The Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, is a center-stage glamour gal that I did not want to miss on a recent visit to the Windy City. A historic, palatial hotel, it has hosted some of the world’s most famous people and thrown head-turning parties. Plus, it is where my favorite comfort food was invented. The brownie!
Chicago has lots of sleek, modern architectural gems to stay at, but I enjoy doing a deep dive into history.
Riding up the escalator to the lobby, one floor above street level, I was whisked into another world. Gold candelabras glowed and pillars stretched up to a magnificent muraled ceiling.
Remarking on the spectacle, the reception clerk informed me there were 21 ceiling murals by Art Deco painter Louis Pierre Rigal. The candelabras were designed by Tiffany & Co.
She pointed to a staircase leading up to the mezzanine.
“You can find a lot of the hotel history in the Palmer House archive.”
Reading up on it before I arrived, I knew the hotel was born from love. It was a wedding present from Chicago business magnate Potter Palmer to Bertha Honore Palmer. There was much more I wanted to find out about this vaunted property.
A Large Variety of Rooms at the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel
Before delving into the past, I needed to drop off my bags and get settled. The express elevator zipped me to the 23rd floor, the highest in the 1,642-room hotel. My Premium room was spacious, and from the window, I glimpsed the blue of Lake Michigan. There was a minifridge, a flatscreen TV, a desk, and WiFi. The bathroom sported a shower with two heads that folded out from the wall.
A hotel with this many rooms offers lots of options. Standard rooms are a little smaller than mine and come with either a double or a King bed. Deluxe rooms have two double beds, and you can get one with two bathrooms.
Suites come with King beds or two double beds. These units come with a separate bedroom, dining/living area, wet bar, bathroom in the bedroom, and a half bath in the living area.
Delightful Dining, Brownies and Beverages
Unwinding after a day of travel, I sat in the lobby, soaking up the grandeur and sipping a signature cocktail. I opted for the Brownie Old Fashioned made with Frangelico and Crème de cacao. I noticed they also had a Palmer House Bloody Mary made with hot pepper-infused vodka. Plus, they even had a Palmer House Pilsner.
Brownies at Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, are an ongoing theme. In the Lockwood Express Grab & Go, you could purchase a large boxed brownie for later snacking. Plus, they had gift items, including a brownie Christmas tree ornament.
How and why was it invented? In 1893, Bertha Palmer asked a pastry chef in the Palmer House kitchen for a dessert suitable for ladies attending the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition. She wanted a cake-like confection to be included in boxed lunches, and the brownie was born. Check the hotel website for the recipe.
Although I was going out that night, I took a peek at the hotel’s Lockwood Restaurant dinner menu. It listed standard bistro fare such as grilled chicken, Scottish salmon, New York Strip steak, and pasta a la vodka. Of course, brownies were available for dessert.
I also stuck my head into Potter’s, a casual bar and eatery on the main floor with lots of sports screens and a variety of beers and libations.
The next morning, I headed to the Lockwood Restaurant for breakfast. Choices included eggs any way, omelets, buttermilk pancakes with brownie crumble, granola, and fruit.
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I was drawn to the avocado biscuits and eggs. Smashed avocado was layered on tomato and onion biscuits, with two poached eggs. It was topped with Guajillo sauce, back bean pico, queso fresco, and sour cream. Plus, my server poured repeated cups of fragrant French-press coffee.
Staying Active at the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel
I popped my head into the fitness center/health club and was impressed. The 10,000-square-foot facility was located on three interconnecting levels. The main cardio and weight training room had an arched glass ceiling and was equipped with free weights, treadmills, elliptical machines, and stationary bikes. In addition, there was a yoga room and a Peloton room. Unfortunately, the heated indoor pool was under maintenance, so I was unable to take a dip.
Pampering on demand at the Spa + Social
I didn’t have time to indulge, but I noticed the SPA + Social at Palmer House offered massages, facials, scrubs, and body wraps. In addition, there were manicures, pedicures, and a hair and makeup salon.
Some History on the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel
What I did make time for was a visit to the Palmer House Archive, a room filled with furniture and mementos gathered over the years. Built in 1871, the original hotel burned in the Great Chicago Fire days after it was erected. Undeterred, Palmer rebuilt and opened the second iteration in 1873.
Bertha decorated the hotel with artwork inspired by her French heritage. She was a friend of painter Claude Monet and amassed a significant collection of his works, along with other Impressionist painters. A flamboyant hostess, she threw a party for Ulysses S. Grant and called it the Greatest Banquet in American History. Mark Twain was the master of ceremonies, and I was chuffed to see his multi-gallon silver beer stein displayed in the hotel lobby.
Other famous figures who visited were Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, and numerous U.S. presidents. In addition, the hotel’s entertainment venue, the Empire Room, featured headliners such as Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, and Harry Belafonte.
What to do Nearby
Located a block from Michigan Avenue, the hotel is within walking distance to Millennium Park, the theatre district, and the Art Institute of Chicago. I was thrilled to see the Art Institute’s Impressionist collection, the core of which was donated by Bertha Honore Palmer. Plus, I took a walk to the Field Museum and spent a few hours exploring its natural world, dinosaur, and Egyptian exhibits.
Rates at the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel
Standard room with one double bed starts at $264 per night. A Premium room with a King bed starts at $287 per night. A one-bedroom suite with a King bed starts at $589 per night. Depending on the seaso,n rates vary. Guests are charged a $25 per-night resort fee. This includes hotel credits for food, the Health Club, laundry, and spa services. For pets, there is a $75 non-refundable fee. Maximum weight is 75 lbs. Parking is available for a fee.
Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Hotel review by Toronto-based travel writer Maureen Littlejohn. Photos © Maureen Littlejohn. Her stay was organized by Hilton Hotels & Resorts. As always, her thoughts and opinions are her own.
