Freehand Chicago
by the TopOfHotel team
Freehand Chicago is sleeping inside a 1927 Art Deco building in the heart of River North at a price you can actually afford — strong on atmosphere, location and value more than on room size and quiet.
Freehand Chicago is sleeping inside a 1927 Art Deco building in the heart of River North at a price you can actually afford — strong on atmosphere, location and value more than on room size and quiet.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a graceful Art Deco building that has stood in the heart of Chicago's River North since 1927 — the former Tokyo Hotel, once one of the city's older hotels, now brought back to life as Freehand Chicago, which opened in 2015. The charm here is that it's a hybrid between a hostel and a design hotel, with around 220 rooms ranging from private rooms for people who want their own space to dorm beds styled far better than the usual hostel. Warm wood, woven local-pattern textiles and craft touches make each bed feel like a small, deliberately put-together corner rather than just bunks lined up in a row. The private rooms carry the same warm vintage tone, comfortable beds and a boutique feel at a price you can actually afford. Plenty of reviews call the design here better than the price suggests, and say it feels like staying somewhere with a real story rather than just a cheap place to crash.
Food and amenities
The heart of a stay here is the common space, which stays lively day and night. The feature everyone mentions is the Broken Shaker cocktail bar — playful, easygoing and serving the creative signature cocktails the brand is known for, drawing not just hotel guests but locals from around Chicago for a drink. Evenings get busy and have real character. During the day, Café Integral serves quality Nicaraguan coffee in the airy lobby, which is built to work as a cafe, a work nook and a social spot at once, so solo travelers find it especially easy to meet people. Wood furniture, soft sofas and a book corner make you want to linger all day. There are occasional events too, and free Wi-Fi throughout. Overall it sells atmosphere and shared living more than luxury amenities — if you like a place with energy and people, you'll love it.
Location and getting there
Freehand Chicago sits in the heart of River North, one of Chicago's liveliest neighborhoods, near the corner of Ohio and Wabash. This is the kind of location made for exploring on foot: step out and you're surrounded by the area's well-known restaurants, bars and art galleries. It's about 2 blocks to the Michigan Avenue shopping strip, known as the Magnificent Mile, lined with malls and big brands. Walk roughly 10 minutes further and you reach the Chicago River, the launch point for the city's classic architecture boat cruises, with Millennium Park, The Bean sculpture and Navy Pier not far off. Getting around is easy: the CTA Red Line (Grand station) is about a 5-minute walk, taking you across the city and on to the airport. Park yourself here and you can walk or train to central Chicago's main sights on a budget.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. First, this is a hostel-style stay: book a dorm bed and you'll share bathrooms and some space with other guests, as hostels go. If you want full privacy, a private bathroom and quiet, book a private room from the start. Second, the common areas and the Broken Shaker bar get their charm from the buzz — but that buzz comes with noise, especially in the evening and on weekends. Some reviewers in ground-floor rooms or near the common areas mention hearing music and people, so if you're a light sleeper, ask for a higher floor or a side away from the bar. Finally, it's an old building in the centre of town, so rooms and luggage storage are fairly compact, there are no big-hotel luxury amenities, and there's no parking of its own — you'd use valet, and parking in central Chicago runs high, so budget for it if you're driving.
Our take
After reading through hundreds of real reviews, Freehand Chicago is a design hostel that sells a 1927 Art Deco building, a central River North location and a friendly atmosphere at excellent value next to the hotels around it. If your trip looks like waking up in a stylish historic building, sipping Nicaraguan coffee in the lobby, walking 2 blocks to shop on Michigan Avenue, then coming back for a cocktail at Broken Shaker and meeting new people, this is a great fit — and a dorm bed makes it cheaper still. The trade-offs are the shared, hostel nature, the compact rooms and common areas that get noisy some nights. Overall we give it 8.4/10, best for backpackers, budget couples and solo travelers who want a stylish, design-led base in the centre of town and value location and value over luxury and quiet.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The building itself is the former Tokyo Hotel, built in 1927 in Art Deco style, so you get to stay in a restored historic building with a good-looking lobby and common areas. Every corner photographs well.
- The location is right in the heart of River North, about 2 blocks from the Michigan Avenue shopping strip (the Magnificent Mile), with the Chicago River, well-known restaurants and the CTA Red Line all within easy reach (Grand station is about a 5-minute walk).
- It's a design hostel with both private rooms and budget dorm beds, which lets you stay in central Chicago for far less than the hotels around it. That suits backpackers and budget-minded couples alike.
- The Broken Shaker cocktail bar and Café Integral, which serves quality Nicaraguan coffee, pull in both guests and locals to hang out, which keeps the hotel feeling alive.
- The airy lobby is decorated in a warm vintage-meets-craft style and works as a cafe, a work nook and a social spot all at once. The vibe is friendly enough that solo travelers find it easy to meet people.
- Dorm rooms mean sharing bathrooms and some space with other guests, as hostels do. If you want full privacy and a private bathroom, book a private room instead.
- The Broken Shaker bar and the lobby get fairly busy, especially in the evening and on weekends. Some reviewers in ground-floor rooms or near the common areas mention hearing noise, so if you're a light sleeper, ask for a higher floor.
- It's a hostel-style stay in an old building in the centre of town, so rooms and storage are fairly compact, there are no big-hotel luxury amenities, and there's no parking of its own — you'd use valet, and parking fees in central Chicago run high.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Chicago
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Insider Tips
- If you're traveling solo or as a budget couple, try booking a dorm bed — they're better designed than the usual hostel bunk, so you sleep in the heart of River North for much less than a private room. Upgrade to a private room only if you want full privacy.
- Come down to the Broken Shaker bar for a night and try a signature cocktail it's known for. The evening is busiest and best for atmosphere, but if you want to avoid noise at bedtime, ask for a higher floor first.
- In the morning, stop by Café Integral in the lobby for a Nicaraguan coffee before heading out, then walk about 2 blocks to shop on Michigan Avenue or stroll along the Chicago River.