I was already in Chicago for the most beautiful reason - celebrating my friend Tommy getting married. And if you know me, you know that when I travel, I am not staying at a generic hotel. I am finding the vibe. I am finding the PLACE that makes the trip feel like an actual experience and not just a layover in someone else's city. So when I found the Solar Lodge on Airbnb, I knew immediately. I just knew when I saw their plant collection & gardens that I would love this space!
Let me paint the picture for you. A 1920s three flat walkup on a quiet street in Albany Park, one of Chicago's most diverse and underrated neighborhoods. The second you step inside, you forget you're in an Airbnb. You forget you're anywhere that exists on a booking platform at all. You are somewhere else entirely.
I need to start here because nothing else I say will make sense until you understand this library. We are talking floor to ceiling bookshelves covering every conceivable topic you could imagine. There is a heavy collection on the occult and arcane, Chicago history, art, philosophy - it felt intentional in the best way. Like whoever curated this space was telling you something about how they see the world. I spent probably too long in that room and I regret absolutely nothing.
The whole apartment carries this museum ambiance without feeling untouchable or cold. It is warm and atmospheric and full of objects that make you stop and look. Vintage mixed with modern. Cozy mixed with editorial. I kept picking things up and putting them back and then picking them up again.
You get the full two bedroom apartment for your exclusive use - no shared spaces, no strangers in the hallway. There is a fully stocked kitchen, a spacious dining room, and a bathroom with a built in tub and shower situation that I absolutely could have lived in. They had a snack spread and a coffee bar set up for you already which genuinely made me emotional. Someone thought about me. A stranger thought about making my stay comfortable and they delivered.
The building itself is gorgeous. Original 1920s charm and character throughout. High ceilings, old woodwork, big windows. Albany Park is one of those Chicago neighborhoods that feels like a real neighborhood - walkable, local, full of incredible international food and coffee spots. We were also just minutes from the CTA Brown Line which made getting around the city so easy.
I travel because I want to feel something. I want the place I stay to be part of the story - not just where I put my suitcase down at night. The Solar Lodge was genuinely part of the story. It had a personality. It had intention behind every single corner. Whoever put this place together loves Chicago, loves books, loves creating an experience for people who actually appreciate that kind of thing.
Coming to Chicago for a wedding already had the emotional volume turned all the way up. Staying somewhere that felt this special just amplified everything. I came back from the reception and sat in that library at midnight and it was one of my favorite moments of the whole trip.
The Solar Lodge is located at 4419 North Christiana Avenue in Albany Park, Chicago. You can book directly through Airbnb at airbnb.com/h/thesolarlodge or through VRBO. They also have a full website at thesolarlodge.com with their gallery, neighborhood guide, and more. Follow them on Instagram at @thesolarlodgechi - the photos don't even do it full justice but they come close.
If you are going to Chicago and you want to actually experience the city, stay here. Seriously. You can thank me later.
