Illinois' Tucked-Away Riverside Resort Is A Charming Escape Straight Out Of A Storybook

When you need an escape from Chicago's crowds, the North Shore towns dotting Lake Michigan often come to mind. However, instead of heading east towards the lake, try venturing westward to Geneva, a charming Illinois town with relaxed Midwestern vibes, on the banks of the Fox River. Occupying a prime riverside perch is the Herrington Inn & Spa, an old-world European-inspired haven with a history dating to the 19th century. The inn's edifice was originally built in the 1870s as a creamery, and it was later transformed into a luxurious hideaway that opened in 1993.

A far cry from the soaring glass towers of downtown Chicago, the Herrington Inn & Spa is just steps from all of the attractions of Geneva, but its tucked-away riverfront location ensures peace and quiet. The inn is ensconced on the western shores of the Fox River facing Island Park, and the accommodations overlook idyllic river vistas and offer private outdoor spaces. The inn's spa invites further relaxation with pampering massages, facials, and other treatments, while the elegant Atwater's Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a riverside dining room. High standards of service, elegance, and fine dining have endured here for decades, and the Herrington Inn & Spa has been recognized as a prestigious Four Diamond Hotel by AAA since 1994.

Though the Herrington Inn & Spa is a true respite from Chicago's hustle and bustle, it is also easy to access from the city. The inn is about a 60-minute drive or 90-minute train ride from downtown Chicago and under an hour's drive from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, America's most "well-connected" airport. The inn is open year-round, and nightly rates start at $189, at the time of writing.

The Herrington Inn & Spa's historic shingled building is anchored by a central courtyard garden, which seems plucked from a storybook, with a glass-enclosed gazebo, lush landscaping, stone pathways, and a grassy lawn, all with the backdrop of the flowing Fox River. In fact, it is so romantic that the garden courtyard is a popular wedding venue. Inside, the charming inn houses 60 rooms and suites, from cozy parlor rooms to the sprawling Herrington Suite, all of which reflect a genteel aesthetic of a bygone era. The decor features dark wood furnishings, canopy beds, gracious sofas, and plush carpeting. During the fall and winter, the in-room gas fireplace comes in handy, while the alfresco patios and balconies with bucolic river views beckon in the warmer months. 

The romantic touches extend to the bathrooms, which have whirlpool tubs and heated marble floors, and guests can even request a drawn bath. Daily turn down service is an anticipated event, as homemade cookies and milk (a nod to the inn's beginnings as a creamery) are left bedside. For weary city dwellers seeking an escape, the best way to embrace the inn's restful rhythm is a visit to the spa. The robust menu of treatments ranges from therapeutic deep tissue and hot stone massages to advanced anti-aging and dermabrasion facials. If you want to indulge in more than one of the above, the spa has multiple packages that include two or three treatments.

Atwater's Restaurant, which has been voted Geneva's most romantic restaurant by Patch readers, is right on-site at the Herrington Inn & Spa. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, as well as Sunday brunch. The refined dining room boasts brocaded chairs, white tablecloths, exposed stone walls, and patterned carpeting, and its paneled floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the river. Don't miss enjoying a glass (or bottle) of wine from the restaurant's list of top varietals, which earned Atwater's a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2025. The dinner menu features globally inspired plates that emphasize locally sourced ingredients. Begin with the Prince Edward Island mussels or a cheese and charcuterie board, which you can follow with innovative entrees such as espresso-glazed New Zealand lamb chops, caramelized sea scallops and tiger shrimp with turmeric ginger sticky rice, or sumac-dusted wild Alaskan salmon. The decadent homemade desserts of flourless chocolate ganache cake or Nutella ricotta semifreddo are the perfect way to end the meal. For a special group or private dinner, you can even dine inside the gazebo on the river, a true fairytale setting.

While the inn may be hard to leave, its ideal location right on the river encourages some exploration. You can cross the nearby bridge over the Fox River and stroll down the picturesque Fox River Bike Trail, a hiking and biking trail that runs along the river's edge. Heading south on the trail, you'll spot the charming Fabyan Windmill, which was built in the mid-19th century and can be toured on Sundays in the summer. If you head about 3.5 miles north, you'll reach St. Charles, an underrated Chicago suburb that has a lively downtown.