Explore gallery on Palmer House®, A Hilton Hotel

Guestroom With King Bed Each of the 1,641 guest rooms (all non-smoking) provides a glimpse of the extraordinary Palmer House legacy while simultaneously providing all of the modern comforts and conveniences needed for a memorable stay in downtown Chicago.

Presidential Suite Living Room Featuring parlor and dining areas, as well as a Libation Station, suites provide guests with a place they can make their own while staying in downtown Chicago.

The Palmer Hilton House Brownie The first reference to the “brownie” in America appears in the Sears Roebuck Catalog published in Chicago in 1898. Specifically at the direction of Bertha Palmer to be served at the Columbian Exposition World Fair in 1893, the brownie was created in the Palmer House Kitchen in the late 19th century. The recipe below is well over a century old, and is the exact same one used for the brownie served in the Palmer House Hilton today! It remains one of the hotel’s most popular confections.

Exterior Street View Palmer House® is ideally situated in Chicago's famed Loop, just steps from the Art Institute of Chicago and the closest hotel to Millennium Park.

Lobby Marvel at the hotel’s French-inspired lobby, including the magnificent ceiling of 21 Grecian murals by French artist Luis Pierre Rigal, and the majestic Tiffany & Co. 24-karat gold winged angels that each weigh 1.25 tons.

Lobby Perhaps the most striking architectural feature in the current Palmer House is the gorgeous ceiling in its central lobby, which has even been compared to the Sistine Chapel of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Historical Image Of Bar By the turn of the century, the Palmer House had become Chicago’s liveliest social center, hosting a long list of prominent figures—including those ranging from U.S. presidents to Charles Dickens to Oscar Wilde.

Historical Image Of Barber Shop The new Palmer House was once remembered for the fact that 225 silver dollars were embedded in the checkerboard tile floor of the barbershop. They were put there by William S. Eaton, lessee of the shop, who cashed in on the idea within the next few years.

Historical Drawing Of Bridal Chamber While the Palmer House has long been a fitting setting for a wedding, the hotel itself was also one of the most extravagant wedding gifts of all time and was built as a wedding gift from Potter Palmer to his bride Bertha Honore.

Historical Image Of Dining Hall For fifty years, the hotel was a mecca for Chicago society and visiting luminaries such as Ulysses S. Grant, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, and Oscar Wilde.

Historical Image Of Exterior Front Entrance Potter Palmer tasked talented architect John Mills Van Osdel to realize his grand vision of creating an extraordinary luxury hotel in downtown Chicago. The hotel, built in the Chicago School syle, stood as an engineering marvel when construction finally concluded four years later.

Historical Image Of Street View Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Loop, where the Palmer House is located, is also the second-largest commercial neighborhood in the entire country.

Historical Image Of Grand Hall The Palmer House was bedecked with garnet-draped chandeliers, Louis Comfort Tiffany masterpieces, and a breath taking ceiling fresco by French painter Louis Pierre Rigal.

Historical Drawing Of Grand Rotunda Shortly after befriending Claude Monet in France, Bertha Palmer began decorating the Palmer House with paintings and other pieces inspired by her French heritage. She eventually accumulated the largest collection of impressionist art outside of France.

Historical Drawing Of Grand Staircase The hotel attracted well-to-do permanent residents who enjoyed the spacious quarters, master bedrooms, walk-in closets, multiple bathrooms, housekeeping and porter services.

Historical Drawing Of Kitchen The chocolate brownie was invented at The Palmer House in 1893 at the behest of Bertha Palmer. Palmer instructed the hotel’s pastry chef to create a special dessert to commemorate the nearby World’s Columbian Exposition. As such, the chef concocted the first brownie, which featured walnuts with an apricot glaze.

Historical Drawing Of Original Exterior By 1925, Palmer erected a new 25-story hotel which was promoted as the largest hotel in the world. The architects were Holabird & Roche who were well known for their groundbreaking Chicago School of skyscrapers.

Adams Room With Conference Seating Offering 4,904 square feet of space and an 18-foot-high ceiling, the Adams Room makes for an impressive setting for meetings of 60 to 375 attendees.

Empire Room With Corporate Seating The Empire Room at the Palmer House became the showplace in Chicago. During the World's Fair of 1933, an unknown ballroom team, Veloz and Yolanda won the hearts of the city and performed for more than a year. They were followed by other famed live entertainers like Liberace, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and Ella Fitzgerald, among others.

Grand Ballroom With Classroom Seating The Grand Ballroom makes for a stunning setting for meetings and special celebrations alike, and features a 29-foot ceiling and 9,248 square feet of space.

Honore Ballroom With Classroom Seating The Honore Ballroom is a stately place for a meeting, with an 18-foot ceiling and 3,487 square feet of space.

Mezzanine Stunning views and private balconies overlooking the historic lobby make for the perfect backdrop to an event on the Mezzanine Level.

Red Lacquer Room The jewel box-like Red Lacquer Room is a dazzling backdrop for special occasions and features 7,133 square feet of space and a 21-foot ceiling.