"Why book? Rooms frame the best shots of Chicago—looking back at it from a pier jutting more than a half mile into Lake Michigan, the city’s biggest tourist attraction. Set the scene Named for a ship stationed at Navy Pier during World War II, the Sable has the most enviable tourist location, anchored on the far end of the 3,300-foot-long pier looking back at the city skyline. The glass exterior brings the outside into the building, and cleverly quotes nautical design. The hotel is positioned to do a fair amount of business and event traffic, once the pandemic subsides, which should fill its rooms mid-week. So far, there has been no shortage of tourists flocking to the pier. The rooms Taking their cue from Lake Michigan, the hotel’s 223 rooms channel the Great Lake in a marine blue and whitecap color scheme with pale driftwood and sand tones in furniture and fixtures. Brass accents and curved lines channel classic ship design. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the rooms with light. Food and drink Navy Pier is not a foodie destination, but the hotel upgrades your choices beginning with Lirica, the ground floor restaurant that spills out onto the pier serving pan-Latin surf and turf in dishes like Mexican shrimp cocktail, Argentine beef empanadas, and Spanish fried chicken. Spread over a whopping 20,000 square feet, the rooftop Offshore is a scenic spot for a cocktail—including frozen offerings—complimented by a covers-all-bases menu running from tuna tartare and raw oysters to burgers and ribs. The neighborhood/area Navy Pier is a standalone attraction, rather removed from the rest of the city. But if it’s entertainment you seek, you’re in the heart of it, neighbor to a 200-foot Ferris Wheel. Ready access to rental bikes makes the 18-mile lakefront path that passes by the Pier your best escape plan. The service Midwestern-friendly. For families Navy Pier is one of the city’s top family attractions, with thrill rides, boat rides, and the Chicago Children’s Museum at its foot. Peak nights to book are Wednesdays or Saturdays in summer, when the Pier blasts off fireworks, visible from the rooms. Accessibility Yes. Anything left to mention? Be prepared to do a lot of walking from this hotel, as the pier itself is long and set apart from the city." - Elaine Glusac
