Which Chicago Hotels Have the Best Pools? Prices & Stays

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Best Hotel Pools in Chicago offers a plethora of reasons for you to fall head over heels for it. You can enjoy thousands of things while visiting the city, including deep-dish, jazz clubs, and the breathtaking skyline that looks as if someone spent hours drawing it at sunset, but what you won’t find in any of the ads about Chicago is its mysterious weather. You are going to be sweaty on Michigan Avenue one month and face a gust of wind trying to cut through your cheeks the next month.

Another thing about Chicagoans is that they enjoy the water in various hotel swimming pools, created in order to help them refresh from the fierce heat of the city. If you have been looking for the best places with hotel pools in Chicago, rest assured that you are going to enjoy your time there since the pools there are a miraculous place to get away from the angry weather outside.

I have done a lot of work while looking for good swimming options in the city and you’ve seen me visiting rooftop bars for that feel of the pool, caught myself paying for day passes out of the blue and disturbing concierges asking them annoying questions. What I am presenting does not come from any travel list. It comes from the heart in form of opinions for all real swimmers who are tired of just looking at photos on social media.

Why Hotel Pools in Chicago Are Really Important

The city of Chicago has a different view than other cities when it comes to hotel pools. Most cities treat a hotel pool as an accessory which is not much more than a rectangular body filled with chlorinated water. In Chicago, where a wide lake and glass buildings are located, relaxation by the water has become an art that hotels use in their architectural projects. Chicago hotels offer pools that overlook the skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows; rooftop areas that serve as theaters for sunsets on summer evenings; and vintage pools decorated in the style of past centuries, reminding one of a museum rather than a swimming facility.

Top Indoor Hotel Pools in Chicago (Perfect for Swim Anytime)

The winters in Chicago are something else, which is why it can really benefit you to have an indoor pool in your hotel, as regular outdoor swimming in the winter in Chicago is a no-go. However, hotels that offer guests state-of-the-art indoor swimming pools will easily remind you of beachside resorts, minus the hurricanes and mosquitoes, and once you set foot in one of the finest indoor swimming pools in the Windy City in January, you will know the secret behind the popularity of these facilities with locals.

One of the ways to determine what a great indoor pool really is is to visit The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago. The ceiling in the pool area is high enough to let you enjoy the daylight coming in through the glass walls along the perimeter of the pool while giving you a breathtaking view of the skyline and the lake. The hotel occupies floors 12-30 of a Lake Michigan waterfront building, giving guests a unique opportunity to feel the charm of swimming indoors high above the magnificent city below.

Next up, we have the InterContinental hotel, which boasts one of the finest swimming pools found in Chicago that also happens to be one of the most photographed indoor swimming pools in the Midwest. Visitors swim below elaborately designed ceilings alongside stylish frescoes inside a junior Olympic swimming pool, which is indeed an amazing piece of artwork. It is the type of pool that requires one to stop swimming just to look around.

From the InterContinental, we move on to the nearby Peninsula hotel. This luxurious hotel, unlike its predecessors, is somewhat modern in its architectural design, with a swimming pool that has huge glass windows and plenty of restaurants with great restaurants. The St. Regis hotel is also nearby, right on Lake Michigan, which makes swimming in its indoor swimming pool a stylish exercise to do while swimming for Chicago’s residents.

As far as indoor hotel swimming pools are concerned in Chicago, Hilton Chicago/Magnificent Mile Suites has the best indoor pool that appeals primarily to families. Situated a block away from the Magnificent Mile, the all-suites serve guests with separate living rooms and bedrooms, while the indoor rooftop pool gives them a chance to unwind and relax.

Rooftop and Seasonal Pools Certainly Worth Traveling For

Chicago’s summertime, though short, loud, and fun-filled, makes the rooftop pool scene aware of its extraordinary power. It is here that Chicago’s finest hotel pools exchange secrecy for skyline-admiring atmosphere.

Viceroy Best Hotel Pools in Chicago is the typical choice for the top spots on the roof; that’s the reason for it. The hotel’s rooftop pool, located on the 18th floor and accessible to hotel guests only, offers good views of Lake Michigan and the Gold Coast area surrounding it. Have a drink by the pool, relax in the conversation area, and get to see the lake’s water transform its shades as the sunset approaches.

