Past awards and accolades

Chicago’s awards and accolades history stretches back over the decades. Here’s just a snapshot of past achievements.

2015

Tourism

Greatest.com names Chicago one of the Top 20 Best Cities for 20-Somethings.
American Planning Association names Millennium Park one of the Greatest Public Places in the U.S.
U.S. News & World Report ranks Chicago the No. 2 Fall Getaway in the World.
Chicago ranks as the #7 Top City in the U.S. and Canada in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2015 readers’ survey.
WalkScore.com names Chicago the #6 most walkable city in the U.S.
U.S. News & World Report names Chicago one of the Top 13 Best Summer Vacation Destinations in the World.
Chicago is named the #2 Destination in the U.S. in TripAdvisor’s2015 Travelers’ Choice Awards.
Chuan Spa & Health Club, located in The Langham, Chicago, receives a Five-Star rating from ForbesTravelGuide.com.
Americans name Chicago one of the most beloved U.S. destinations in Hotels.com’s 2nd annual survey.
The Frederick C. Robie House becomes the city’s first World Heritage nomination. World Heritage designation is an honorary distinction that identifies sites of “outstanding universal value” around the world.

Food and Drink

TripAdvisor names Chicago No. 1 Pizza City in the U.S.
The Food Network names Au Cheval’s double cheeseburger the Best Burger in America.
Condé Nast Traveler includes Soho House Chicago in the Best Food Category of its 2015 Hot List: The Best New Hotels in the World.

Hotels

The Four Seasons Hotel, Chicago (#88) and The Langham, Chicago (#90) rank on Travel + Leisure’s World’s Top Hotels 2015 overall list.
Four hotels in Chicago rank among Travel + Leisure’sTop 50 Large City Hotels in the Continental U.S.: Four Seasons Hotel Chicago (#6), The Langham, Chicago (#7), Waldorf Astoria Chicago (#11), and The Peninsula Chicago (#13).
The 2015 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards name The Langham, Chicago the Top Hotel in the U.S.

2014

Tourism

Condé Nast Traveler names Chicago one of the Best Shopping Cities in the World.
Chicago is nominated in the following categories of “Best of Gay Cities 2014”: Foodie Paradise, Culture Experience, Layover City, Best Shopping, and Best Gayborhood.
Chicago is named #2 Best City in America for Cycling by Bicycling Magazine.
Chicago is voted the best “Midwestern Destination” in Groups Today’s Reader’ Choice Awards 2014.
Condé Nast Traveler names Chicago one of the Top 25 Cities in the World in its Readers’ Choice Awards 2014.
Chicago tops the 2014 Cvent list of Top 50 Meeting Destinations in the United States. Chicago claimed first place, climbing from second place last year and fifth place two years ago.
Chicago is named the fifth best city in the U.S. and Canada in Travel + Leisure’s 2013 World’s Best Awards readers’ poll.
UK blog American Sky names Chicago one of its Top 10 city breaks in America.
O’Hare International Airport wins the Global Traveler GT Tested Reader Survey Award for Best Airport in North America for the 10th consecutive year.
GayCities names Chicago City of the Year in its Best of GayCities 2013 rankings.
Chicago’s Boystown earns Out Traveler’s Incomparable Gay Neighborhood ranking.
MovieMaker lists Chicago as the country’s No. 1 Big City in which to live and work as a filmmaker.
Lonely Planet names Chicago #8 on its list of Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2014.
Fodor’s Travel includes Chicago on its Go List 2014, calling it “an All-American city for baseball fans, outdoor enthusiasts, and dedicated foodies.”
The Art Institute of Chicago is named the No. 1 Museum in the World in TripAdvisor‘s Travelers’ Choice Awards.
360 CHICAGO is voted among the Best Views in America by Travel + Leisure.

Food and Drink

Twenty-five restaurants earn a Michelin star in the 2014 Chicago Michelin guide; Alinea was the only restaurant to garner three.
Chicago is named the Top Drinking City in America by GQ Magazine.
Alinea ranks #9 on the San Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants list.
Four Chicago restaurants earn Five-Star ratings from the 2014 Forbes Travel Guide: Alinea, Grace (closed), L2O, Sixteen. In addition, four restaurants earned the travel guide’s Four-Star ratings.
Seven Chicago restaurants earn AAA Five-Diamond ratings from the travel industry organization.
Fifteen restaurants earn Four-Diamond ratings. The list of the top-ranked restaurants includes: Acadia, Alinea, Arun’s, Everest, Grace (closed), Sixteen (closed), Tru (closed).

