Welcome to The Willows Hotel – Chicago

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From90US$ /night
Check-in
10Sept2025Select date
Check-out
11Sept2025Select date
Rooms and Guests2 Guests, 1 Room
Key details

About the Hotel

555 W Surf St, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60657

The Willows Hotel, a 3-star property hidden away in the picturesque gardens of Chicago's Lincoln Park, offers an inviting collection of warm and sophisticated accommodations. Dry cleaning services, a fireplace in the lobby, and a gym are available at this family-friendly hotel in Lakeview, the home of Wrigleyville and the Chicago Cubs.

Refined Room Options

Each guest room at The Willows Hotel features elegant wood furnishings, flat-screen TVs with cable, and fully stocked minibars. Room options include classic queen rooms, executive king rooms with working desks, and king junior suites with separate sitting areas enclosed by French doors.

Nearby Dining Choices

R.J. Grunts, a renowned comfort food destination with unique 1970s flair, offers a full menu of all-American eats near the hotel. Coffee and tea are available in the lobby 24 hours a day, with numerous dining options in the immediate area.

Leisure Facilities Nearby

Guests enjoy access to a local gym and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the property. Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the only free admission zoos in the United States, houses almost 200 species of animals from around the globe just 2 km from the hotel.

Lakefront Transportation Access

The Willows Hotel is located under 2 km from Lake Michigan's shoreline, where waterfront paths are popular for runs, bicycle rides, and scenic walks. The Fullerton 'L' train station offers service for the CTA's Brown, Red, and Purple lines, while the Wellington station provides Brown Line service and Purple Line access during weekdays.

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Select your room type

Choose from doubles, suites, or family rooms, many with breakfast, flexible cancellation, and promotional rates
Small Queen
Max:
2 persons
13 m² 
Bed options:
1 King-size bed
Shower
Heating
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Deluxe Queen Room Two Queen Beds
Max:
2 persons
26 m² 
Bed options:
2 King Size Beds
Shower
Heating
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Standard Queen Room
Max:
2 persons
16 m² 
Bed options:
1 King-size bed
Shower
Heating
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Getting around

A guide to all available transportation options

City Centre
Chicago 6.5 km
Airports
Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) 25.0 km
Midway International (MDW) 25.7 km
Train
Millennium Station 5.8 km
Ogilvie Transportation Center 5.8 km
Underground
Diversey800 m
Wellington900 m
Bus
Bus stop100 m

Facilities

Boutique hotels design their amenities with your relaxation and unique travel experiences in mind

General

  • No smoking on site
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Parking
  • Safe deposit box
  • 24-hour reception
  • No pets allowed
  • Luggage storage
  • Lift
  • Smoke detectors

Sports & Fitness

  • Golf course

Services

  • Housekeeping
  • Welcome drink

Dining

  • Snack bar

Business

  • Fax/Photocopying

Room features

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating
  • Mini-bar

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries

Media

  • Flat-screen TV
  • AM/FM alarm clock

Room decor

  • Carpeted floor
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Location

555 W Surf St, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60657
Map view
555 W Surf St, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60657
Nearby
Store
Trader Joe's
490 m
2800 N Pine Grove Ave
The Brewster Building
310 m
Restaurants
Yango's Grill
90 m
2845 N Broadway St
Yummy Yummy Asian Cuisine
170 m
2901 N Broadway St
Chipotle Mexican Grill
200 m
610 W Diversey Pkwy
Crisp
290 m
2940 N Broadway St
Nancy's Original Stuffed Pizza
230 m
2930 N Broadway St
Wow Bao
270 m
2806 N Clark St - Lakeview
Burger King
240 m
748 West Diversey Parkway
The Crepe Shop
240 m
2928 N Broadway St
Bobtail Ice Cream
290 m
2951 N Broadway St
The Chipmunks
370 m
438 W Diversey Pkwy

Reviews and Ratings

Real comments from travelers who have already stayed
Guest reviews
5.0/10
based on 5 reviews
4/5 based on 1117 reviews
8.1
8.1/10 based on 594 reviews
#92 of 200 hotels in Chicago based on Tripadvisor
Anne
United States, April  2024
7.8/10

My stay at the hotel was a mix of comfort and inconvenience. The rooms were cozy and sweet, but the old style radiator heaters made it suffocatingly hot at times. The view overlooking the alley with apartment windows across was not ideal, yet the overall comfort level was satisfactory.