The Hoxton Chicago is located in the refurbished Fulton Market building and has an industrial chic vibe to its rooftop pool area, with concrete surface, velvet touches, and an Instagrammable atmosphere. Next to it, Soho House Chicago takes over the factory building and offers exclusive access to its rooftop pool located 5 stories above the West Loop.

If you want some boutique elegance beyond the downtown area, The Robey Hotel is located in Wicker Park in a historic Art Deco building that features the only rooftop pool in the neighborhood. Here, guests can enjoy spectacular views and an outdoor swimming pool minutes away from the residential areas of the neighborhood.

If you’re traveling with the family and would like a rooftop pool no matter where it is, visit Holiday Inn & Suites in downtown Chicago, where you can use their outdoor seasonal swimming pool and enjoy the beautiful views of the city skyline from it.

Hotels Which Have Pools in Chicago – Where Luxury Meets Value

If you want to enjoy a beautiful swimming pool without breaking your bank and spending $700 per night on your suite, you have plenty of options in our selection of best hotel pools in Chicago.

Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago comes with beautiful outdoor pools set in a lush garden setting and is particularly appealing in terms of elegant design, while DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago Magnificent Mile boasts a pleasant beach theme and makes visitors feel as if they are welcomed with warm cookies at the reception.

Hyatt Regency McCormick Place is introducing an indoor pool, fitness facility, and 24-hour front desk service, which is an advantage for those of you attending a conference and looking to relax after a long day. Generally speaking, pool hotels in Chicago show that you don’t need high-end eateries to have fun in the water.

The Top Indoor Swimming Pools in Chicago for a Peaceful Retreat

At times, the need arises to enjoy some peace and quiet instead of the lively atmosphere. To achieve such tranquility, these are the finest indoor swimming pools in Chicago. They provide a unique experience that makes visiting crowded places better than usual.

Palmer House Hilton adds a touch of the glamorous Gilded Age in its classic indoor pool, placed in one of the ancient structures of the city. This swimming pool creates a feeling of traveling through time. As opposed to it, Nobu Hotel Chicago has a more functional concept: an exquisitely designed indoor pool among the Japanese tub suites and windows that reach the floor.

Hyatt Lodge located in Oak Brook also rests on 88 acres of woodlands, and its great indoor pool would be a welcome attraction if you are traveling with children and would like to get away from the noise of the city. Another budget-friendly option is Holiday Inn Best Hotel Pools in Chicago NW Crystal Lake with its fantastic indoor pool.

Pursuing a Blue Water Swimming Pool Vista in Chicago

A blue water swimming pool against a backdrop of Chicago’s skyline is an extraordinary marvel, making every stay in a hotel appear to be a postcard. There are several hotels that seem to have perfected this magic.

The Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk is known for its breathtaking scenes from its indoor pool, offering a wellness spa and gym where you can spend your days without worries. The rooftop pools at LondonHouse Chicago and the Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile are incredibly famous for offering breathtaking views of the skyline, which should inspire your photography skills during sunset, just what it is like to be in a blue water swimming pool.

And if you want to enjoy a blue water swimming pool all year round, Virgin Hotels Chicago is worth mentioning. They have a heated rooftop pool, meaning that you can benefit from the average blue water swimming pool in winter as well.

Day Passes: Pricing for Pools Available to Everyone

Did you know that you do not have to stay at the hotel to use the pool? Many of the best hotels in Chicago also have day passes available, which means you can use the hotel pools for a lot less money than the room cost. You can compare the pool costs against the hotel room rates and get a better idea of how to save money on a tight budget.

Prices for those day passes vary depending on the hotel and season, whether it’s a rooftop pool or an indoor pool, but they usually range between $35 and $95. Staying on the lookout for any inclusions is a smart move; different deals vary greatly in terms of what is included in them, such as providing deck chairs, towel service, as well as food and drinks credit.

If you are building a trip around water rather than a hotel stay, this is genuinely the easiest way to sample several of the best hotel pools in Chicago without committing to a single property for your whole visit.

