This hotel is on our list of The 11 Best Hotels in Chicago.
Hungry travelers have a few options, including the hotel’s signature modern French brasserie and café, Venteux, but the real action is upstairs at the French-inspired rooftop, Château Carbide. Set in what would be the cork of this (literally) gilded bottle-shaped tower, the secret plein-air space had never been open to the public until 2021; in June 2023, it was reimagined as an absinthe bar, where the plant-based liquor takes center stage on the cocktail menu, with spectacular city views as the background.
The Pendry also provides your requisite 24-hour fitness center, only here it’s outfitted with everyone’s favorite Technogym fitness equipment and Peloton bikes; a handful of guest rooms come with Tonal digital training equipment. Save some time to play billiards in the downstairs pool room, brightened with artwork from Amsterdam-based Arnout Meijer, whose work plays with our perceptions of light. Step outside into the actual light and the Chicago River and all its merriment are steps away.
