With the pandemic hurting so many hotels over the past five months, the Four Seasons Chicago’s plan to shut down in spring 2020 for a multi-million-dollar renovation proved to be serendipitous. The 347-room hotel with 23,000 square feet of meeting space will reopen, likely in October, with a new look and new offerings meant to evoke the most appealing features of Chicago.
With its lobby, meeting spaces, and restaurant/bar located on the 7th and 8th floors of a 66-story tower, the Four Seasons Chicago offers meeting groups views of the Magnificent Mile and Lake Michigan. The 8,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, 3,360-square-foot Lakeview Ballroom, and other meeting spaces have received a new color palette, décor, and furnishings while still preserving elements of the architecture’s postmodern detail.
The property’s reconfigured lobby and social space also feature a lighter color palette and open floor plan, creating an inviting area where guests can socialize and enjoy live entertainment, including performances from local musicians performing jazz, blues, and more. Varied seating areas surrounding a new day bar and social lounge will create an upscale living-room atmosphere. The new restaurant is overseen by James Beard Award Winner Jonathon Sawyer, featuring New American cuisine influenced by the chef’s experiences living around the world.
To reflect the cultural variety of the city, Chicago-based art consultant Shashi Caudill has curated an extensive art collection throughout the hotel. The lobby will incorporate contemporary photography pieces that reflect a wide range of cultural perspectives, while guest rooms will feature an assortment of artwork by both local and international artists—photography, drawings, and abstract expressionism.
Guest rooms are set on floors 30 through 46, with luxury apartments comprising the rest of the 66-story tower. The property is located at the north end of the Magnificent Mile, one block from Rush Street and one block from 360Chicago, a 1,000-foot observation deck with angled glass walls that provide a view directly below in addition to panoramic city and lake views.
