Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago

221 North Columbus Drive, Chicago, IL, USA, 60601
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About us

Rising at the quiet intersection of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel stands as an architectural masterpiece within Jeanne Gang’s award-winning Aqua Tower. Designed for effortless movement and seamless event execution, our 28,592 square feet of meeting space is thoughtfully curated across just two dedicated floors. At the center of the experience is the Atlantic Ballroom—a sunlit sanctuary featuring dual-aspect, floor-to-ceiling glass that opens onto a lush, six-acre park and our private outdoor terrace. Paired with 7,000 square feet of sophisticated al fresco event venues, the hotel features 334 beautifully appointed guestrooms, each thoughtfully styled and many featuring private balconies—a rare, coveted luxury in downtown Chicago. Set back from the city's main thoroughfares, the property provides a serene, private retreat while remaining moments from Millennium Park, the Riverwalk, and the luxury retail of Michigan Avenue. With direct, climate-controlled access to the Chicago Pedway and panoramic vistas of the lake and skyline, the Radisson Blu Aqua delivers an unmatched backdrop for extraordinary gatherings.

Venue Details

ChainChoice Hotels and Radisson Americas
BrandRadisson Blu (Americas)
Built2011
Renovated2024
Total meeting space30,000 sq. ft.
Guest Rooms334
Venue typeHotel

Industry Ratings

AAA
Northstar

Awards

Industry awards
Safehotels Certified https://safehotels.com/all-our-certified-hotels/ Silver LEED Certified

Amenities

Room features and guest services

  • Calls (local)
  • Calls (toll-free)
  • Concierge services
  • Internet access
  • Laundry service
  • Luggage storage
  • Room service
  • View (ocean or water)
  • View (urban)
  • Voicemail box

Facilities

  • Onsite catering
  • Onsite restaurant
  • Onsite security
  • Pet friendly
  • Space (outdoor)
  • Space (private)
  • Space (semi-private)
  • Wheelchair accessible

Sustainability

This venue holds verified sustainability certifications, based on certification data provided by BeCause in collaboration with Cvent.

Certifications (1)

Sustainability Certifications
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
Sustainability level: Silver

Certification body:U.S. Green Building Council

Expires: 12/31/2099

Need dates

Priority windows that venues prefer for hosting events

Oct 14, 2026 - Oct 16, 2026
Oct 22, 2026 - Nov 15, 2026
Dec 2, 2026 - Dec 30, 2026

Seasonal Availability

Match your event dates with this hotel’s availability. Low seasons tend to have better availability.
High season
May 01 - Jun 30Sep 05 - Nov 20
Shoulder season
Jul 01 - Sep 04
Low season
Nov 21 - Dec 31Jan 01 - Apr 30

Meeting rooms

Total meeting space
30,000 sq. ft.
Largest room
12,041 sq. ft.
Space (private)
28,592 sq. ft.
Meeting rooms
13
Second largest room
8,374 sq. ft.
Exhibit space
12,000 sq. ft.
Space (semi-private)
2,000 sq. ft.
Space (outdoor)
7,000 sq. ft.

Floor Plans

Download floor plans for this venue.
Explore Meeting Rooms
Explore Meeting Rooms
Find the perfect room with setup charts and interactive 3D floor plans.

Meeting space

Name
Room size
Ceiling height
Maximum capacity
U-Shape
Banquet rounds
Cocktail rounds
Theater
Classroom
Boardroom
Crescent rounds (Cabaret)
Hollow square
900 sq. ft.
30 x 30 sq. ft.
10 ft.
95
25
75
-
95
62
23
--
12,041 sq. ft.
83.4 x 143.9 sq. ft.
20 ft.
1250
-
910
1250
1220
640
---
6,277 sq. ft.
83 x 75.4 sq. ft.
20 ft.
1333
81
490
650
640
336
282
-
108
5,791 sq. ft.
83.4 x 69.6 sq. ft.
20 ft.
400
78
420
573
575
301
121
-
102
4,233 sq. ft.
83.4 x 51 sq. ft.
20 ft.
771
75
530
423
425
192
153
-
96
4,222 sq. ft.
83.4 x 51 sq. ft.
20 ft.
711
75
280
423
425
192
137
-
96
3,667 sq. ft.
83.4 x 44 sq. ft.
20 ft.
444
66
280
365
365
166
102
-
78
8,374 sq. ft.
83.4 x 100 sq. ft.
20 ft.
800
226
630
850
846
445
189
-
226
7,885 sq. ft.
83.4 x 95 sq. ft.
20 ft.
444
121
560
790
790
415
102
-
121

Guest rooms

Total guest rooms
334
Single (1 bed)
203
Double (2 beds)
131
Suites
18
Tax rate
17.4%

