The Chicago Athletic Association Hotel is perfectly located on Michigan Avenue South opposite Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago, and housed in a beautiful Venetian Gothic building from 1893.
Reopening in 2015 as part of the Hyatt Hotel group after a painstaking restoration, the CAA is one of the most architecturally interesting places to stay in a city known for incredible architecture. So much so that the Chicago Architecture Association run guided tours.
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Chicago Athletic Association Hotel Review
Rolling my suitcase down Michigan Avenue from the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, I arrived just after check in time at 3PM. The building is absolutely stunning with period details, mosaic floors and marble everywhere.
There is a reception desk of sorts on the ground floor, with a staff member on hand to guide guests to the right place for check in or the popular rooftop bar Cindy’s. There is also a full dine-in Shake Shack to the left and a lobby coffee shop to the right.
Up one floor via the stairs or lift brings you to the Drawing Room overlooking Millennium Park. The dark wood paneling, leather seating and fireplaces give you a feel of how the actual Chicago Athletic Association, disbanded in 2007 after over 100 years, would have been like.
The Front Desk was to the right and check in formalities were handled in a friendly and efficient manner, with an upgrade based on World of Hyatt Explorist status to a Corner King Room and welcome drink coupon. Bonus points for the painting of the L train tracks behind the desk!
Then it was through the Games Room to the rear bank of lifts up to the room.
King Bed Madison View Corner Room
Rooms at the Chicago Athletic Association are styled in an athletic theme with a gym horse at the foot of the bed and desk area styled with gym bars. My King Bed Corner Room was comfortable and had good natural light in an otherwise dimly lit hotel.
The king sized bed was very comfortable and not too firm and the leather armchair was a great spot to watch TV from. Small details like the legs of side tables being fashioned like tennis racquet handles show the attention to theme.
The bathroom was in a black and white theme and came with a Carrera marble countertop and a really well designed power shower. Controls are on the wall opposite to the shower head so you get the right temperature before stepping in. C.O. Bigelow amenities and a comfortable hooded robe (in the style of a boxing robe) rounded out the offering.
Chicago Athletic Association Hotel Food & Drink Review
The star venue at the Chicago Athletic Association is Cindy’s, the rooftop bar. With panoramic views over Millennium Park, including the Bean, and out to Lake Michigan it’s a very popular spot that seems perennially booked out. Guests at the hotel get priority access so I went up to enjoy the view briefly before heading down to the Games Room to redeem my welcome drink.
At check in, you’re given a coupon for a welcome drink of bubbles in the Games Room so I was looking forward to enjoying a quiet drink on my last evening in Chicago.
However, speaking with the bartender at the Games Room it turns out the drink is half a pour of Prosecco in a soft drink glass. Slightly underwhelming for a property of this calibre, I think you would agree.
Fortunately, the Shake Shack in the lobby lived up to expectations with a satisfying meal consumed in the room. The hotel website proudly proclaims the CAA as the only hotel with Shake Shack room service, but I was happy to swing past and get my own order.
Chicago Athletic Association Hotel Gym
The Chicago Athletic Association has a great gym with all the standard cardio and weight options you’d expect. They’ve continued with styling theme here with gym ladders on the wall which is a nice touch.
Unfortunately the swimming pool has been filled in and is now an event space, though the logo and lane markings do add a bit of character to the area. It’s a shame given how the InterContinental down the road retained the old Medinah Athletic Club pool and made it a standout feature of the hotel.
Review Summary
The Chicago Athletic Association is a beautiful hotel in an unbeatable downtown Loop location and architecture enthusiast’s dream. With great public spaces like the Games Room, Cindy’s Rooftop and a Shake Shack in the lobby, you’d never really need to leave.
