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Updated on
19/4/2024

10 Best Corporate Retreat Locations Near Chicago, Illinois

While planning a team retreat in Chicago, Illinois, the key lies in selecting an exceptional venue that transforms the company outing from mundane to memorable. Chicago, a vibrant city known for its architecture, cultural scene, and culinary delights, provides an ideal backdrop for a distinctive and exciting offsite experience.

The choice of hotel and its location play a vital role in making the event a success. Whether you want to host the getaway in a chic, urban way or want to go offbeat with an entire rustic, natural charm, our guide will have you covered to find the perfect company outing around Chicago.

Chicago, called the ‘Windy City’, will literally blow you away with its diverse venue alternatives and offerings. 

It is one of the most accessible cities owing to its convenient transportation system. There are several museums for history lovers, theaters and art galleries for art connoisseurs, and a whopping count of more than seven thousand award-winning restaurants to serve the hard-core foodies. In short, this city has a lot to offer everyone. 

Ready to unplug and experience some fun team retreat?

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Best Corporate Retreat Venues near Chicago, Illinois

A memorable company offsite is a perfect blend of location, activities, and gourmet. 

What is your intention for the workplace retreat? Do you want to allow your team to relax, or do you want to organize strategic sessions while experiencing the surrounding nature?

Whatever your motive, Chicago has plenty of locations to cater to your needs. There are resorts and hotels exuding metropolitan charm, and there are also business-ready setups to allow your team to brainstorm beyond the conventional office atmosphere.

Get ready to escape the mundane style of working for a few days and soak in the Chicago vibes.

The Hyatt Lodge: Second Name for Peace and Seclusion

Witness the calmness the lakeshore has to offer

Present on a private hideaway, away from the city hustle, is the Hyatt Lodge at Oak Brook, Chicago. This resort is nestled in the heart of Oak Brook and provides for a peaceful retreat location. The lodge is spread across acres of forest preserve, allowing its visitors to experience wildlife at its natural best. 

The scenic lake in the surrounding area is sure to invite your team members to bond around a campfire under the starlit sky. A relaxing spa, long nature-laden walking trails, delicious dining options, and well-equipped meeting spaces are the perfect formula for a successful corporate retreat. 

Whether you have a group of 20 or 2000 people, the Hyatt Lodge can adapt to offer top-notch hospitality to gatherings of any size.

Don't forget to try your team luck at the Hollywood Casino Aurora, which is in the vicinity of the resort.


📍 Logistics: 

  • Jorie Boulevard - Oak Brook (1.5 miles)
  • Where: Downtown Chicago


🏠 Property feature: 

  • 218 guest rooms
  • Over 20 meeting spaces 
  • stone fireplaces
  • Indoor pool
  • On-site hot tub and sauna
  • On-site restaurant & Bar
  • Family-friendly amenities
  • On-site Fitness center
  • Large common spaces and fast Wi-fi


🔎 What to explore:

  • Oakbrook Center
  • Morton Arboretum
  • Brookfield Zoo
  • Golfing - ​​18-hole course
  • Downtown Chicago
  • Gastronomy
  • Team Building Activities
  • Parks

The Neighborhood Hotel Grand Beach: Satisfy the Adventurer Inside You

Warmth around the campfires and delicious S’mores to roast.

Like no other hotel or resort, The Neighborhood Hotel Grand Beach offers special accommodations and services exclusive to corporate retreats.

The offsite locations are equipped with large indoor and outdoor communal spaces, allowing your team members to hang out together the entire time. There is a private pool and separate fire pits to relax after a crucial brainstorming meeting. 

The team members can opt to have their strategic discussion on the beach. The Ping Pong Table will ensure your team does not lose their competitive edge while relaxing away from the office.

The Neighborhood Hotel Grand Beach is a definite place to gift your team with lifelong memories and a much-needed business getaway.


