Set in downtown Chicago, minutes away from the iconic shopping on Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile is the Virgin group’s second hotel. You can start with one of the most spectacular views of the city from the 103rd floor of the famed Willis Tower Skydeck or better still, do something novel by going even higher on the City Lights Helicopter Experience. If you can tear yourself away from the gayborhoods, there is a lot to explore in the city, especially in downtown Chicago. You’ll find a large collection of hip shops and restaurants in this area. Another neighborhood with a large rainbow population is the ethnic Andersonville, famous for its Swedish heritage. Much like its namesake Boyz Town in Pattaya, Chicago’s gayborhood has a large number of venues that declare themselves ‘straight-friendly,’ a clear indication of the sheer number of LGBTs here. Nevertheless, the gay village’s proximity to downtown gives you a wider range of hotel options. While most LGBT people zero in on Boystown the gayborhood for accommodation, there are only a handful of hotels here. However, there is no dearth of gay lodging in Chicago and plenty of gay friendly hotels to choose from. If you’re looking for exclusively gay hotels in Chicago you may be a little disappointed as there are none. America’s ‘Windy City’ may not be high on the travel itinerary of many from the LGBT+ community given its ‘low key’ gay image, but you’ll be surprised with all that Gay Chicago has to offer.