Location

Getting Here

From the North: I-94E towards Chicago, take exit 50B toward East Ohio St, turn right onto N Michigan Ave. Cross Michigan Ave Bridge, turn left onto E Randolph St, stay right onto Upper Randolph Dr, turn left onto N Columbus Dr, hotel is on the right. From the South: I-94 N towards Chicago, keep right at the fork, follow signs for I-55 N/Stevenson Expressway/Lake Shore Dr and merge onto I-55 N/Stevenson Expressway, Keep left at the fork, follow signs for US-41 N/Lake Shore Dr N and merge onto US-41 N/S Lake Shore Dr, turn left onto E Monroe St, turn right onto N Michigan Ave, turn right onto E Randolph St, stay right onto Upper Randolph Dr, turn left onto N Columbus Dr, hotel is on the right. From the West: I-290E towards Chicago, continue on Congress Parkway, turn left onto S State St, turn right onto E Jackson Blvd, turn left onto S Michigan Ave, turn right onto E Randolph St, stay right onto Upper Randolph Dr, turn left onto N Columbus Dr, hotel is on the right.
Distance from airport 16 mi
Parking in the area
Paid parking
( $63.00/day )
Valet parking
( $87.00/day )
Bus parking

Local Attractions

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Lyric Opera House

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Loyola University Museum of Arts

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820 N Michigan Ave
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The Field Museum

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1400 S Lake Shore Dr
Chicago, IL, US 60605
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Steve Segway Tours

Steve Segway Tours

5 mins
Segway tours company that was started by a tour guide, is owned by a tour guide, and is managed by tour guides. http://stevessegwaytours.com
State Street Shopping

State Street Shopping

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10 mins
Explore the store choices along Chicago's State Street shopping corridor. www.chicagotraveler.com/maps/chicago-state-street-retail-shopping-map.htm
Shedd Aquarium

Shedd Aquarium

15 mins
At Shedd Aquarium, animals connect you to the living world, inspiring you to make a difference. www.sheddaquarium.org
Navy Pier

Navy Pier

1 mi
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Millennium Park

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5 mins
Discover a state-of-the-art collection of architecture, landscape design and art that provide hundreds of free cultural programs including concerts, exhibitions, tours, and family activities. http://explorechicago.org/city/en/millennium.html
Chicago Shakespeare Theater

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Theater
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Chicago Shakespeare Theater offers a broad spectrum of theatrical experiences year-round, engaging and entertaining audiences from all walks of life and from around the world. www.chicagoshakes.com
Grant Park

Grant Park

Park
5 mins
Proudly referred to as Chicago's "front yard," Grant Park is among the city's loveliest and most prominent parks.http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/parks.detail/object_id/83aa6305-adbe-4d8a-b333-004449057ea9.cfm
John Hancock Observatory

John Hancock Observatory

1 mi
On of Chicago's most visited attraction http://www.hancockobservatory.com
Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo

10 mins
One of the nation's oldest zoos housing 1200 animals representing 230 species. Includes children's zoo, carousel and paddle boats. www.lpzoo.org
Willis Tower(formerly known as Sears Tower)

Willis Tower(formerly known as Sears Tower)

2 mi
The tallest building in the western hemisphere and the third tallest in the world. www.theskydeck.com
The Water Tower Place

The Water Tower Place

5 mins
Located on the Magnificent Mile - Offering an array of stores and entertainment venues
The Magnificent Mile

The Magnificent Mile

Shopping
5 mins
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Theater
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Bobby's Bike Hike

Recreation
10 mins
Provides you a cool, cruiser style bicycle and riders of all ages and fitness levels will find the relaxed-pace tours enjoyable. www.bobbysbikehike.com
Adler Planetarium and Astronomy

Adler Planetarium and Astronomy

3 mi
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McCormick Convention Center

McCormick Convention Center

Convention center
9 mins
Lakeshore Athletic Club

Lakeshore Athletic Club

5 mins
Chicago's premier athletic club, connected to hotel through pedway system www.lsac.com
The Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago

University
5 mins
The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879 as both a museum and school, and it collects, preserves, and interprets works of art of the highest quality, representing the world's diverse artistic traditions. www.artic.edu/aic

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Affiliated Organizations (2)

Choice Hotels
Connections Happen Here. Group Bookings Made Easy by Choice Hotels®

Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago Frequently Asked Questions

Explore frequently asked questions from the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago regarding Health and Safety, Sustainability, and Diversity and Inclusion

Sustainable Practices

Please provide comments or a link to any publicly communicated Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago's sustainability or social impact goals/strategy.
https://www.radissonhotelsamericas.com/en-us/social-responsibility
Does Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago have a strategy that focuses on the elimination and diversion of waste (i.e. plastics, papers, cardboard, etc.)? If yes, please elaborate on your strategy of elimination and diversion of waste.
Yes, RHGA works to reduce, reuse, replace, recycle and share best practices in this area. We work with suppliers to reduce waste and increase recycling. Other key priorities include food waste management and elimination of single-use plastics wherever possible

Diversity and Inclusion

For US hotels only, is Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago and/or parent company certified as a 51% diverse owned business enterprise (BE)? If yes, please indicate which one of the following you are certified as:
NA
If applicable, could you please provide a link to Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago's public report on their commitments and initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion?
https://www.radissonhotelsamericas.com/en-us/social-responsibility/policies-performance

Health and Safety

Were practices at Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago developed based on health service recommendations from public governmental entities or private organizations? If Yes, please list which organizations were used to develop these practices.
Yes, WHO, National government health department, Pathcon Laboratories, Diversey
Does Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago clean and sanitize public areas and publicly accessible facilities (i.e. meeting rooms, restaurants, elevator banks, etc.)? If yes, describe any new measures that are taken.
Yes, 20 step Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol and 10 steps for M&E. including increased cleaning and disinfection frequencies, with a focus on frequent touch points in all areas.
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