The Gwen

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The Gwen is a hotel located at 521 North Rush Street, about 1800 m (22 min walk) from 311 South Wacker Drive in the heart of downtown Chicago. Its location puts the Willis Tower, Union Station, the Chicago Riverwalk and the Loop's offices, theatres and restaurants within easy reach.

On Booking.com, guests rate it 8.8/10 across 77 verified reviews; it is classed as a 4-star property; standard rooms sleep up to 5 guests. Live rates and current availability load when you use the booking box below.

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The Gwen sits in River North. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is Grand (Red) (Red line), about a 3-minute walk, and Union Station's Metra and Amtrak trains are 23 minutes away on foot — so reaching it without a car is easy.

Map & Location

Dashed line shows the straight-line route to 311 South Wacker Drive (1800 m · ~22 min walk).

Getting to The Gwen

From 311 South Wacker Drive

Head northeast — it's about 1800 m on foot (22 min at a city pace). The dashed line on the map above shows the direction.

By 'L' Train

Ride to Grand (Red) (Red line); from the platform exit it's roughly a 3-minute walk. A Ventra card or contactless bank card works on all CTA trains and buses.

From Union Station (Metra / Amtrak)

Exit toward Jackson Boulevard and walk 23 minutes; taxis and rideshare pickups are on Canal Street.

From the Airports

O'Hare: CTA Blue line to the Loop (~45 min) or 30–60 min by car. Midway: CTA Orange line to the Loop (~25 min) or about 20–30 min by car.

If You're Driving

The nearest public garage in this directory is Hotel Parking, about 7 min away on foot — reserve ahead through a parking app for the best rate, or see the 311 S Wacker parking guide.

Walking Times to Chicago Landmarks

Chicago Riverwalk	588 m	7 min walk
Chicago Theatre	658 m	8 min walk
Millennium Park (Cloud Gate)	968 m	12 min walk
The Art Institute of Chicago	1306 m	16 min walk
Navy Pier	1375 m	17 min walk
Chicago Board of Trade	1605 m	20 min walk
Willis Tower & Skydeck	1639 m	20 min walk
Buckingham Fountain	1800 m	23 min walk
Union Station	1879 m	23 min walk

Everyday Essentials Near The Gwen

Nearest coffee	Stan's Donuts & Coffee	2 min walk
Nearest pharmacy	Walgreens	2 min walk
Nearest bank branch	Chase	6 min walk
Nearest public garage	Hotel Parking	7 min walk
Nearest print/ship shop	FedEx Office	1 min walk
Nearest dry cleaner	Shiny Cleaners	20 min walk

Within a 5-Minute Walk of The Gwen

Live counts from this directory — every link is a full detail page.

• 6 restaurants: Eataly, Pizzeria Uno, Fleming's, Shaw’s Crab House (+2 more)
• 1 cafes: Stan's Donuts & Coffee
• 3 bars: Upstairs at Gwen, Jojo's Shake Bar, O'Callaghan's
• 9 attractions: Museum of Ice Cream, Wendella Tours - Michigan Avenue, Wendella Tours - Dock 3, Wendella Tours - Dock 4 (+5 more)
• 3 entertainment: AMC Dine-In 600 North Michigan 9, Andy's Jazz Club & Restaurant, Bally's
• 5 health & wellness: The Skin Bar at Ulta Beauty, Ulta Beauty, Orangetheory Fitness, Medrina (+1 more)
• 2 pharmacies: Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy
• 1 print shops: FedEx Office
• 2 corporate services: SPACE by doejo, WeWork

The Neighborhood: River North

North of the Chicago River, River North mixes gallery-district polish with big-energy nightlife. Steakhouses, rooftop bars, design showrooms and the Merchandise Mart sit within a few minutes' walk of the Magnificent Mile's shopping.

Location Breakdown: Staying at The Gwen

Places to eat & drink within 5 min

13

Attractions within ~12 min walk

17

Nearest 'L' station

Grand (Red) · 3 min

Union Station

23 min walk

Willis Tower / Skydeck

20 min walk

Based on this directory's live data, this address best suits first-time visitors focused on Millennium Park and the lakefront; theatre-goers. Everything in the table is a real walking estimate at a normal city pace (~80 m/min) — no taxi required for any of it.

Good to Know: Local Tips

Timing matters in the Loop: hotel rates here swing with the convention calendar and summer festival season (June–August, peaking around Lollapalooza), while January–February and most Sundays bring the softest prices. Booking two to three weeks ahead usually beats same-week rates downtown.

Practical notes for this location: Chicago hotel bills add roughly 17% in combined taxes, most downtown properties are fully non-smoking, and valet parking typically runs high — if you're driving, compare the reserve-ahead garages in this directory before committing to the hotel's own valet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is The Gwen from 311 South Wacker Drive? +

The Gwen is about 1800 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 22-minute walk through downtown Chicago.

What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to The Gwen? +

The closest 'L' stop is Grand (Red) (Red line), about 244 m away — a 3-minute walk.

How do I get to The Gwen from the airport? +

From O'Hare (ORD), take the CTA Blue line to the Loop (about 45 min) or a taxi/rideshare (30–60 min depending on traffic). From Midway (MDW), the Orange line reaches the Loop in about 25 minutes. Union Station, 23 min away on foot, serves Metra and Amtrak.

Is The Gwen close to Willis Tower? +

Yes — Willis Tower and its Skydeck are about a 20-minute walk from the hotel.

Where can I park near The Gwen? +

The nearest public garage in this directory is Hotel Parking, about 7 min away on foot. Downtown garages are cheapest when reserved in advance through parking apps.