Property at a Glance: Freehand Chicago

Freehand Chicago is a hip boutique hotel in Chicago’s popular River North neighborhood. Close to everything, Freehand is two blocks from the famed Magnificent Mile and steps away from the CTA Red Line station and bus routes. Locals probably know it best as the location of The Broken Shaker, an offshoot of the James Beard Award-nominated cocktail bar in Miami. The Windy City iteration landed on Eater Chicago’s “Where to Drink Right Now” map, thanks in part to its creative cocktails and delicious bar food.

• Truly upscale design: Guest rooms were created by heralded interior designers Roman and Williams who have worked for Gwenyth Paltrow and Kate Hudson.
• The press says: Chicago magazine says the “Freehand probably isn’t like anything you’ve ever seen before” and that it ”should be on your Chicago hotel bucket list.”
• Wake up with a coffee from Cafe Integral, the on-site coffee roaster. The café offers Nicaraguan coffee and Midwest-influenced comfort food.
• Within 1 mile: Michigan Avenue (a.k.a. “The Magnificent Mile”), the Hancock Building, the Chicago Theatre, Millennium Park, and the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago’s River North: World-Class Art Galleries, Restaurants, and Nightlife near Downtown

Bordering the Loop on the northern side of the Chicago River, the River North neighborhood is where the skyscrapers of downtown give way to the award-winning restaurants and trendy nightspots of the North Side. Once an industrial area, River North is today home to architectural gems—the Jenga-like Contemporaine residential building on Wells Street is a good example—as well as eateries to suit every appetite and budget.

In addition to a formidable culinary presence ranging from inventive Peruvian cuisine at Tanta Restaurant to Chicago classics such as Portillo’s, River North boasts the country’s largest concentration of art galleries outside of Manhattan. The River North Gallery District runs along Chicago, Superior, and Huron Streets, occupying century-old red-brick warehouses that have been converted into lofts and exhibition spaces. You can easily travel beyond River North using Chicago’s public transportation system; check out our guide to Chicago public transportation for tips on navigating the city like a local.