When to Visit for the Best Hotel Pools in Chicago Experience

Timing is a pivotal part of planning your stay in this city, unlike any other place in the United States. Rooftops and outdoor pools open for the season around Memorial Day and close by early to mid-September, so you need to make sure your trip is planned within this period. However, if all you’re looking for in your Chicago trip is a rooftop deck, make sure you plan around the late May-sept period when the weather is usually gorgeous. With the warm temperatures and relatively lighter crowd, the period between late August and early September turns out to be the best time to enjoy the hotel pool experience in the Windy City.

If you happen to visit this city in wintertime yet would still like to take advantage of the best hotel pools in Chicago, the good news is that indoor pools are your alternative all year round. Look for hotels like InterContinental, Ritz-Carlton, and Virgin Hotels Chicago, which will guarantee you a great experience regardless of the weather conditions outside.

What The Locals Have to Say About These Pools

If you ask the locals for their opinion about these pools, you will find a lot of similarities in their answers, with most of the families being totally satisfied with the rooftop pools, saying that their amenities were a hit for children, and parents state that one of the highlights of the trip was the spectacular view from the rooftop. Couples prefer more secluded indoor pools with a view of the skyline and treat swimming at such pools as a great opportunity to spend time together after a tiring day, free of sun and noise coming from the streets. Frequent travelers suggest preferring River North, Streeterville, and Gold Coast for the best pools.

Fast Recap: Best Hotel Pools in Chicago at a Glance

In case you are strapped for time and want to cut to the chase, here is a quick overview of the best hotel pools in Chicago in each category, whether it is about the best indoor hotel swimming pools in Chicago, the best indoor pools in Chicago for families, or a pool that fits within your travel budget.

Category	Top Picks	Why It Made the List
Rooftop Hotels with Skyline Views	Viceroy Chicago, The Hoxton Chicago, LondonHouse Chicago	Classic blue water swimming pool views paired with Chicago’s iconic skyline.
Best Indoor Hotel Pools in Chicago	Ritz-Carlton Chicago, InterContinental Chicago, The Peninsula Chicago	Year-round swimming with stunning architecture and luxury amenities.
Budget-Friendly Hotels with Swimming Pools in Chicago	Radisson Blu Aqua, DoubleTree Magnificent Mile, Holiday Inn Downtown	Comfortable swimming facilities without the premium price tag.
Family-Friendly Indoor Swimming Pools in Chicago	Hilton Magnificent Mile Suites, Hyatt Lodge Oak Brook	Spacious pools, family-friendly atmosphere, and amenities suitable for children.
Day-Pass Friendly Hotels (Swimming Pool Access)	Multiple downtown hotels via ResortPass	Enjoy hotel pool access without booking an overnight stay, with flexible day-pass options.

This kind of simultaneous view provides exactly the information that most people who are looking for the best hotel pools in Chicago seek: quick answers to match the right pool with the right trip without having to click through a hundred different tabs.

Pro Tips Before You Book Your Chicago Pool Day

Essential Advice Before Finalizing Your Chicago Pool Day

I hope someone would have informed me the first time I tried to look for hotels featuring their swimming pools. Never forget to check whether a swimming pool located on the rooftop is functional only in summer; there is nothing worse than planning to swim in October just to discover that the pool has already closed weeks ago. This applies to swimming pools in Chicago as well – ask whether pools are outdoor, indoor, or both.

Third, if you want to get that perfect shot of a blue swimming pool, pay attention to the light in the late afternoon, as most rooftop decks are facing the west or the south side with a clear view of the skyline, and sunset is great for taking stunning photos. Fourth, when it comes to price, you may want to compare the day pass rates with the discounted hotel rates for weekends, as you can sometimes find that it is cheaper to reserve a hotel room during the week than to pay for admission and at least some food and drinks on the weekend.

In conclusion, if you prefer year-round access to be more important than achieving a stunning picture of the view, you would be better off choosing one of the best indoor swimming pools in Chicago instead of going to a rooftop. The swimming pool season is short in Chicago, so making a trip to a rooftop swimming pool might not be worth it if it gets closed because of the rain. The best indoor hotel pools in Chicago give you a guarantee that you will be able to enjoy swimming regardless of the forecast.

