Chicago's Secret 1893 Athletic Club Is Now a Luxury Hotel
The doorman at 12 South Michigan Avenue greets me with a knowing smile as I step beneath the steel and glass awning. He's seen this look before—the subtle double-take that happens when you realize you're not just entering another hotel, but walking into 132 years of Chicago history.
"Welcome to the Association," he says, and with those words, I'm transported from the bustling Michigan Avenue streetscape into a world where Olympic gold medalists once swam, football's first professional player dominated the courts, and Chicago's most powerful families—the Wrigleys, the Fields, the Comiskeys—gathered to see and be seen.
A Palace Built for Champions
The Chicago Athletic Association opened its doors in 1893, just months before the city's World's Fair would put Chicago on the international stage. Architect Henry Ives Cobb, himself a founding member of the club, created a Venetian Gothic masterpiece inspired by Venice's Doge's Palace. The 11-story building, with its rosy brick facade and delicate screen of limestone columns and pointed arches, was designed to stand out from the lakefront—a beacon of athletic and social prestige visible to the millions of visitors flooding into Chicago for the Columbian Exposition.
For over a century, this was the domain of the elite. Members included five-time Olympic gold medalist Johnny Weissmuller (who would later become Hollywood's Tarzan) and William "Pudge" Heffelfinger, football's first professional player. The building's ornate interiors—with 19th-century stained glass windows, marble staircases, colossal fireplaces with extraordinary bas-relief woodcarvings, and intricate plasterwork—paralleled the narrative of American culture and aesthetics at its most opulent.
But when membership dwindled and the club closed its doors in 2007, this architectural landmark faced an uncertain future. It wasn't until a visionary team, including AJ Capital Partners, John Pritzker, and the acclaimed design firm Roman and Williams, took on a three-year, meticulous restoration that the Chicago Athletic Association found new life—this time, with membership open to all.
Stepping Into History
Walking through the lobby today feels like stepping onto a movie set. The main entrance on the second floor showcases Venetian Gothic grandeur—Corinthian columns, elaborate mosaic floors, and two grand marble staircases of cast bronze and gilded cast iron that have been impeccably restored. Yet somehow, twentysomethings in jeans tap away at laptops on plush leather couches beside the monumental fireplaces in what was once the plutocratic piano nobile, while office workers line up at the ground-floor Shake Shack (yes, the world's only Shake Shack with room service).
This is the genius of Roman and Williams' restoration: they preserved the building's original character and historic details while creating an atmosphere that brings the Chicago Athletic Association into the 21st century. From the reception desk—designed to evoke layered, lacquered, and leather-embellished vintage athletic equipment—to the mural depicting Chicago's elevated train tracks that encircle the Loop, every detail tells a story.
Rooms That Remember
The hotel's 240 rooms and suites maintain the building's athletic heritage while offering thoroughly contemporary comfort. My Founders Room overlooks Millennium Park, with intricate woodworking, custom SFERRA linens, and a Carrara marble bathroom featuring either a clawfoot tub or rainfall shower. Some rooms showcase pommel horse-style leather benches as bedside seating—a playful nod to the building's athletic past.
The masculine palette of rich woods and leather accents creates warmth without feeling dated. C.O. Bigelow bath products, Faribault Woolen Mill Co. blankets, and a thoughtfully curated minibar complete the experience. But it's the architectural details that steal the show: original stained-glass windows, working fireplaces in select rooms, and views that span from Millennium Park to Lake Michigan beyond.
For those seeking the ultimate indulgence, the expansive Founders Suite showcases 867 square feet of luxury with two working fireplaces, sweeping Millennium Park views, original woodworking throughout, and a separate seating area. Rates start around $200 for standard rooms during off-peak times, with suites ranging from $349 to over $700, plus a $30 daily "Founders Fee" that covers premium Wi-Fi, welcome Champagne toast, skip-the-line access to Cindy's rooftop, bike rentals, and more.
Seven Ways to Indulge
What truly sets the Chicago Athletic Association apart is its collection of distinctive dining and drinking destinations managed by the acclaimed Boka Restaurant Group, each with its own personality and history.
The crown jewel is Cindy's, the 13th-floor rooftop restaurant and bar named after John Pritzker's mother. This modern addition—the only brand-new space in the building—features a stunning steel and glass pavilion inspired by 19th-century train sheds, crowned by a vaulted skylight. The open-air terrace offers what many consider the best view in Chicago: a soaring look at Millennium Park stretching out to Lake Michigan, with Frank Gehry's Jay Pritzker Pavilion (named after Cindy's husband) commanding the landscape below. The seasonal menu and craft cocktails match the spectacular setting, with reservations available through OpenTable.