📍 Logistics: 

  • Harbor Trail - Grand Haven (38 min)
  • Where: MI


🏠 Property feature: 

  • 14 stylish suites and 2 cottage homes
  • No meeting spaces
  • Camp Fire pits
  • Grills
  • Lawn games,
  • A basement game room
  • Swimming Pool


🔎 What to explore:

  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Kayaking or paddleboarding
  • Gastronomy
  • Team Building Activities
  • Lakeshores


The Abbey Resort: Dream Lakeside Experience

Spend time sunbathing and bonding around the pool with a stunning backdrop

The Abbey Resort is a location offering unending lakeside experiences. Resting on the shores of Lake Geneva, this place is bountiful with amenities such as indoor and outdoor pools, group activity spots, live music, and, of course, the full-service Avani Spa. 

Teams can bond in and around the indoor swimming pool over a game of volleyball and get the energy flowing positively. After a day's work and strategic sessions, the team also has the option to relax at the Abbey Resort's entertainment venue, Immersion. 

Let your team bond over a movie they all like with delicious dining and loads of chatter.

For outdoor retreats, there are the Abbey Springs Golf Course, boat rentals, Lake Geneva Zip Lines and Adventures, Wilmot Mountain, and many more. The list can be endless.


📍 Logistics: 

  • West Waterfront Street - WI (38 min)
  • Where: Fontana


🏠 Property feature: 

  • 334 guest rooms and suites
  • Flexible meeting space 
  • casual lakeside grills
  • On-site restaurant & Bar
  • On-site swimming pool 
  • On-site outdoor sports facilities such as golf course
  • On-site Fitness center
  • Large common spaces and fast Wi-fi


🔎 What to explore:

  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Kayaking or paddleboarding
  • Gastronomy
  • Team Building Activities
  • Lakeshores
  • Sunbathing
  • Golf

Maxwell Mansion Lake Geneva: Rustic-Chic and Barn-Themed Boutique

Maxwell mansion lake geneva

Maxwell Mansion, on the shores of Lake Geneva, carries Italian heritage. This venue offers your team comfort and sophistication with its historical charm and modern comforts. The cozy fireplaces under crystal chandeliers and the sounds of clinking glasses. If this suits the vibes of your team, then the Maxwell Mansion is definitely going to strike the right chords for your next company offsite. .

The groups can relax and enjoy the serene natural beauty at night in the cabanas. The day's can be spent productively at the state-of-the art meeting spaces.

The stunning views offered by Lake Geneva will surely inspire fresh ideas and great team-bonding moments. Employees can also choose to wander through lush gardens or relax by the poolside at Maxwell Mansion.

This spot combines business with pleasure for an unforgettable business offsite experience.


📍 Logistics: 

  • Lake Geneva - WI (38 min)
  • Where: Fontana


🏠 Property feature: 

  • 15 guest rooms and suites
  • Flexible meeting space 
  • On-site restaurant & Bar
  • On-site swimming pool
  • whirlpool tub
  • Open Fitness areas
  • Large common spaces and fast Wi-fi
  • Apple-TVs in meeting areas


🔎 What to explore:

  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Kayaking or paddleboarding
  • Geneva Pine Spa
  • Gastronomy
  • Team Building Activities
  • Lakeshores
  • Sunbathing
  • Golf


Best corporate retreat location in Chicago


Viceroy Chicago: Turn on the Midwest Vibe

Get to know your coworkers on a cozy dinner at The Viceroy Chicago

Your team members will treasure the moments of having a company retreat at Viceroy Chicago. Located in a very accessible location, this glamorous hotel exhibits vibrance and elegance in its architecture and hospitality.

Almost every room offers a stunning view of Lake Michigan. The rooftop pool and lounge extend the gorgeous city skyline, which illuminates as the sun goes down. This is the perfect setup for your team to unwind and enjoy drinks together after a productive day of work.

With its prime location near Chicago's best shopping and cultural attractions, the Viceroy Chicago is brimming with a lot of local attractions. There is the Art Institute of Chicago in Grant Park, which is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States, in close proximity to the hotel.

Team members can also visit Chicago's Navy Pier, challenge each other to stand on the 103rd floor of Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower, or shop their hearts out at the chic shopping centers around.


