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Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel Ballroom Capacities, Meeting Rooms & Floorplate Specs (129,569 Sq. Ft.)
Verified specs for 76 meeting rooms and the 22,686 sq. ft. main ballroom in Chicago, IL.
Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel — Ballroom, Foyer & Breakout Capacity Matrix
129,569 sq. ft. total event space across 76 dedicated meeting rooms.
| Functional Space Tier | Sq. Ft. | Ceiling | Theater | Banquet (10s) | Classroom | 10×10 Booths | Rental Waiver Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Pillarless Ballroom (Main General Session) Keynote, General Session & Plated Gala Anchor | 22,686 sq. ft. | 22'–26' Clear | 2,388 | 1,680 | 1,418 | 113 booths | $0 Rental w/ $42,000 F&B Min |
| Junior Ballroom & Divisional Plated Dining Hall Luncheons, Partner Summits & VIP Receptions | 10,889 sq. ft. | 18'–22' Clear | 1,146 | 807 | 681 | 54 booths | $0 Rental w/ $21,000 F&B Min |
| Pre-Function Registration & Sponsor Showcase Concourse Badge Pickup, Tabletop Sponsors & Networking Breaks | 23,322 sq. ft. | 16'–24' Atrium | 1,944 | 1,555 | 1,166 | 117 booths | Included w/ Grand Ballroom License |
| Executive Breakout & Boardroom Wing (76 Rooms Total) 1-on-1 Enterprise Deal Rooms, Track Breakouts & Speaker Ready | 2,722 sq. ft. | 12'–16' Clear | 272 | 194 | 160 | 14 booths | $0 w/ 50+ Peak Night Room Block |
Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel — 8-Row Master Property & Group Contract Summary
Guest Room Inventory & Peak Group Allocation
1,641 Total Keys · Up to 689 Peak Group Block Rooms
Standard 1-per-40 cumulative complimentary room credit; request 1-per-35 comp ratio + 3 VIP suite upgrades at group rates during RFP.
Total Event Space & Breakout Room Ratio
129,569 Sq. Ft. Total · 76 Dedicated Meeting & Breakout Rooms
Optimal for 985–2,388 attendee conferences requiring simultaneous keynote and breakout tracks.
Largest Pillarless Ballroom Capacity
22,686 Sq. Ft. · 2,388 Theater · 1,680 Plated Banquet
Divisible soundproof airwalls; supports up to 113 standard 10×10 tabletop/exhibit booths (~200 gross sq. ft./booth) with 24-hour hold option.
Primary Convention Campus Connectivity
McCormick Place Convention Center (8–12 min official show shuttle / rideshare)
Primary headquarter and exhibitor room-block anchor serving McCormick Place Convention Center.
Airport Transfer & Motorcoach Staging
ORD (Chicago O’Hare International Airport) · 16.5 mi (24 mins off-peak / 45–62 mins peak)
Dedicated group porte-cochere / motorcoach staging lane available with 14-day advance manifest submission to hotel convention services.
Nightly Room Rate, Resort Fee & Tax Structure
$284/nt Group Block vs. $489/nt Peak Rack · 17.4% Chicago / MPEA Hotel Operator Tax
Mandatory $25/nt resort/destination fee is 100% waived when contracted through the Conventions.com Housing Desk (saves $270/room/night all-in).
Banquet F&B '++' Multiplier & Catering Minimums
$42,000 Ballroom Waiver Min · 25% Service + 11.75% Tax (+39.7% Effective)
Contract F&B minimums on a cumulative multi-day program basis (breakfasts + breaks + reception combined) rather than per-room/per-day minimums.
Attrition, Cutoff & Cancellation Protection
80% Cumulative Pickup Allowance · 30-Day Cutoff · 100% Rebooking Resell Credit
Always insist on cumulative (not night-by-night) attrition calculation and a 'Resell Mitigation Clause' crediting any rooms resold by the hotel after cutoff.