Hotels

Thompson Hotel, Waldorf Astoria Chicago and The Langham, Chicago are named to Condé Nast Traveler‘s Top 100 Hotels & Resorts in the World: Readers’ Choice Awards.
The Langham, Chicago is recognized as a 2014 Fodor’s 100 Hotel Award winner.
Two Chicago hostels are awarded best “extra-large” hostel worldwide by Hostelworld.com: #9 Chicago Getaway Hostel and #10 HI-Chicago Hostel.
The Langham, Chicago and Thompson Chicago are named to Travel + Leisure’sIt List: The Best New Hotels of 2014.
The Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, The Peninsula Chicago and Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago earn Five-Star ratings from the 2014 Forbes Travel Guide.
Seven Chicago hotels appear on Travel + Leisure’s 500 World’s Best Hotels 2014 list, with Waldorf Astoria Chicago ranking #44 overall.

2013

Tourism

Chicago ranks #3 on 10 Best‘s list of the top destinations for teens.
Chicago ranks #5 on Parents Magazine‘s list of the 10 best cities for family vacations.
Chicago ranks #5 on CNN Travel’s Readers’ Choice Awards’ The Top 10 Cities in The United States
Will Hide’s Chicago cover story for British Airways’ Highlife Magazine takes Best Consumer Travel Feature at the Visit USA (VUSA) media marketplace and media awards in London.
Chicago is named the fourth best city in the U.S. and Canada, according to Travel + Leisure’s 2013 World’s Best Awards readers’ poll.
American Style Magazine ranks Chicago #3 on its list of the Top 25 Big Cities for Art.
WalkScore.com names Chicago one of its Top 10 U.S. Cities to Travel Car-Free.
Cheapflights.com names Chicago one of its Top 10 Most Stunning Skylines in the World.
Yahoo! names Chicago the world’s second most searched for city online.
Business Traveler names Chicago the “Best North American Business Meetings Destination.”

Food and Drink

Sixteen (closed), located on the 16th floor of Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, and Grace (closed) by Chef Curtis Duffy, receive coveted Five Diamond Rating From AAA.
Four Chicago restaurants make OpenTable’s 2013 list of Top Restaurants for Service in the U.S.: Tru (closed), L2O (closed), Goosefoot, and Senza (closed).
Chicago’s Lao Sze Chuan makes Travel + Leisure’s list of the “Best Chinese Restaurants in the U.S.”
Forbes Travel Guide 2013 announces its list of “Five Star Award Winners,” including three Chicago restaurants: L20 (closed), Sixteen (closed), and Alinea.
AAA announces its “Five Diamond” restaurants and hotels, recognizing eight Chicago institutions, including Alinea, Arun’s, Everest, and Tru (closed). Additionally, 59 restaurants and hotels are honored with the AAA Four Diamond rating.
Seven Chicago bars are included in Draft Magazine’s America’s 100 Best Beer Bars, including: Sheffield’s, Hopleaf, Map Room, Local Option, Bangers & Lace, Fountainhead, and Old Town Pour House.
64 Chicago restaurants are listed as “Bib Gourmands” in the 2013 Michelin Guide.

Hotels

Travel + Leisure names six Chicago hotels on its list of the Top Large City Hotels in the U.S.: Waldorf Astoria (#2), The Peninsula Chicago (#4), Trump International Hotel & Tower (#6), The Ritz-Carlton (#20), The Four Seasons Hotel Chicago (#23), Sofitel Chicago Water Tower (#47).
The Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza receives a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award.
Forbes Travel Guide 2013 announces its list of Five Star Award Winners, including: Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago, Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, and The Peninsula Chicago.
AAA announces its “Five Diamond” restaurants and hotels: The Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, The Peninsula Chicago, Waldorf Astoria Chicago, and Trump International Hotel & Tower. Additionally, 59 restaurants and hotels are honored with the AAA Four Diamond rating.
Travel + Leisure readers select seven Chicago properties for its list of the 500 Best Hotels in the World, including: Waldorf Astoria, The Peninsula Chicago, The Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, Park Hyatt Chicago, Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, and Sofitel Chicago Water Tower.

2012

Tourism

Conde Nast ranks Chicago #3 on its Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards for the “Top 10 Cities in the U.S.”
ABC City Guide for Kids names the Art Institute of Chicago one of its “Top Five Art Museums” and the Eli’s Cheesecake Tour as one of its “Top Five Factory Tours.”
Chicago ranks as “the second best city in the U.S. and Canada” in Travel + Leisure’s 2012 World’s Best Awards readers’ poll.
Soldier Field is named the first certified green stadium in the NFL.
Chicago is named one of the Top 10 U.S. Travel Destinations for 2012 by Lonely Planet.
Millennium Park ranks #7 on Travel + Leisure’s World’s Most Popular Landmarks.
The Chicago Sinfonietta wins two national awards for excellence from the League of American Orchestras.
CNN names Chicago one of the World’s Top Destinations for 2012.

