Pendry Chicago

Pendry Chicago, the Montage International lifestyle brand's Midwest debut, occupies the Carbide & Carbon Building on Michigan Avenue in the Loop. Montage took over the lease in October 2020 and opened the hotel as Pendry in May 2021, after years as Hard Rock Hotel Chicago and a short spell as St Jane Chicago, which closed in 2020. The 364 redesigned rooms and suites sit inside a tower whose exterior was left untouched.

The place

The Loop, on Michigan Avenue between the Chicago River and the Magnificent Mile. Millennium Park and the Riverwalk are a short walk away, as is the main shopping strip.

The concept

The Burnham Brothers, sons of Daniel Burnham, designed the building in 1929 as the regional office of Union Carbide and Carbon Co. It became a Chicago Landmark in 1996. The base is black granite, the tower deep green terracotta, and the top is capped in 24-karat gold leaf, which gives the tower its Champagne-bottle silhouette.

Montage bought the lease in October 2020 and relaunched the hotel under Pendry in May 2021. It is an operator and brand change, not a ground-up project. Studio Munge, led by Alessandro Munge, redesigned the public spaces inside the landmark shell.

The lobby has a black-and-white striped floor, and the reception parlour carries works by the Amsterdam artist Arnout Meijer. The Los Angeles designer Heidi Merrick made custom uniforms for the front desk and Bar Pendry staff, the second collaboration with the brand after Pendry West Hollywood earlier in 2021. Some rooms have Tonal mirrors for in-room workouts.

The hotel is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.

Dining & wellness

Venteux, on the ground floor, is a French brasserie, café and shellfish bar of about 4,000 square feet, run by Andy Masi's Clique Hospitality with chef-partner Donald Young. Bar Pendry, off the lobby, has a double-sided fireplace and a mix of classic and house cocktails. The Billiard Gallery, a pool hall next to the restaurant, shows a rotating art display and has views of Michigan Avenue.

Château Carbide, the rooftop bar on the 24th floor, opened as a summer pop-up on June 25, 2021: picnic-style food and rosé by day, DJs and bottle service at night.