The Peninsula Chicago

Set in a landmark high-rise on the Magnificent Mile in Streeterville, this five-star hotel pairs Far Eastern-style service with a Midwestern setting a few minutes' walk from the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Chicago Ave. subway station.

The 339 rooms and suites, some with floor-to-ceiling windows over Lake Michigan or Michigan Avenue, carry marble bathrooms with in-tub TVs, Pratesi linens, Nespresso machines and tablet-controlled room systems. Dining spans Shanghai Terrace for Cantonese and Shanghainese cuisine under Chef de Cuisine Elmo Han, the European-style Pierrot Gourmet cafe, a cocktail bar, and The Lobby, known for its afternoon tea.

The 15,000-square-foot Peninsula Spa occupies the 19th and 20th floors, with a half-Olympic indoor pool, hot tub, sun terrace and fitness center overlooking the skyline. More than 9,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a grand ballroom, suits business travelers alongside couples and families drawn to the location and the spa.