By Mari Lucco

The LOMA team is leaving the south and heading to the Midwest. This time, we are tackling the Windy City, Chicago. Chicago is a city rich in history, sport enthusiasts, and of course, incredible culinary experiences. 

Hotels:

Sofitel Hotel

20 E Chestnut St, Chicago

The Sofitel Hotel is located in the famous and vibrant Gold Coast neighborhood. Guests can seamlessly walk Magnificent Mile to shop, walk to Lake Michigan or the Chicago River with ease. When hosting an event at the Sofitel Hotel, the space is bright with windows and natural light and can accommodate conferences of 200 attendees. What sets the Sofitel Hotel apart from other properties is their genuine dedication to sustainability. From guest rooms to the meeting space and the food being offered, sustainability is at the forefront. The hotel focuses on sourcing ingredients from local farms meaning everything is in-season and fresh. Also, this property is one of the few properties in Chicago that has a full composting program. 

Why we love it: As event planners, we love the Sofitel Hotel’s dedication to sustainability and their on-going commitment regardless of the additional costs. Their event team is willing to get creative with the offering and the chef uses his own creativity to accommodate dietary restrictions with stellar food.  The location is unbeatable being off one of the most famous streets, Magnificent Mile and blocks away from the lake and river. 

Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown 

71 East Wacker Drive, Chicago

Located on the Chicago River, this hotel has stunning views of the Chicago skyline and the famous river. This hotel is perfect for travelers who want to explore the city by foot due to its centralized location. This hotel is only a short walk from the Magnificent Mile making lots of shopping, dining, and entertainment options easily accessible. The Royal Sonesta is a great venue for an event around 100 attendees with the ballroom being the penthouse, on the 39^th floor. 

Why we love it: As event planners, we love the ballroom being on the penthouse and the beautiful balcony attached to the event space allowing attendees access to the outdoors and the stunning city views. This hotel is also conveniently located for attendees to enjoy the city. 

Marriott Marquis Chicago 

2121 S Prairie Ave, Chicago

Located in Chicago’s South Loop, this hotel is minutes from popular landmarks including Grant Park, Shedd Aquarium, Soldier Field and an extra bonus is that it is only 8 miles from the Midway airport. The Marriott Marquis Chicago hotel offers modern rooms with great views of the city. The hotel has a great ballroom and multiple smaller rooms that are perfect for breakout sessions. We recommend this hotel  for an event around 300-400 attendees; however, this event is also connected to the convention center for much larger events. 

Why we love it: As event planners, we love that the large ballroom has tall windows allowing for a lot of natural light and beautiful backdrop of the Chicago skyline.  We also love how centralized all the meeting space is, making the transition from general sessions to breakouts seamless.

Restaurants: 

Gene & Georgetti 

Gene & Georgetti is the quintessential Chicago steakhouse-dark lighting, deep red fabrics and delicious food and drinks. Established in 1941, as Chicago’s first steakhouse this restaurant has become a staple for dining in Chicago. If you want to dine here, we suggest making a reservation. 

Why we love it: Dining here brings you back to the days of Super Clubs and the food lives up to its reputation. We highly recommend you of course order a steak but if you are more in the mood for pasta try the Bolognese.

Aba 

Aba is a Mediterranean restaurant that has a California influence. The menu offering has something for every diner. The kitchen uses fresh ingredients and infuses each dish with complex flavor. The vibe at Aba is unmatched with plants everywhere and even a tree indoors creating a very mystical and peaceful mood. During warmer months, Aba has a great patio that is perfect for their Happy Hour menu. If you do plan to stop by here when in Chicago, be sure to make a reservation as we are not the only ones that love Aba. 

Why we love it: The food is the perfect balance of fresh, flavorful and filling.  We highly recommend you try the whipped feta as an appetizer and the cauliflower kebab. 

Venues:

The Dalcy 

The Dalcy is an event venue that shares a kitchen with Aba. This event space is a blank canvas with tall windows, brick and plenty of space. Although this is a blank canvas, The Dalcy provides all tables, chairs, linens, bars, table numbers, and candles while also having an extensive vendor list for florals, plants, and other décor elements. The menu to select from makes it easy to accommodate all dietary restrictions and preferences without making the experience feel different for those attendees. This venue can accommodate up to 200 guests with a full buyout or 100 guests for a partial buy out. 

Why we love it: As mentioned, the venue is a blank canvas allowing customization of the experience. Brick walls, tall windows and wood floors are just the beginning of this venue space. With its own green room and marble bathrooms this venue demonstrates simple eloquence. The venue has sustainable practices and offers family style meals to limit food waste. 

Elevated Events at 360 Chicago

This event space is the top floor of the of the Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower. 360 Chicago offers just that, a 360 view of Chicago from skyline to lake views with floor to ceiling windows. This venue offers a range of rooms that accommodate different style and sizes of events. Everything from full buyouts that fit 500 attendees to smaller rooms that fit 30 guests. The venue does not have an on-site kitchen for food, so a catering partner is needed. 

Why we love it: This gives your guests the best view of the beautiful city of Chicago! With a lot of flexibility in what you can do in the space you can allow your creativity to run free. Although this space would be great for dinner and drinks it would be equally as incredible for a mindful morning of yoga. 

A special shout out to Big Shoulders Coffee for keeping our team caffeinated all week long.