Matching the Best Hotel Pools in Chicago to Your Travel Style

Because swimming pools don’t match up with every traveler’s needs, here is how to choose among the best hotel swimming pools in Chicago according to your preferences.

If you’re honeymooners or couples looking for the best hotel pools in Chicago, consider some calm hotel swimming pools like Ritz-Carlton in Chicago since the atmosphere is more serene, and the scenery offers a more intimate setting compared to a crowded rooftop terrace. In case, you are going out with friends, visit the rooftop of Viceroy Chicago or The Hoxton best hotel in Chicago since those locations have good vibes, energetic music, and, of course, the usual, beautiful blue backdrop of the water for photographing purposes.

Families with kids tend to do best at properties built around comfort rather than exclusivity. think Hilton Chicago/Magnificent Mile Suites or Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook, both of which are on any honest list of best indoor swimming pools in Chicago for younger travelers. And if you’re a solo traveler with a budget, day passes are your best friend; you can get a pool under $50 from ResortPass or similar services, and you will be able to sample some of the best hotel pools in Chicago without committing to a pricey overnight stay.

Business travelers who want to get in a workout between meetings should look for hotels with swimming pools in Chicago that combine fitness centers and indoor pools in one stop, like the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place or the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, that are practical, close to convention spaces, and still enjoyable enough to justify the extra twenty minutes at the end of a long day

Corporate travelers who wish to fit in some exercise while in Chicago should search for lodgings with swimming facilities that feature both fitness facilities and swimming pools combined in a single location, such as the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place or the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, which are convenient, near convention venues, and still adequate to warrant spending an additional twenty minutes at the end of an exhausting day.

However, when one travels, the importance of personality compared to property may vary greatly from what one would learn from most travel books. What can seem an exciting rooftop atmosphere to one visitor may appear draining to another whereas one of the best hotels with indoor swimming pools in Chicago may look wonderful for a person who enjoys reading but not for someone who is after nighttime fun. One must choose his/her travel style before deciding on the swimming pool.

Finding the Top Chicago Hotel Swimming Pools by Neighborhood

The location of the swimming pool is just as important as the pool’s quality; swimming is all about getting out of the water in between swims. Here’s a quick look at the neighborhoods with the best swimming pools in Chicago.

Some of Chicago’s best hotel indoor swimming pools can be found in Gold Coast and Streeterville, including Ritz-Carlton Hotel and The Peninsula Hotel, set within walking distance of some of the most famous shopping and dining in Chicago, located right next to the Magnificent Mile. As for River North, it is much more vibrant, with a mixture of rooftop energy that suits young people; for example, Viceroy Chicago is one of the highlights in the area.

The trendiest areas of the city for pool culture come from West Loop and Fulton Market, where The Hoxton Chicago and Soho House Chicago feature a blue water swimming pool in an industrial-chic design. On the other hand, Wicker Park offers you boutique charm at The Robey, indicating that the finest indoor pools in the best hotel pools in Chicago are available outside the downtown area too.

If you’re staying in McCormick Place for a convention, the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place offers you a fairly decent indoor pool and a good pool experience within the budget of Chicago’s prices. And for those seeking a more suburban setting, Oak Brook’s Hyatt Lodge and Northbrook’s Hilton have top-notch hotel swimming pools in Chicago without the downtown rates. Whatever hotel you pick, the good thing about Chicago’s layout is that you will always be a short rideshare away from the best hotel pools in Chicago if the one you’re in doesn’t suit your tastes.

Final Splash

Chicago rewards the traveler who slows down long enough to enjoy it, and few things capture that better than a genuinely great pool, whether it’s eighteen floors up with a cocktail in hand or tucked beneath a century-old ceiling in total quiet. The best hotel pools in Chicago aren’t hard to find once you know where to look, and frankly, half the fun is finding out which kind of view you want to see with your swim: skyline, lakefront, or history. Whatever you’re cooling down with, this city makes sure the water has a story attached to it.

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