Virgin Hotels debuted its first property on Thursday, announcing the official opening of the Virgin Hotels Chicago.
"It's been a long held dream to start beautiful, comfortable, fun hotels for guests and give them what they want and need while being gentle on their wallets," said Virgin Group founder Richard Branson in a statement.
"I'm tremendously proud of the brilliant Virgin Hotels team, and I look forward to hosting our fans and spending more time in Chicago."
Located in the center of Chicago's Loop district in the historic Old Dearborn Bank Building, the 26-story building features 250 guest rooms, including 40 one-bedroom suites and a pair of Penthouse suites.
"Chicago is an exhilarating and historic city, and a place we're happy to call home for the first-ever Virgin Hotel," said Virgin Hotels CEO Raul Leal. "It's an exciting time for our team as we get to unveil our new approach to room design, service, and entertainment within the hotel industry. We hope our fans recognize the subtle yet authentic Chicago touches throughout the hotel, and come to think of us as their place away from home whether they're traveling or a local."
Virgin Hotels prides itself on minimizing frustration for travelers and plans to do so by making eliminating fees and surcharges a top priority.
The hotel brand offers complimentary Wi-Fi at unlimited bandwidth and has done away with early check-in and late check-out fees. Virgin Hotels has also eliminated room service delivery charges and business center transactions, among others.
The Commons Club is arguably the highlight of the Virgin Hotels Chicago, serving as a dynamic space where guests can relax and attend a nightly Social Hour.
In addition to the Commons Club, the hotel will offer four other dining options, including a rooftop bar and lounge.
The two-chamber room layout, which separates rooms into a dressing area and a lounge, is designed to make traveling more conevenient.
Virgin Hotels has plans to open a second property in Nashville in the summer of 2016 as well as a third property in New York in the fall of 2017. Two additional locations are set to be announced by the end of 2016.
The brand aims to have 20 properties by 2025.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