📍 Logistics: 

  • O'Hare International Airport (ORD) (18 miles)
  • Where: Chicago


🏠 Property feature: 

  • 180 rooms with 18 suites
  • 12 meeting space up to 1200 people
  • On-site restaurant & Bar
  • Rooftop swimming pool
  • Rooftop lounge
  • On-site outdoor Spa facilities
  • On-site Fitness center


🔎 What to explore:

  • Magnificent Mile
  • Walking and Biking at Lakefront
  • Millennium Park
  • Chicago Symphony Orchestra
  • The Goodman Theatre
  • Gastronomy


Swissotel Chicago: 4-Diamond Award Winning Hotel

Swisshotel Indoor pool

The famous Swissotel Chicago boasts a sleek interior and exterior designed by the renowned architecture, Harry Weese. It is located amidst the serene ambience of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan and a few steps away from the Magnificent Mile.

Considered one of the prime spots for business offsites, the Swissotel Chicago sweeps its visitors off their feet by providing mesmerizing backdrops for the meeting venues.

The hotel offers amazing accommodations with generously sized rooms and suites that are full of in-house amenities.

Your team can start an active morning by taking their workouts to a whole new level at the Penthouse Fitness Center, which provides a panoramic view from the 43rd floor. There are also the daily Vitality fitness classes to add new flavor to your team's daily exercise routines.

In order to prioritize work, there are small as well as large meeting rooms with flexible arrangements. Depending on your meeting agenda, these work spaces can also be converted into large halls to conduct some indoor team-building activities.

The Amuse Swissotel's lobby lounge offers the true taste of Chicago, featuring The Palm, which is a city tradition.


📍 Logistics: 

  • O'Hare International Airport (ORD) (38 miles)
  • Where: Chicago


🏠 Property feature: 

  • 662 rooms 
  • Flexible 5 meeting spaces
  • 2 upscale restaurants
  • cocktail bar,
  • Rooftop swimming pool
  • Rooftop lounge
  • On-site outdoor Spa facilities
  • On-site Fitness center


🔎 What to explore:

  • Magnificent Mile
  • Walking and Biking at Lakefront
  • Millennium Park
  • Navy Pier
  • Art Institute of Chicago

Thompson Chicago: Explore Gold Coast Glamor

Thompson chicago

The most sophisticated and preferred location in Chicago is the Hotel Thompson Chicago. Their hospitality and ambience are sure to impress every visitor.

The rooms offer stunning views of the city skyline. Away from the daily hustle and bustle, your team members will cherish witnessing the mesmerizing Chicago sunsets together while relaxing in their rooms.

If your bunch is an outdoor-loving kind, there is Oak Street Beach, a few miles away from the hotel. From swimming, volleyball, and rental bikes to strolling the Golden Coast of Chicago, this place is ideal for every age group.

So is the Lincoln Park Zoo. A free wildlife experience in Chicago’s verdant parks is home to more than 200 species from around the world, from aardvarks and axolotls to camels and black bears.

Don't forget to plan a day at the zoo for your team and relive the childhood memories together as a group.


📍 Logistics: 

  • O'Hare International Airport (ORD) (21 miles)
  • Where: Chicago


🏠 Property feature: 

  • 227 rooms 
  • Flexible meeting spaces
  • On-site stylish restaurant 
  • On-site swimming pool
  • On-site Fitness center
  • Free car service


🔎 What to explore:

  • Millennium Park
  • Navy Pier
  • Art Institute of Chicago
  • City Gallery in the Historic Water Tower
  • Walking and Biking at Lakefront

The Robey: The Storied Spirit of Chicago

Up Room Rooftop Lounge in Chicago
The cozy dining room for never ending chats with coworkers

Experience the Windy City at the tall, beacon-style hotel, The Robey. Once at the hotel, you will be surrounded by Chicago's Wicker Park in the neighborhood and a stunning view of the skyline in the background.

The tower rooms at the hotel offer a first-hand feel of the area’s eclectic energy. From lofts to bunk beds to suites, the Robey has a quirky corner for everyone.

The rooftop lounge, cabana bar called the Mary Bar, and daily brunch will fuel the right kind of creativity and productivity for your team.

The Robey is located in such a prime location that your team can experience history as well as culture within an afternoon walk.


