RAISE THE ROOFTOP
Chicago’s first urban glamping experience is back this summer at The Gwen Hotel, available for guests booking the two-bedroom Gwen Lux Suite, which comes with a 1,000-square-foot private terrace. Guests can spend the night under the stars and city lights in a Lotus Belle tent decorated with an eclectic bohemian aesthetic, including hand-knotted macramé seat cushions and a braided Indian jute rug. You’re sure to sleep well on the queen-sized Black Pearl bed, designed exclusively for the Luxury Collection hotels’ brand. All hotel guests can enjoy a refreshing rooftop experience with all-day dining and weekday happy hour specials at Upstairs at The Gwen. 521 N Rush Street, thegwenchicago.com
STARLIGHT CINEMA
The Emily Hotel’s popular rooftop cinema club returned for the summer season this May, with nightly movie screenings and 200 Adirondack chairs spread out for the ultimate urban open-air experience. Chicago’s sparkling skyline makes a glamorous backdrop for the big screen. Tickets are available to the public, with movies like La La Land, Superbad, Shrek, and Pulp Fiction in the queue. Sip refreshing housemade craft cocktails and chow down on snacks like popcorn chicken, churro bites, and nachos, all while enjoying pristine sound with state-of-the art wireless headphones. Arrive early to enjoy rooftop lawn games and snag the best seats. 311 N Morgan Street, rooftopcinemaclub.com
STOP THE CLOCK
Family-owned SpaDerma is one of the most trusted names in Chicago aesthetics, with more than two decades of experience, and the team just opened a new 4,500-square-foot location in Lincoln Park. With so many services available, aestheticians are skilled at customizing the perfect cocktail for each guest’s skincare concerns, like a combination of Moxi laser and non-invasive BBL laser treatment to target hyperpigmentation. This summer, the DiamondGlow 3-in-1 facial is popular with all skin types for hydro-dermabrasion exfoliation with a diamond-tipped wand that deeply infuses skin with nourishing serum for a dewy, hydrated glow. Pair it with a PRX non-invasive topical collagen treatment to help skin heal, tighten, and tone without needles, discomfort, or downtime. 1133 W Armitage Avenue, spaderma.com
COUNTER CULTURE
Chefs Adam McFarland and Tom Rogers met while working together at New York’s Gramercy Tavern, and the duo is redefining fine dining with a streamlined counter service model, where guests order off a menu board before finding seats. The a la carte menu at John’s Food and Wine is reserved for walk-ins, but you can skip the wait by reserving the five-course tasting menu Thursday through Saturday, which might begin with a refreshing lobster salad served on ice with a mountain of fresh cut herbs. Duck breast with luscious crispy skin is a signature, and sunchoke agnolotti are pillowy perfection. Wines are available by glasses and carafes for easy sharing, and the kumquat, pistachio, and crème fraîche ice cream sundae serves as a delightful denouement. 2114 N Halsted Street, johnsfoodandwine.com
SUITE SLUMBER
L7 Chicago by Lotte unveils a stunning new art suite by local Korean-American artist David Heo, and guests who book the suite receive tickets to the Art Institute, a round of cocktails at Perilla Korean steakhouse, a signed and numbered print of Heo’s artwork, and a guide to his perfect day in Chicago. Heo transformed the suite into a joyful tropical escape from the concrete jungle, taking inspiration from “Dancheon,” the traditional color palette of Korean temples with bright reds, yellows, greens, and blues. Curl up in the comfy window seat to enjoy front-row views of the skyline and river. Perilla Steakhouse downstairs is an excellent choice for elevated Korean barbecue, with premium cuts of Wagyu beef and Ibérico pork. 225 N Wabash Avenue, l7chicago.com/chicago-hotel-deals