The Drake Hotel is in the finest location in Chicago, situated at the very tip of the Magnificent Mile Neighbourhood, and located right in front of Oak Street Beach overlooking Lake Michigan. It hasn’t lost any of the glitz or traditions which drew in Chicago’s glitterati for its grand opening on New Year’s Eve in 1920, and in the decades which followed. It still hosts High Tea, with its delicate petit fours and fragrant teas now served in the appropriately decadent Palm Court. You can still dine (and drink) at Coq d’Or, the city’s second venue to get that all-important liquor license after Prohibition ended in 1933. A milestone on The Magnificent Mile, with direct access Lake Michigan’s Oak Street Beach, be prepared for drama, history and luxury.
Amenities
Bar
Room Service
Valet parking
Fitness Centre/Gym
Close to City Centre
Restaurant
Where is it
In a central spot at the end of The Magnificent Mile, and with direct access to Oak Street Beach on Lake Michigan, this hotel is a block from John Hancock Center, famous for its 360 CHICAGO and TILT! attractions. It’s also just a few blocks from the Museum of Contemporary Art and two of the city’s most historic landmarks: The Old Water Tower and Chicago Avenue Pumping Station. Transfer time from O'Hare International Airport: 1 hour.
Hotel information
609 rooms and suites. All with individual climate control, flatscreen HDTV with premium movie channels, WiFi access*, fridge*, marble bathroom, safe and luxury terry bathrobes. Deluxe Rooms have 1 king-size bed or 2 oversized twin beds, sleeping maximum 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
Deluxe Lake View Rooms overlook Lake Michigan with 1 king-size bed or 2 oversized win beds, sleeping maximum 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
Lovely Lake View suite room was perfect. The staff is professional, helpful, and very friendly. Always enjoy The Drake!!
History and location
Jul 28, 2025lizannandAnn Arbor, Michigan
Love the Drake for its history and location. Westayed in suites so we could gather family. Staff were courteous and helpful. Love walking the tree streets nearby to escape the cityhustle. I know the area well having lived there in my 20s and early 30s. Little noisy now that I live in woods but that is city life
Staff Was the HIghlight
Jul 27, 2025delen1Washington DC, District of Columbia
Very disappointed. The hotel was dark and the restaurant options were very limited. The room was large but in desperate need of a refresh. The bathrooms has a shower/tub combination that is hazardous for most. Breakfast and room service options were very limited. If you did the online check-in you did not get water in your room. You had to go to…
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Very disappointed. The hotel was dark and the restaurant options were very limited. The room was large but in desperate need of a refresh. The bathrooms has a shower/tub combination that is hazardous for most. Breakfast and room service options were very limited. If you did the online check-in you did not get water in your room. You had to go to the front desk to get water. The best part was the staff...all were extremely helpful, professional, and friendly.
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Pleasant surprise
Jul 27, 2025Charisse M
I was only there for one night, but the staff were very friendly. Check in/out was quick and easy. The room was nice and the bed was amazing.
Aimed for Vintage, but deliver dated and disappointing experience
Jul 26, 2025Mariana F
I had high hopes for The Drake Chicago based on a friend’s recommendation and the hotel’s reputation for classic vintage charm. While the public areas still reflect some of that old-world elegance, the actual room experience was extremely disappointing.
The room was noticeably outdated, with thin walls that offered no privacy—so much so that a…
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I had high hopes for The Drake Chicago based on a friend’s recommendation and the hotel’s reputation for classic vintage charm. While the public areas still reflect some of that old-world elegance, the actual room experience was extremely disappointing.
The room was noticeably outdated, with thin walls that offered no privacy—so much so that a neighbor knocked on our door asking us to keep our voices down during a regular conversation in the afternoon because they couldn’t nap. The sofa bed was unusable—completely worn out with no cushioning, just exposed springs. When I asked for extra comforters to make it more bearable, I was given only additional dirty sheets, and a promised rollaway bed was never delivered.
There was no mini fridge or microwave, and even basic amenities like Wi-Fi weren’t complimentary. The couch was stained, the bathroom had bugs, and even the in-room safe didn’t work. It all felt neglected and stuck in time.
For the price point and the historic name, I expected far better upkeep. To top it off, the staff wasn’t particularly helpful or receptive—we requested a room change and were flatly denied with no attempt to accommodate us.
Unfortunately, The Drake seems to be relying on its legacy rather than actually maintaining the quality and service that would justify its reputation. Would not recommend.
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