In a city known for its grand, historic hotels, theWit Chicago stands out in the luxury market for its contemporary, creative personality. It’s a property that is modern in every sense and is designed to delight with its artistic touches found in every corner. Perhaps even more important is the high degree of personalized service from a staff that recognizes its guests and goes out of their way to make their stay a memorable one.

Jason Mudgett, the Operations Manager, was new to the property when we arrived, but he was a constant presence in the lobby, supporting the staff and making sure that things went well for the guests whether it was making recommendations, asking about their travel plans, or responding to the many crises that pop up daily in a busy city hotel.

The hotel sits in the heart of Chicago’s Theater District, surrounded by the live theater that lends its fame to the Windy City and a collection of outstanding restaurants. Stretching high into the Chicago skyline, the property stands out from the busy street with its lime green awning and hot pink sign announcing the spa. It’s the first twinkling that a stay here is colorful and bright, one meant to be filled with wonder and joy.

Why You’ll Love It

theWit is designed to provide everything a visitor to Chicago might need: great food, helpful concierge staff, meeting space, a spa; and spacious, comfortable guest rooms.

One of the elements that really make it stand out is the contemporary art that fills its spaces, whether it is the tall sculptures that stretch up multiple stories in the lobby, the quirky lamps, or zebra-striped Venus de Milo lookalikes in the guest-rooms. They’re all designed to make guests smile, to engage a little more deeply and to delight all the senses.

What also makes this property stand head and shoulders above the competition is the way the staff provides personal attention and goes out of their way to make sure each guest is having an excellent stay. The sign of a great hotel isn’t that every stay goes off without a hitch. The sign of a great hotel is that when a snag arises in a guest stay, the staff is attentive and solves the problem without ever making the guest feel that they are the problem. This is something the staff at theWit excelled at.

What to Expect

Expect a stay where every detail has been carefully curated to alternately meet expectations and to surprise. It has what one might expect from a luxury urban hotel: clean, spacious rooms with updated amenities, great food, meeting rooms, a hopping night life scene, luxurious shower heads, spa services, and superior service.

It also has delightful details such in-room sculptures that double as lamps, long bathroom marble countertops, and lobby chandeliers that look like triumphant phoenix wings in black and white.

Key Features

A Hilton property, theWit lives up to and surpasses brand standards. Hilton Honors members have access to a digital key, room access via the elevators is protected by key cards, and there are both concierge and valet services.

Property amenities include a business center (with online remote printing from your room), fitness center, dining outlets, room service, and a spa. Pets are not allowed.

Cuisine

In addition to their catering for meetings and events, theWit has two dining outlets with menus curated by Chef Michael Taus.

Don’t be fooled by State and Lake’s designation as a tavern. While the atmosphere is chill and casual, the food is anything but. Yes, you can get burgers and fries (though they are called frites on the menu), but you can also indulge in upscale dining and bistro food that delights the taste buds at every course.

The servers are intimate with the menu and you really can’t go wrong asking them for suggestions. Even if you are tempted to skip the first course, don’t. From deviled eggs to charred octopus, the choices are as creative and engaging as the rest of the hotel. A highlight of the first course is the bruschetta of burrata and spiced watermelon. The watermelon replaces the usual tomatoes and they are joined with pickled red onions and maple pumpkin seed granola.

When we got to the end of our delicious meal, we were convinced that dessert was out of the question—we were sated, filled with healthy, creative food. But it proved impossible to pass up on the banana pudding, a variant on that childhood favorite with super crunchy Nilla Wafers, slices of fresh bananas, and topped with a thin banana slice that had been caramelized.

On the 27th floor, The Roof pulses with excitement every evening, the floor vibrating with musical beats chosen by a live DJ coming through the state-of-the-art sound system and lighting. A bartender mixes up a wide selection of cocktails and pours beers, wines, and spirits. The menu features fresh sushi, wood-fired flatbreads, and seasonal a la carte options. Space heaters provide a year-round option of heading out onto the outdoor patio and taking in the bright lights of the city.

Insider’s Tip

Join Hilton Honors and you have the option of picking your room depending on when you arrive and what is available. They have rooms with city and river views. The higher up you go, the better view you will have through their floor-to-ceiling windows.

Spa Treatments

When you enter the wellness floor at theWit, you are immediately bathed in neon pink, a way of leading you from the outside world into the world of spa, where you are invited to focus on your wellness.

Spa at theWit makes impressive use of their mostly vertical space. They’ve designed a luxury experience in a compact space. The reception area splits off into the nail salon area in one direction and the softly-lit treatment rooms, locker room, and Whisper Lounge in the other direction.

Spa Profile: Spa at theWit

The treatment rooms combine serenity and flexibility to allow for a variety of treatments from facials to massages to body treatments. Some rooms include a shower with multiple heads and jets and heated towel hangers.

Massage services include choices between flow, wellness, warm stone and Chicago fire and ice massage. Body services include their signature body wrap, a total body exfoliation, a sole revival, and a frequent traveler detox. They offer three different facials including a HydraFacial.

Chicago Spa Guide: The Best Windy City Spas

Accommodations

In an age where many hospitality properties are remodeling with beiges and neutral colors, theWit seeks out “playfulness and sophistication” by splashing vibrant colors against warmer, rich tones and filling the rooms with plush textures. They have five room types:

• Classic room (with one king or two queens)

• Spa king guestroom

• Luxury junior suite

• Luxury spa suite

• Paramount suite

All rooms include a spa-inspired bathroom, a SmartFridge with adjustable shelves, a Keurig coffee maker, a high-tech and eco-friendly climate control system, black-out curtains, and theWit’s proprietary luxury bath toiletries.

From the basic room, amenities scale up to their most luxurious Paramount suite, an 818-square foot room on the property’s top floor. It includes a living and dining area and two bathrooms—one which has a soaking tub. The spa rooms and suites include a soaking tub.

The room we stayed in was immaculately clean, the beds were very comfortable, and the bathroom felt luxurious. Even in these post-pandemic days, housekeeping service was available each night and generous amounts of pillows were provided for each bed.

With all its creativity, theWit is a hotel designed to make you smile—both while you are there and long after you have left. It breaks the mold of standardization while never lowering service levels. For anyone wanting a modern and contemporary stay filled with personality, theWit fills the bill.

For more information and to book a stay at theWit, call 312-467-0200 or visit their website. To book your next visit, click here. Follow them on Instagram: @thewitchicago

20 N. State Street, Chicago IL 60601

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[Photos courtesy of Bridgette Redman]

Bridgette Redman, who is a second-generation journalist, fell in love with spas and travel while working as a writer and editor for 16 years at the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. As a freelancer for the International SPA Association, she co-wrote two textbooks, nine workbooks and numerous case studies on spas. Her freelance career began in the 80s and she has written for publications in Michigan, Arizona, California, and Texas along with several regional and national publications. She is a committed storyteller who loves sharing narratives which improve people's quality of life and build community. Born and raised in Michigan, she currently lives in Lansing with her husband and son. See more of her writing at www.bridgetteredman.com