Food and Drink

Sheffield’s Chicago is named one of “America’s Best Beer Gardens” by Food & Wine.
Celebrated Chicago staple Spiaggia makes Travel and Leisure’s list of the 20 Best Italian Restaurants in the Country.
Alinea tops Zagat’s 2012 – 2013 best restaurant list.
Chicago-based Hoosier Mama Pie Company makes Food and Wine’s list of the Best Pie Shops in America.
Travel + Leisure ranks Chicago third on its Best Burger Cities list.
GQ lists Next (#3) and Ruxbin (#9) on its Ten Best New Restaurants in America list.
The Violet Hour is named the seventh “Best Bar in America” by Esquire.
Chicago’s Girl and the Goat wins a Travelers’ Choice Award as one of TripAdvisor’s Favorite Restaurants 2012.
Alinea ranks sixth at 2012’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards.
Zagat names Alinea, Les Nomades, and Schwa to its 2012 list of America’s Top Restaurants.
One three-star (Alinea), two two-star (Charlie Trotter’s and Ria, both closed) and 18 one-star Chicago restaurants are featured in Michelin Guide Chicago 2012.
Fifty-six Chicago restaurants receive recognition as Bib Gourmand restaurants in the Michelin Guide, including restaurants Avec, Perennial Virant, and GT Fish & Oyster.

Hotels

Six Chicago hotels are named on US News and World Report’s list of the Best Hotels in the USA: Waldorf Astoria Chicago (#10), Four Seasons Chicago (#30), The Peninsula Chicago (#34), The Ritz-Carlton (#52), Park Hyatt Chicago (#61), and Trump International Hotel & Tower (#116).
Trump International Hotel & Tower was recognized on Travel + Leisure’s list of hotels with the “World’s Best Service,” ranking #9.
Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile is awarded with a prestigious Four Diamond rating from AAA.
Six Chicago hotels are ranked in Travel + Leisure’s 2012 list of the Top 50 Large City Hotels in the U.S.: Waldorf Astoria Chicago (#1), The Peninsula Chicago (#3), Four Seasons Hotel Chicago (#22), Park Hyatt Chicago (#27), Trump International Hotel & Tower (#29), Ritz-Carlton Chicago, A Four Season Hotel (#37).
Waldorf Astoria Chicago ranks #1 on TripAdvisor’s Top 25 Hotels in the United States.

2011

Tourism

Chicago tops Forbes List of “America’s Best Downtowns.”

Food and Drink

The San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants names Alinea the #6 restaurant in the world and the #1 restaurant in North America.
Seven Chicago restaurants earn the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award. This is the fifth year in a row Chicago has led the nation. Restaurants awarded include: Tru (closed), Alinea, Arun’s, Avenues (closed), Charlie Trotter’s (closed), Everest, and Seasons (closed).
Chicago earns two three-star (Alinea and L20, closed), three two-star (Avenues, Charlie Trotter’s and Ria, all closed) and 18 one-star restaurants in the first-ever MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2011.
Forty-six Chicago restaurants receive recognition as Bib Gourmand restaurants in the Michelin Guide.

Hotels

Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards names the Elysian Hotel #1 and The Peninsula #3 in the U.S.
Travel + Leisure names The Peninsula, The Elysian (now the Waldorf Astoria), and Trump International Hotel & Tower in its World’s Best Hotels awards.
Travel + Leisure names five Chicago hotels in its Top 50 Large City Hotels in the U.S. Awards: The Peninsula, Elysian Hotel (now the Waldorf Astoria), Trump International Hotel & Tower, Ritz-Carlton, and Park Hyatt.
TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice awards recognize Chicago’s The Wit as one of the “Top 10 Trendiest Hotels in the U.S.”

2010

Tourism

Chicago wins #1 city for pizza, skyline views, and business hotels in Travel + Leisure’s “American’s Favorite Cities” survey.
Twitter.grader.com ranks Chicago #3 on its list of cities with the most Twitter users
Forbes ranks Chicago the 4th Coolest City in the U.S.
Fido-Friendly Magazine votes Chicago’s Montrose Avenue Dog Beach one of the nation’s best.
AmericanStyle magazine readers name Chicago the #2 Top Arts Destination in the U.S.
Chicago ranks #10 on Bicyclists Magazine’s “America’s Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities.”

Food and Drink

Alinea ranks #7 on Restaurant Magazine’s annual World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
TripAdvisor ranks Chicago the #5 in their Top 10 Food & Wine Destinations in the World.

Hotels