📍 Logistics: 

  • O'Hare International Airport (ORD) (11 miles)
  • Where: Chicago


🏠 Property feature: 

  • 226 guest rooms and suites
  • 5 meeting spaces for up to 120 people
  • rooftop restaurant and bar 
  • On-site stylish restaurant 
  • Infinity swimming pool
  • On-site Fitness center


🔎 What to explore:

  • Gastronomy
  • Mary Bar
  • Greektown
  • Walking and Biking at Lakefront

Omni Chicago Hotel: Embedded with Historical Elements

Unwind at hotel’s rooftop lounge after a productive brainstorming session

The Omni Chicago hotel boasts its prestigious location on Chicago's exclusive Magnificent Mile. It is just steps away from aesthetic boutiques and Chicago’s unrivaled restaurants on Michigan Avenue, making it a favorite among celebrities.

Planning a corporate offsite at the Omni Chicago hotel is sure to make your team feel like a valued member of the company.

The hotel offers top-notch business facilities to allow smooth execution of meetings even when away from the office space. The flexible spaces are equipped to be tailored according to the needs of the corporations.

After the high-powered meetings, your team can choose to shop or simply witness the magnificence at the heart of the city.

From Skydeck Chicago to the Shedd Aquarium and from Neiman Marcus to Niketown, everyone's taste is just a hop away.


📍 Logistics: 

  • O'Hare International Airport (ORD) (11 miles)
  • Where: Chicago


🏠 Property feature: 

  • 347 guest suites
  • 9 meeting spaces for up to 250 people
  • On-site multi-cuisine restaurant 
  • Rooftop swimming pool
  • 24-hour fitness center


🔎 What to explore:

  • Gastronomy
  • Millennium Park
  • The Magnificent Mile
  • Navy Pier
  • Art Institute of Chicago
  • Walking and Biking at Lakefront

The Peninsula Chicago:  Where Eastern Graciousness Meets with Midwestern Hospitality

Indoor pool at hotel Peninsula

Where far Eastern graciousness meets midwestern hospitality is the hotel Peninsula Chicago. This five-star hotel was named the 'Best City Hotel in the Continental U.S.' in Travel + Leisure's Worlds' Best Awards and '#2 Hotel in the World' in LA LISTE's Top 1,000 World's Best Hotels.

With its world-class amenities and a perfect blend between work and leisure, this hotel has been a preferred choice for almost every corporation on the Forbes list.

Your team can bond outdoors while striding the streets on the Magnificent Mile or enjoy a rejuvenating spa session indoors with a glass of their favorite drink.

The Peninsula Chicago has earned the prestigious Forbes Five Star and the AAA Five Diamond Award every year since its opening. This makes it an undeniable choice for your next business offsite. The hotel’s on-site team of expert conference planners overlooks no detail to ensure a flawless experience. The meeting spaces are equipped with state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment for hassle free sessions.


📍 Logistics: 

  • O'Hare International Airport (ORD) (11 miles)
  • Where: Chicago


🏠 Property feature: 

  • 331 spacious guest rooms and suites
  • private balconies
  • 16 meeting spaces for up to 1550 people
  • Award-winning restaurants
  • Pampering Spa
  • indoor pool with skylight views
  • 24-hour fitness center


🔎 What to explore:

  • Gastronomy
  • Millennium Park
  • The Magnificent Mile
  • Navy Pier
  • Art Institute of Chicago
  • Chicago Riverwalk

Want to Plan Your Next Retreat in Chicago ? Ask The Expert

Planning a corporate retreat in places like Chicago can be a big task. If you want everything to go smoothly without having to worry about the nitty-gritty of the planning process, we are just a phone call away!

Our team of experts at TeamOut will execute the very details of the corporate retreat to add a special touch to it. By offering mindful activities such as yoga sessions or massage therapists, we work to make the company outing memorable for all.

Ready for an awesome company getaway without the hassle? Chat with one of our experts today! They'll help tailor your next retreat to what your company loves most. 

About the author
Thomas Mazimann
published on
April 19, 2024
Thomas Mazimann, a French entrepreneur and former international kayaking athlete, transitioned from sports to tech after moving to the U.S. He co-founded TeamOut, revolutionizing team gatherings.

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