The Best Hotels In Illinois, According To U.S. News Report

ILLINOIS — If you’re planning a vacation or weekend getaway in Illinois and want to stay at the best hotel, you’re in luck — U.S. News and World Report today released the newest edition of its Best Hotels rankings, and several Illinois hotels made the cut.

Evaluating more than 30,000 hotels worldwide, U.S. News compiled the 10th annual Best Hotels list to help travelers find their ideal hotel, regardless of destination or budget, according to the report.

In Illinois, The Langham Chicago took top honors, ranking No. 2 in the country, followed by the The Peninsula in Chicago (No. 3) and the Four Seasons Chicago (No. 9). Rounding out the top five were The Ritz Carlton Chicago (No. 33) and Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago (No. 99), respectively.

U.S. News also named the top hotels in several places worldwide, including the best in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Coming in first on the U.S. list is the Four Seasons Resort Lanai in Hawaii.

Four other locations, including two in Illinois, rounded out the top five hotels in the U.S.:

• The Langham, Chicago
• The Peninsula, Chicago
• Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
• Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort

Since the inaugural ranking in 2011, only 41 properties have earned a gold badge by consistently ranking in the top 10 percent in the U.S. These range from brand-backed properties such as the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago and The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, to smaller, more intimate hotels such as The Inn of the Five Graces in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston, South Carolina.

Hotels with a gold badge distinction have consistently provided comfortable accommodations, high levels of customer service, and memorable and luxurious experiences for travelers, the report says.

Seventeen hotels from Illinois have earned a gold badge, while fourteen earned silver, meaning these hotels consistently ranked in the top 30 percent of all 3.5-, 4-, 4.5- and 5-star hotels in that destination.