The 31 Best Hotels in Chicago

"What do Zooey Deschanel, Meghan Markle, and Eddie Vedder have in common? Besides fame, they all attended Northwestern University in Evanston and are enshrined in caricature among 16 well-known alumni in the gallery at the Graduate. Occupying the 1928 Colonial Revival apartment-hotel The Homestead, the 119-room newcomer nods to the Wildcats throughout in flashes of purple (purple and white are the school’s colors) but keeps the tone professorial-friendly, with tweedy couches, groupings of flea market art, Persian-inspired rugs, and chess tables. Expect mobs of families and well-heeled alums on Big Ten football days. The hotel is also home to The Graduate Homestead Room, a cozy lounge and restaurant offering seasonal dishes and hand-crafted cocktails inspired by Chicago’s beloved John Hughes." - Elaine Glusac, Nicole Schnitzler