The hotel's newest culinary gem is Midōsuji, an intimate eight-seat omakase restaurant that opened in September 2025. Led by Chef Brian Lockwood (formerly of Eleven Madison Park), this nouvelle omakase experience blends Japanese tradition with contemporary flair, honoring the Sister Cities connection between Osaka and Chicago. The $195 tasting menu features 11 courses that change seasonally, showcasing refined omakase cuts alongside unexpected innovations like Parmesan risotto made with sushi rice. With only two seatings per night Tuesday through Saturday, advance reservations are essential.
The Game Room resurrects the original billiards room with bocce, billiards, shuffleboard, skeeball, pop-a-shot, chess, and checkers—all enjoyed over craft cocktails and casual fare in a space that buzzes with energy. It's a lively bar that perfectly captures the hotel's playful spirit.
The Drawing Room, adorned with elaborate wood carvings and three working fireplaces, serves a rustic yet refined menu with takes on regional classics. It's perfect for morning coffee, afternoon work sessions, or evening cocktails in an elegant setting.
Fairgrounds provides artisan coffee and tea, with cold brews and sparkling teas served on tap alongside a variety of specialty beverages and matcha whipped to order. For those seeking familiar comfort, Shake Shack offers its renowned burgers, crinkle-cut fries, and frozen custard shakes—and yes, it's available 24/7 via room service, the world's only Shake Shack room service.
The Athletic Spirit Lives On
True to its name, the hotel maintains its athletic connections. The historic basketball court, Stagg Court, is available for guests to shoot hoops (subject to availability). The 24-hour fitness center features a vintage-inspired design with original wooden elements and artwork depicting athletes doing calisthenics. The hotel offers complimentary bicycle rentals for exploring the lakefront, guided runs along the lake, and even discounts on personal training sessions.
Perhaps most impressive is the White City Ballroom on the eighth floor, where a team of plasterers painstakingly recreated the room's original ceiling based on decades-old photographs, complete with more than 160 delicately ornamented plaster "stalactites." With sweeping views of the parks and Lake Michigan, it's one of the building's most stunning spaces.
More Than a Hotel
What makes the Chicago Athletic Association truly special isn't just the luxurious rooms or exceptional dining—it's the sense that you're part of something larger than yourself. For 114 years, this building was accessible only to the privileged few. Now, as part of Hyatt's Unbound Collection, it extends that sense of belonging to everyone who walks through its doors.
The hotel offers complimentary guided architectural tours Monday through Saturday at 2pm, where you can learn about the building's transformation and hear stories about its illustrious members. On Sunday mornings, DJ Dave Mata spins downtempo soul music from around the globe during Cindy's brunch, creating an atmosphere that feels both celebratory and intimate.
Since reopening in 2015, the Chicago Athletic Association has earned recognition on Travel + Leisure's "World's Best Awards" list of "Top 10 Chicago Hotels," Condé Nast Traveler's "Readers' Choice Awards" for "The Best Hotels in Chicago," and was recently honored with One Key in MICHELIN Guide's inaugural list of MICHELIN Key hotels—a testament to its exceptional hospitality and historic significance.
Planning Your Visit
The Chicago Athletic Association sits directly across from Millennium Park at 12 South Michigan Avenue, putting you within walking distance of the Art Institute of Chicago, Cloud Gate (The Bean), the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center, and the vibrant theater district. The location alone makes it ideal for both first-time visitors and Chicago natives looking for a staycation with a view.
Pet owners will appreciate that the hotel is exceptionally pet-friendly, with no weight limits (though they request only two pets per room) and an "MVPet Package" that includes in-room dog food and water bowls, a dog bed, and welcome biscuits. The doormen can even direct you to Chicago's best pet-friendly walking paths.
For those booking through World of Hyatt, rates start at 17,000 points per night during off-peak times, with standard rooms ranging from $200-$299 during regular seasons. The Founders Fee of $30 per night might seem steep, but when you factor in the Henriot Champagne welcome toast, skip-the-line privileges at Cindy's, preferred Midōsuji reservations, and athletic amenities, it's a value that enhances the experience rather than nickel-and-diming guests.
The hotel can be reached at +1 312.940.3552, and reservations can be made through chicagoathletichotel.com or the Hyatt website. For the best rates and elite benefits, World of Hyatt members should book directly through the Hyatt system.
The Verdict
The Chicago Athletic Association isn't just a place to sleep—it's a portal to a different era of Chicago, when athletic prowess and social status intertwined in oak-paneled rooms and marble-floored ballrooms. The meticulous restoration honors that history while creating spaces that feel relevant and exciting today. Whether you're sipping cocktails at Cindy's as the sun sets over Millennium Park, experiencing the innovative omakase at Midōsuji, shooting hoops on the same court where football legends once played, or simply admiring the 19th-century craftsmanship from your room, you're not just a guest—you're part of a story that's been unfolding for more than a century.
As the hotel's philosophy states: "We believe the spirit of Chicago is like a club. Once you've visited, you belong." And after my stay at this Hyatt Unbound Collection property, I can confirm—they're right. This is one membership worth claiming.