Chicago is one of the most beautiful and culturally vibrant
cities to visit in the United States, but making the most of your stay requires
picking a hotel with the right ambiance, amenities, guest services, and the
ideal prime location (especially if the duration of your stay is limited). For the most memorable and grand experience of staying in Chicago, we'll always come back to The Drake Hotel. On this blog feature, we'll go over a brief history of what makes The Drake so special and how to make the most of your stay here.
For anyone not familiar with The Drake Hotel, it is a
historic hotel rich in history, character, old-school glamour and a warm
welcoming ambiance of top-notch service.
The Drake Hotel has a legendary status and reputation in the city of
Chicago.
Built in the early 20th century, The Drake Hotel
was designed to be the first urban luxury resort by self-trained architect
Benjamin Marshall, who in 1917 decided that the near North Side would be
Chicago’s most desirable part of the city with its unobstructed grand views of
Lake Michigan. The hotel was originally
designed to provide guests with resort access to an exclusive park, beach, sun-bathing
deck, grand ballrooms, and horse-riding trails.
The Drake’s original Palm Court area had a pond that featured ducks and
baby alligators, and Benjamin Marshall even once brought in an elephant to the
space for the Fountain Court Charity Ball.
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| The Palm Court - famous for their delicious afternoon teas by the fountain with live harp music. It's believed that tossing coins into the fountain, of which the money goes to charity will shower the recipients with good luck. |
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| The grand lobby of The Drake during the holidays - warm and festive! |
The Drake Hotel has also made its way into pop culture with
its beautiful grand architecture. In the
1980’s, movies such as Time and Again, The Blues Brothers, Continental Divide,
and Risky Business were all filmed at the Drake.
Many famous figures in history have all stayed at The Drake,
residents have included Walt Disney, Amelia Earhart, Sinclair Lewis, Charles
Lindberg, Kathryn Hepburn, Duke of Windsor, President Herbert Hoover, and
George Gershwin. In 1959, Queen Elizabeth
II and Prince Philip stayed at the Sapphire Suite, which is now known as the
Princess Diana Suite.
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| The Cape Cod seafood restaurant where Joe DeMaggio and Marilyn Monroe carved their initials onto the wooden bar, you can still find their inscriptions here today! |
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| This hallway at The Drake even has a piano bar. The decor and feel throughout the property is classic, grand, and elegant! |
The grand history and the glamour of The Drake Hotel can be
felt throughout the premise, from the lobby to their renowned opulent ballrooms. Constructed of smooth limestone, The Drake
Hotel’s architecture is inspired by ornate details found in Italian palaces of
High Renaissance Rome and Florence.
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| The Gold Coast ballroom of The Drake Hotel - about 124 events are held here every year, many of which are weddings |
At the Drake, we stayed at the executive suites (pictured
below), which had a full living room space, work space, bedroom area, and a
beautiful view of Lake Michigan, giving us the experience of how it’s like
living in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood!
Like many historic hotels, all the rooms
at The Drake are extra spacious, and come with high ceilings.
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| This is one of the executive suite rooms at The Drake;at more than twice the size of most urban hotel rooms, this room has a large marble bathroom and a full sized living room |
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| Rooms at The Drake either have a view of Lake Michigan or downtown Chicago, our executive suite came with this gorgeous view of the lake and the Gold Coast of Chicago |
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| This is the new LED light signage of The Drake, it lights up at night and is part of the Chicago skyline |
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| Not to be missed - afternoon tea at The Drake, where you get to sit besides the water fountain. The selections are delicious, and it even comes with gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. |
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| A close-up of desserts - here we have raspberry macaron, cream puff, and pumpkin mousse cookies |
The Drake Hotel also has one of Chicago’s ideal locations;
not only is it on the main shopping district of Magnificent Mile, but it’s also
located right between the trendy North Side neighborhoods and Millennium
Park. At The Drake, you can enjoy the
finest afternoon teas (with live harp music) and modern amenities like
high-speed internet and a state of the art fitness center. A stay at The Drake Hotel feels special,
warm, and charming in a way that makes you feel extra welcomed on your trip to
the Windy City.
To make the most out of your stay at The Drake, be sure to have afternoon tea at Palm Court, enjoy seafood at one of Chicago's first and finest seafood restaurant the Cape Cod and have drinks at Coq D'Or, one of the first bars to open after the end of the Prohibition. In addition to the touristy Magnificent Mile, also do check out the unique boutique shops on Oak Street and be adventurous - explore the nearby uptown area of Lakeview and Lincoln Park where you'll find some of Chicago's best music (jazz and rock and blues), theater, improv comedy, and food scene.
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| The spacious and warm living room area of the executive suite we stayed in is beautifully decorated with ornate window drapes and classic american furniture |
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| The rooms come with classic ornate decor that gives it a warm inviting feel, such as Roman window drapes, wall moldings, and gold-gilded floor and table lamps |
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| The view of the bedroom from the living room couch |
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| Large marble bathroom with tub |
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| Bathrooms come with Peter Thomas Roth products |
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| Furnishings at The Drake come with details that speak to the craftsmanship of a bygone era |
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| Plush comfortable beds with smooth soft luxurious linens for a perfect night of sleep after a day of exploring the city |
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| This private executive lounge is open to guests of the executive suites, perfect for conducting business in a more private quiet setting |
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| The hallway of the floor we stayed in, we love how wide, pretty and brightly lit it is, this speaks to great attention to detail given to every aspect of your stay! |
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| Every floor has a central elevator waiting area with beautiful chandeliers, wall sconce lamps, and wall moldings |
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The Drake may be a historical hotel, but it has a modern gym that is bigger and brighter than most hotel gyms in the surrounding area
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A hearty and delicious vegetarian frittata at The Drake Brothers restaurant in the hotel
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| The Grand ballroom space at The Drake sets the right impression for any special occasion! This was originally built for the Charleston craze in the 1920's |
To make reservations for a stay at The Drake visit their website here or contact them using the information below:
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