A Chicago icon. A century of stories. A renewed hotel—and a new generation of experiences—begins to take shape.
Ambassador Gold Coast · A Living Chicago Landmark
Main renovationBegins November 2026
During the workThe hotel remains open
Full public unveilingBy April 30, 2027
An Icon, Reimagined
Historic character. Contemporary sophistication.
Beginning in November 2026, Ambassador Gold Coast will embark on a comprehensive transformation designed to preserve the hotel’s legendary character while introducing a more refined, contemporary experience.
This is more than a renovation. It is the next chapter of a Gold Coast landmark—renewing the places where guests stay, gather, dine, celebrate and make memories.
A Century of Stories
Built by time. Ready for what comes next.
For a century, the Ambassador has been more than a hotel. It has been a gathering place for dinner and cocktails, celebrations and conversations, romance, glamour and generations of Chicago memories.
1926 — A Gold Coast landmarkThe Pump Room in its early eraA celebrated Chicago dining roomArrival as theaterAn archival guest portrait
“The Ambassador wasn’t simply somewhere to stay. It was somewhere to be.”
Arrival as theaterAn archival guest portraitThe social scene evolvesA dining destination through the decadesThe Ambassador lobby in the 1970s1926 — A Gold Coast landmarkThe Pump Room in its early eraA celebrated Chicago dining roomArrival as theaterAn archival guest portraitThe social scene evolvesA dining destination through the decadesThe Ambassador lobby in the 1970s1926 — A Gold Coast landmarkThe Pump Room in its early eraA celebrated Chicago dining room
Historic imagery from archival collections documents the Ambassador’s evolving place in Chicago hospitality.
Muted looping footage from an Ambassador Gold Coast Monaco-themed event, showing the atmosphere of a signature hotel experience. No spoken audio is present.Ambassador Monaco · Signature event experience
01 · September–October 2026
Arrival should feel like an event.
A signature red-and-gold welcome and a more dramatic staircase experience will establish the tone before guests reach the lobby.
The transformation begins with the first impression—creating a sense of occasion from the moment a guest arrives.
02 · September 2026
From the Library to the Champagne Room Featuring Moët & Chandon.
Artwork, window treatments, decorative details, bar seating and dining furniture create an intimate destination for Champagne, cocktails, dinner and celebration.
A room once known for quiet conversation evolves into The Champagne Room Featuring Moët & Chandon—created for conversation, celebration and Champagne.
Muted looping footage of The Champagne Room Featuring Moët & Chandon at Ambassador Gold Coast. No spoken audio is present.The Champagne Room Featuring Moët & Chandon
Concept rendering · Final design may vary
03 · Beginning November 2026
Reimagining the guest experience.
New LVT flooring, furnishings and finishes will introduce a cleaner, more residential sense of comfort, supported by bathroom refinishing and detailed room-by-room inspections.
A renovation is not complete when the flooring is installed. It is complete when the entire room feels right.
04 · December 2026–January 2027
The Ambassador Room enters a new era.
New furniture and styling will create a richer residential setting for weddings, galas, private dinners, corporate experiences and the hotel’s evolving calendar of signature events.
Not simply an event space. A stage for experiences.
Muted looping video tour of the current Ambassador Room interior and event setting. No spoken audio is present.Optimized 10-second loop · Current Ambassador Room
The experience returns.
The renewed Ambassador is being designed as more than somewhere to sleep. Champagne, cocktails, dining, private celebrations and signature programming will give Chicagoans and hotel guests new reasons to return.
Dine & DrinkGather & CelebrateExperience the Ambassador
Renovation Timeline
September 2026 — April 2027
Select a month to follow the transformation. Final sequencing may adjust around occupancy, deliveries and hotel operations.
01 / First visible chapter
The Champagne Room Featuring Moët & Chandon arrives.
The first major public-facing transformation introduces a new social destination while arrival enhancements begin at the hotel entrance.
Decorative transformation and final styling
New bar stools installed
Red-and-gold entrance enhancements begin
01 / 08
Guestroom Design Direction
Rooted in the Gold Coast. Designed for what comes next.
RootedResidentialElevatedAdaptableCharacter
The August 2026 design guide explores two guestroom directions rooted in the hotel’s Gold Coast character, residential warmth and contemporary comfort. Final selections may evolve as the design is completed.
Sophisticated Glamour
Historical detail, elevated elegance and contemporary comfort come together in a room designed to give every guest a sense of arrival.
01 / 07
Concept renderings are for design reference only. Final color, texture, finish, scale and selections may vary.
Property-Wide Enhancement
What guests will experience.
The transformation extends beyond the guestrooms to the places where guests arrive, gather, dine, celebrate and connect.
01
Guest Rooms & Suites
New LVT flooring, upgraded furnishings and finishes, residential comfort and a more cohesive room experience.
02
Guest Corridors
Refreshed circulation spaces that create a more consistent transition from the historic hotel into the renewed rooms.
03
Bathrooms
Completion of bathtub refinishing, detailed inspections and corrections to surrounding finishes where needed.
04
Ambassador Room
New furniture and styling designed for dining, weddings, galas, corporate gatherings and signature experiences.
05
The Champagne Room Featuring Moët & Chandon
New artwork, window treatments, bar seating, dining furniture and details built around Champagne, cocktails and conversation.
06
Arrival & Public Spaces
A red-and-gold welcome, staircase enhancements, meeting and private event improvements, and renewed public areas.
Plan Your Stay
Open throughout. Thoughtfully phased.
Every effort will be made to minimize disruption as work proceeds around occupancy and hotel operations.
Yes. The hotel will remain open throughout the renovation, with work carefully sequenced to minimize disruption.
The most disruptive guestroom work is scheduled to begin in November 2026, when seasonal occupancy decreases.
Guest rooms and suites, corridors, bathrooms, the Ambassador Room, The Champagne Room Featuring Moët & Chandon, arrival areas, meeting and private event spaces, and other public areas.
The internal project plan targets completion by March 31, 2027, followed by the full public unveiling no later than April 30, 2027.
More Than a Renovation
The next century is being built around the entire experience.
A renewed room is only one part of the story. The next Ambassador connects the stay with dining, cocktails, Champagne, private events and an evolving calendar of reasons to come back.
Stay
Residential comfort, renewed finishes and a more cohesive room experience rooted in the Gold Coast.
Dine & Drink
Champagne, cocktails and dining become an integral part of why guests and Chicagoans visit the Ambassador.
Gather & Celebrate
Weddings, galas, private dinners, corporate experiences and signature events bring the hotel back to life.
The Next Chapter Begins Now
A Chicago icon, beautifully reimagined.
Historic character. Contemporary sophistication. Renewed guestrooms, refreshed social spaces and a new generation of experiences in the heart of the Gold Coast.
