The Publishing House Bed and Breakfast
Literary loft meets urban B&B — industrial-meets-cozy with exposed brick, mid-century furniture, vintage finds, and bold color. More design hotel than grandma's inn.
Show your room key at The Press Room wine bar downstairs for 10% off food and drinks
Why It Matters
Self-described as the most highly-awarded boutique B&B in Illinois. Winner of the AIA Small Project Award 2021. Listed in Condé Nast Traveler's 25 Best Hotels in Chicago. Top-ranked boutique B&B in the Midwest since opening. Michelin Guide selected. One of the only B&Bs in Chicago with this level of design pedigree and literary concept.
A 1909 brick building in Chicago's West Loop that has been — in order — a Methodist publishing house, a casket factory, and a holography museum. Now it's an 11-room boutique B&B run by husband-and-wife team Shawn Uldridge and Kimberly Lowery, who transformed it in 2017 with the help of Vero Design + Build and Siren Betty Design. The result keeps century-old maple floors and original wood paneling intact, pairs them with flea-market furniture, kilim rugs, and bold original artwork, and layers in a literary motif: every room is named for a Chicago author or literary setting, complete with the namesake's books on the shelf.
Where You'll Stay
10 room types available
Audrey Room
Named for Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler's Wife, who studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. One of the smallest rooms at 23 m², but thoughtfully appointed. Books by Niffenegger on the shelf.
23 sqm
Bellow Room
Named for Saul Bellow, Nobel Prize-winning Chicago author. At 28 m² with exposed brick accents, it's a solid mid-range option in the lineup.
28 sqm
Carmen Room
At 32 m², the Carmen Room is one of the mid-to-upper tier rooms. Literary-themed decor with eclectic furnishings and framed artwork.
32 sqmCisneros Room
Named for Sandra Cisneros. One of the more flexible rooms in the house — it can comfortably sleep up to four guests, making it the rare option for a small group or family (note: children under 13 are not permitted at the property).
28 sqmDybek Room
Named for Stuart Dybek, author of The Coast of Chicago. At 33 m², this is also the ADA-accessible room in the house — communal areas are wheelchair accessible and so is this room specifically.
33 sqm
Everleigh Room
The flagship room — a nod to Karen Abbott's Sin in the Second City. At 40 m², it's one of the two largest and most feature-packed rooms. It has a clawfoot tub AND a steam shower, plus original artwork and a vintage corner sofa. If you're going all-in, this is the room.
40 sqmHarvey Room
At 30 m², the Harvey Room includes the coveted clawfoot bathtub. Guests describe it as feeling like a roomy, cozy loft apartment in the city.
30 sqmMeno Room
One of the more compact rooms at 23–24 m², named within the B&B's Chicago literary theme. Same high-end finishes as the rest of the house.
24 sqmRooney Room
Part of the Chicago literary room collection, at 27 m². Eclectic and thoughtfully decorated like all rooms in the house.
27 sqmSinclair Room
At 42 m², one of the two largest rooms in the house. Includes a clawfoot bathtub — guests describe it as enormous, quirkily and thoughtfully decorated, with a super-comfortable bed.
42 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
3 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Board games available in the communal areas for guest use.
A grand piano sits in the communal living space alongside the double-sided fireplace. Available for guests who play, or simply as atmospheric background during morning coffee.
Each guest room has books by its namesake Chicago author on the shelf. A proper library with a wider collection is available in the common areas. The reading nook on the second floor — a window seat setup — is the right place to settle in. Books from your room are purchasable if you can't put them down.
The entire property can be rented for weddings, corporate events, and private gatherings. The B&B has hosted over 200 wedding groups since opening. The Great Room with cathedral ceilings and double-sided fireplace is a central feature.
The B&B is steps from Chicago's most celebrated restaurant corridor — Randolph Street and Fulton Market. The Publican, Girl & the Goat, Au Cheval, and dozens more are within easy walking distance. The Morgan L-train makes the Loop a quick 10-minute ride.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Elevator access within the property. ADA-accessible communal areas and the Dybek Room.
Solo Salon occupies the first floor of the same building. A separate business, but hotel guests receive a 10% discount coupon. No appointment needed to walk over.
On-site business center available for guests.
A central feature of the Great Room — visible from both the living and dining sides of the main communal space.
Complimentary high-speed WiFi in all rooms and common areas.
In-house library with a curated collection of books. Each room also has its own literary selection by the namesake author.
Communal kitchenette stocked around the clock with fresh-baked pastries, cookies, soft drinks, LaCroix, water, coffee, and tea.
Home-cooked made-to-order breakfast included in all room rates. Served 7:30–9:30am weekdays, 8–10am weekends.
All en-suite bathrooms feature radiant heated floors — a frequently cited highlight in guest reviews.
Premium Malin+Goetz toiletries in all rooms. Robes and hairdryers also provided.
Central air conditioning system throughout the property. Note: all units run on the same setting.
No swimming pool on site.
Personalized concierge assistance from the owner-operators. Available by phone.
Luggage storage available for guests.
No on-site parking. A parking lot is located four blocks from the hotel at approximately $20/day. Owners recommend dropping bags first, then parking.
BUILD YOUR THE PUBLISHING HOUSE BED AND BREAKFAST PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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