4 Things I Loved About the Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop

The Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop opened in November 2021, becoming the brand’s first hotel in the Windy City.  

The building itself is full of history. It was the former Chicago and North Western Railway headquarters and was built more than 100 years ago. Today, the building is home to 2 separate Hilton Hotels properties. Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Central Loop shares space with the Canopy, and between the 2 properties, there are 350 guest rooms and suites. Both properties feature 2 on-site restaurants, 2 meeting and event spaces, a fitness center (shared between the hotels), and an outdoor terrace.

Chicago has its fair share of ultraluxe hotels. The Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop isn’t that, by any means, but it’s definitely more elevated and high-end than other Canopy hotels in the U.S.

I booked a last-minute stay here in early August 2024 for a professional development conference and jumped at the opportunity to spend my Hilton Honors points. While the hotel wasn’t perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed my short but sweet stay.

Here’s what I loved about the Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop.

1. Affordable and Last-Minute Availability

I booked my reservation at the Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop at the absolute last minute for a conference. With the host hotel and backup hotels sold out months in advance, my options (especially in downtown Chicago, where the conference was) were limited.

If that wasn’t all, my conference wasn’t the only major event taking place in the city that weekend. The annual Lollapalooza festival — which saw a whopping 100,000 attendees descend on Grant Park last year — was also taking place that weekend. Even with a healthy amount of points in my account, I wasn’t expecting to score an affordable award rate so close to my travel dates.

That was doubly true, considering that Hilton doesn’t use an award chart but instead uses dynamic pricing. Award nights can be lower or higher depending on seasonality and demand. And let me tell you — there was a lot of demand that weekend.

But I seemed to get lucky at the Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop. Just a week before my stay, I found award availability for standard rooms starting at just 64,000 Hilton Honors points per night. 

For this reservation, I used 60,000 Hilton Honors points. I earned these points by transferring American Express Membership Rewards, taking Lyft rides, and dining with Hilton Honors Dining. I paid the remainder in cash using the Points and Money option, which came out to around $6. For my dates, I found the price to be an absolute steal for a close-in reservation on one of the busiest weekends in Chicago this summer.

While I have historically not stayed at Hilton Honors properties or been particularly loyal to the chain, I’ve enjoyed earning and redeeming points this year, especially as my loyalty to Hyatt wanes.

Had I not elected to use my Hilton Honors points, I would have been pleased to find affordable cash rates as well. I spotted standard room rates for around $340 per night, which seemed reasonable for such a busy weekend. The hotel’s affordability in cash or points makes me eager to book again, especially for last-minute travel.

2. Beautiful Communal Spaces 

One of the signatures of Hilton’s Canopy brand — which has over 40 hotels open in 18 destinations — is its communal spaces. Here, the Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop shined.

Upon entering the hotel, you’re greeted by an open-air, high-ceiling lobby that feels like something you’d see in the 1920s. It’s bright and doesn’t have that stuffy, unapproachable air you’d find at some hotels.

The bar occupies the central area, and there’s ample seating here to dine alone or with travel companions. If that’s not enough, there’s a separate dining area if you decide to stay longer. The check-in area is to the right of the entrance, and you can find bikes to rent here. 

The gym is on the smaller side for a hotel, but it did the job for me during my visit. There’s a Peloton machine and Technogym equipment, which should be enough, especially for a shorter stay. 

A small seating area on the hotel’s second floor seemed to be a hybrid work-play section. There were cozy couches and nooks perfect for knocking out work. There was also a pretty sizable terrace on the second floor, though I didn’t go outside.

Though I was only at the hotel for 1 night, I tried to make the most of my time. I used my $18 hotel credit — which I received upon booking a reservation at the hotel — on a drink at the bar.

3. Spacious Room and Bathroom

My room, 223, was in a secluded wing, far from the elevator, which was a huge perk. 

I was immediately impressed by the room — this isn’t your run-of-the-mill Canopy hotel, by any means. The room had high ceilings and lots of lighting. It felt more like I was staying at a friend’s apartment than a big-box chain hotel.

The bed was adorned with 400-thread-count sheets and a memory foam mattress. I slept a full 12 hours!

The bathroom was pretty spacious and had a separate sink and shower area. The shower had 2 nozzles, rainfall and handheld — which is a boon for anyone with locs, like me — and the water pressure was just right.

The only downside came during check-in (which I could complete online without visiting the front desk). The Hilton app let me select my room and floor ahead of check-in. I selected a room with views of the Willis Tower, but my assigned room, instead, had views of a parking garage. 

Given the busy weekend, I imagine those rooms had long been booked, but if that was the case, I don’t think I should have been given the option to select a room that wasn’t available.

Still, I really enjoyed the room. It was tastefully designed, quiet, and roomy. 

4. Fantastic, Central Location

As I mentioned above, the Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop is in a superb location. If you want to be near everything Chicago offers, you can’t go wrong booking a stay here. 

Near the southwest corner of the Loop proper, the hotel is just a few short blocks from Willis Tower, one of the city’s most iconic buildings (some rooms offer views of the building). The Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop is near several bars, restaurants, and drugstores. Simple things, like getting food delivered, were a breeze.

I try to take public transit as much as possible when visiting a new city. The Canopy is in a prime location if you want to save money and take the L train or bus. 

The hotel is a block from the Quincy L stop, which serves the Brown, Orange, Pink, and Purple Lines. You can connect to Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) from the hotel via the Orange Line in 40 minutes. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) is just 50 minutes by L via the Blue Line, which you can hop on at the Monroe station, just 3 blocks away. Finally, Chicago Union Station is just an 8-minute walk or bus ride from the hotel.

I didn’t realize exactly how good the location was until I was running late to the airport. I’d spent the morning and afternoon of the day of checkout on a yacht in Lake Michigan — the hotel was gracious enough to hold my luggage for the day, which I appreciated — but found myself running late to catch my flight out of O’Hare. Had I been at a hotel deeper in the city, my trek from Pier 31 to the hotel to grab my luggage to the airport would have likely resulted in me missing my flight. But I made it with about an hour to spare (even with heavy traffic from Lollapalooza).

The central location was a big selling point when booking this hotel, and the Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop didn’t disappoint. 

Final Thoughts

The Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop is a good choice for a variety of travelers, whether they’re traveling for business or looking to be close to everything Chicago has to offer. 

I found this hotel to be a fantastic choice for my 1-night stay. With friendly service, spacious rooms, solid communal spaces, and an absolutely fantastic location, the Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop just might be one of Hilton’s best midtier hotels in the city.