Rooms
7.0
The rooms are very comfortable and sweet, but the old style radiator heaters required manual adjustments to avoid overheating.
Service
8.0
The service was nice and accommodating, with the staff being very pleasant. They even changed our room for Days 2 & 3 at no extra cost after a disappointing experience on Day 1.
Location
9.0
The location is amazing, tucked away on a quiet street off Clark, yet close to a variety of restaurants, cafes, and shops.
Dining
7.0
The dining experience was decent, with a relaxing setting in the lobby area. The choices were good, but could have been more substantial with a wider variety of items.
Facilities
The facilities were adequate for a comfortable stay, though nothing particularly exceptional was noted.
comfortable rooms
overheating rooms
Harry
United Kingdom, March  2024
7.6/10

The hotel's location is super safe, ideal for those late-night walks, just a few blocks off Lakeshore Drive, close to everything we wanted to see and do. The rooms were a mix - spacious for some, extremely small for others. The service was excellent, very accessible, courteous, and knowledgeable, with great housekeeping and a lovely welcome drink. Dining options ranged from hearty and plentiful to awfully poor. The facilities were okay, with a cozy lobby and good WiFi.

Rooms
7.0
Service
9.0
The service was excellent - very accessible, courteous, and knowledgeable. The housekeeping was top-notch, and the welcome drink was a lovely touch.
Location
9.0
The hotel is located in the Boystown neighborhood in North Chicago on Surf Street, great for quick access to the Briar Street Theater, numerous restaurants, coffee shops, small grocery stores, and decades-old local charm.
Dining
5.0
The dining options varied from hearty and plentiful to disappointing with some being awfully poor.
Facilities
7.0
The facilities were decent, with a comfortable lobby area, excellent WiFi, and friendly staff.
Jerry
United States, July  2023
7.2/10

Wow, what a mixed bag! The hotel rooms were a bit of a letdown, old-school vibes, and those manual heaters were a hassle. Yet, surprisingly clean, spacious, and comfy. The service was top-notch, super friendly and efficient, making up for the room quirks. The location is a gem, surrounded by dining options, but that dirty alley was a downside. The dining experience could use some serious upgrade. Overall, a decent stay.

Rooms
7.0
The room was clean, spacious, and comfortable, despite the dated 1950s decor and manual heaters.
Service
9.0
The staff was incredibly friendly and efficient, making sure everything was sorted out promptly.
Location
8.0
The hotel is ideally situated near Wrigley and the lake with fantastic dining options, but that dirty alley was not appealing.
Dining
5.0
The dining experience, particularly breakfast, left much to be desired with a limited variety of items.
Facilities
7.0
The facilities were adequate, but nothing exceptional to note.
Bryan
United States, June  2023
6.6/10

My stay at the hotel was a mix of positives and negatives. The room I was shown was cozy with a very comfortable bed, but it was smaller than expected and lacked a desk chair. Despite the promise from the front desk lady, there was an issue with the room temperature being too cold.

Rooms
7.0
The room I stayed in was cozy and the bed was very comfortable, but it was smaller than usual and lacked a desk chair.
Service
6.0
The service at the hotel was a bit of a mixed experience. While the staff cleaned our room promptly and was great about arranging a taxi for me, there was a less than welcoming attitude when I raised concerns about the room comfort.
Location
8.0
The location of the hotel is excellent for those looking to explore the beautiful Northern suburbs. It was convenient for running errands up and down Lake Shore Dr and close to the Lakeview area of Chicago.
Dining
5.0
The dining options at the hotel were not impressive. The continental breakfast was basic and lacked variety, which was disappointing given the hotel's desired image.
Facilities
7.0
The facilities at the hotel were satisfactory, although nothing exceptional stood out during my stay.
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Check-in
10Sept2025Select date
Check-out
11Sept2025Select date
Rooms and Guests2 Guests, 1 Room