts down. If price is the priority and you don’t mind bundling up, this is the value window.
How to Choose the Right Hotel on the Riverwalk
The 10 hotels on this page cover a wide spectrum, and a few practical distinctions help narrow the choice.
- For a five-star spa experience — The Langham Chicago has the deepest wellness offering on this list, with Chuan Spa treatments rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, an indoor pool, and the city’s most celebrated afternoon tea. It’s also the most architecturally distinctive property, sitting inside a Mies van der Rohe building.
- For the highest river views — Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago at 92 stories puts you well above every other property on this page. Floor-to-ceiling windows in every room, and the Terrace 16 restaurant with its outdoor river terrace is one of the best places to eat with a view in the city.
- For the best rooftop experience — LondonHouse Chicago is the clear choice, with Chicago’s only tri-level rooftop bar and a 21st-floor cupola terrace that frames the river and Magnificent Mile simultaneously. Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel‘s Raised rooftop bar is a strong runner-up, with river views from an elevated outdoor perch.
- For the biggest property with the most dining options — Hyatt Regency Chicago is Chicago’s largest hotel at over 2,000 rooms, with four restaurants and two bars on-site. Its Riverwalk access is among the most direct on the list, four minutes on foot from the main stretch.
- For families — Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk offers the most family-oriented setup: the only hotel dock for private boat access, five on-site dining options, a 7th-floor indoor pool, and the most flexible room configurations. The Swissotel Chicago‘s Kids Suite is also worth noting for families who want more space.
- For value within the luxury tier — The Westin Chicago River North and the Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown consistently offer the most competitive rates among the four- and five-star properties here, without a meaningful drop in quality for most guests.
Practical Tips for Riverwalk Stays
- Book a river view room directly — many hotels on this page have rooms facing the city or skyline as their standard allocation, with river-view rooms offered as an upgrade. Requesting it explicitly at the time of booking (or noting it as a preference) dramatically increases the chance of getting the view the location promises. The Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel is particularly noted for this — reviewers who specifically booked a river view room rate it significantly higher than those who didn’t.
- The Riverwalk is open daily from 6am to 11pm — early morning is when it’s quietest and the light on the buildings is at its best. A pre-breakfast walk along the water before the boat tours start is one of the better-kept pleasures of staying in this part of the city.
- Art on the MART — the world’s largest permanent digital art projection runs on the exterior of the Merchandise Mart building across the river, visible from the Riverwalk after dark. The show typically runs nightly from dusk, May through October. Several hotels on the north bank have rooms with a direct sightline.
- Parking — every hotel on this page charges for parking, typically $60–$90 per night for valet. If you’re driving, budget for this separately. The city is highly walkable from the Riverwalk, and the CTA L train connects to most areas you’d want to reach; renting a car rarely adds value for a downtown stay.
- River architecture cruise timing — the 90-minute tour is significantly better than the 45-minute version for first-timers. Book the morning departure to get the best light on the buildings. Evening cocktail cruises offer a different atmosphere but less architectural commentary. Booking the night before from your hotel concierge tends to work well outside peak summer weekends.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which hotels are directly on the Chicago Riverwalk?
Several hotels in this list have immediate Riverwalk access directly from their front doors or lobby level — the Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown, Hyatt Regency Chicago, Westin Chicago River North, LondonHouse Chicago, The Langham Chicago, Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, and Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk are all on or within a one to four-minute walk of the main walking path. The Swissotel Chicago and Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel sit across the street from the river. Loews Chicago Hotel in Streeterville is the furthest, around eight minutes on foot.
2. Is the Chicago Riverwalk open in winter?
The Riverwalk path itself stays open year-round and is maintained for pedestrians, but most riverside restaurants, kayak rental operators, and boat tour companies close from late October through April. The walking experience in winter is quieter but genuinely atmospheric, particularly in snow. Hotels on this list with indoor pools, spas, and rooftop enclosed bars become more central to the stay during the colder months.
3. Do I need to book architecture boat tours in advance?
During summer weekends and holiday periods, yes — the Chicago Architecture Center cruise in particular sells out regularly. On weekday mornings in spring or fall, same-day tickets are usually available. Most hotels on this list have concierge services that can arrange bookings; calling the day before is generally fine outside peak season.
4. Which hotel has the best views of the river from the room?
This depends on the floor and room orientation. Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago and Swissotel Chicago offer the highest vantage points, with upper-floor river views that span multiple bridges and take in Lake Michigan in the distance. The Langham Chicago and LondonHouse Chicago offer closer, lower-angle river views that feel more intimate. The Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel has rooms directly facing the Riverwalk from across the street, and guests specifically note the river view rooms as a significant upgrade.
5. When does the Chicago River get dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day?
The river dyeing happens on the Saturday morning before St. Patrick’s Day, typically starting around 10am. The stretch dyed runs between Columbus Drive and Orleans Street, and the green colour lasts a few hours before fading. The best viewing spots are Upper Wacker Drive and the bridges crossing the river — not the Riverwalk itself, which is often closed during the dyeing. Hotels on the north bank with high-floor river views give you a bird’s-eye perspective without the crowds on the street.
6. What’s the difference between staying in the Loop versus River North for Riverwalk access?
Both neighbourhoods give you easy access to the same Riverwalk path — the south bank sits in the Loop, the north bank in River North, and the two are connected by multiple bridges. The Loop side is slightly closer to Millennium Park, the Art Institute, and the theatre district. River North offers more nightlife, dining variety, and a livelier street atmosphere after dark. For the Riverwalk itself, the difference is minimal.
7. Are hotel pools at these properties suitable for year-round use?
Every hotel on this list with a pool operates it year-round indoors. Hyatt Regency Chicago, The Langham Chicago, Loews Chicago Hotel, Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, Swissotel Chicago, and Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk all have heated indoor pools. The Loews Chicago Hotel has one of the largest indoor lap pools in downtown Chicago at 75 feet. Outdoor pools and rooftop terraces, where available, typically open from May and close in September or October.
8. Is Chicago’s Riverwalk accessible year-round for early morning walks?
The path opens at 6am daily and is well-maintained in all seasons, including winter. Early morning is the least crowded time, with the best light for photography and a calmer atmosphere before the boat tours and vendors activate. In summer, the walk from the eastern end near Lake Shore Drive to the western end near Lake Street and back takes around 30 to 40 minutes at a comfortable pace.
