Chicago, United States
The Peninsula Chicago: Forbes Five-Star luxury icon on the Magnificent Mile with Shanghai Terrace, 19th-floor heated pool, and The Peninsula Spa
Commanding a prestigious location at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Superior Street on Chicago’s world-famous Magnificent Mile in Illinois, The Peninsula Chicago opened in June 2001 as a beacon of Asian-inspired luxury and Midwestern warmth. Holding the Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond accolades for over two decades, the 339-room landmark is acclaimed as one of North America’s finest urban hotels. Featuring the award-winning Cantonese restaurant Shanghai Terrace (with its rooftop terrace framing skyscraper canyons), the soaring 19th-floor heated swimming pool with floor-to-ceiling city views, The Lobby restaurant, and the full-service Peninsula Spa, The Peninsula is Chicago’s ultimate luxury hotel.
Arrival introduces travelers to world-renowned Peninsula pageboy hospitality: liveried pageboys in white uniforms and pillbox caps greet guests at the grand entrance while concierges escort guests to the soaring 5th-floor Lobby salon for check-in. Day-one logistics focus on coordinating bespoke Chicago architectural, cultural, and culinary pursuits: shopping luxury boutiques along the Magnificent Mile (steps away), exploring Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago (15 minutes on foot), cruising the Chicago River on an architecture boat tour, visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art and 360 CHICAGO observation deck, swimming in the 19th-floor heated pool with panoramic skyline views, and reserving dinner at Shanghai Terrace.
Hotel living balances bustling Chicago energy with sublime wellness: The Peninsula Spa occupies the 19th and 20th floors, featuring private treatment suites, eucalyptus steam rooms, saunas, relaxation lounges, and therapies utilizing Biologique Recherche and subtle energies. Dining is exceptional: Shanghai Terrace presents refined Cantonese and Shanghainese fine dining, contemporary American dining in The Lobby beneath 20-foot ceilings, chocolate bar buffets, and classic martinis at The Bar.
Accommodations comprise 339 rooms and luxury suites completely reimagined with proprietary Peninsula tablet technology ranging from 50 to 340 square metres. Each residence features custom hand-crafted blue and grey silk finishes, deep soaking bathtubs with embedded TV screens, king beds, and panoramic Chicago skyline views.
City connoisseurs, business leaders, and luxury travelers seeking Forbes Five-Star Magnificent Mile perfection, Shanghai Terrace Cantonese dining, and 19th-floor skyline pool views in Chicago should book The Peninsula Chicago without hesitation. Travelers seeking generic chain motels should look elsewhere. Grounded review consensus confirms legendary standing with a 4.9 out of 5 on Tripadvisor across 3,600 reviews and a 4.8 out of 5 on Google across 4,100 reviews.
First day
- Arrive on Superior Street, receive a warm greeting from the white-gloved pageboys, and head up to the 5th floor Lobby.
- Check into your suite, test the intuitive room tablet controls, and take in the Michigan Avenue view.
- Dine on Peking duck at Shanghai Terrace.
What guests say
Hotel Flock Score
Exceptional
Based on 7.7k published ratings
Category breakdown
Guests Love
Forbes Five-Star Magnificent Mile Icon
Guests revere the white-gloved pageboys, Shanghai Terrace rooftop, 19th-floor pool views, and intuitive room technology.
Shanghai Terrace & The Lobby
Reviewers consistently praise the Peking duck, afternoon tea, house car service, and flawless Asian-Midwestern hospitality.
Guests Warn
Prime Chicago Shopping & Museum Base
Visitors love being steps from Michigan Avenue, Lake Michigan, and the Art Institute.
Sleek Technological Comfort
Travelers celebrate the quiet rooms, comfortable beds, and spa facilities.
The overall score is a review-count-weighted average of named public platforms, normalized to /10. Category scores — including cleanliness and location — are Hotel Flock editorial readings of those reviews, not a platform's private formula. Hotel Flock is not affiliated with Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Trivago, or any other review site.
Awards & Recognition
Forbes Five-Star Magnificent Mile Landmark
Forbes Travel Guide
AAA Five Diamond Luxury Hotel
AAA Travel
World’s Best City Hotel Icon
Travel + Leisure
In the stay
- Full access to 19th-floor swimming pool, fitness center, eucalyptus steam room, and sauna
- Complimentary chauffeured luxury house car drop-offs within a 2-mile downtown radius
- High-speed Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and interactive room tablet services
Usually extra
- –Shanghai Terrace multi-course dinners and sommelier wine pairings
- –The Peninsula Spa customized Biologique Recherche facial treatments and private cabana bookings
Good to Know
- The 339-room hotel sits on Michigan Avenue & Superior Street on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, holding Forbes 5-Star.
- Includes Shanghai Terrace Cantonese dining, 19th-floor heated pool, Peninsula Spa, and interactive room tablets.
- Located on the Magnificent Mile, a 35-minute drive from O’Hare (ORD) or 25 minutes from Midway (MDW).
Editor's Note
Book an Executive Suite with corner views overlooking Michigan Avenue, and reserve an outdoor terrace table at Shanghai Terrace for Peking duck and dim sum among Chicago’s illuminated skyscrapers.
Reviewed by Hotel Flock · Last updated September 2026