IMAGES: LSB
THIS SEASON HOTEL SPOTLIGHT
Virgin Hotels Chicago
Virgin made its much-anticipated entrance into the hotel sector last month, with the opening of a 26-storey art deco hotel in the Loop district of Chicago. Te 250-room property, housed in the former Old Dearborn
Bank Building, has retained many of the building’s historic features, including its 1920s oak cigar bar, which serves as the hotel’s front desk, and the original brass lift doors. In addition, the original two-storey bank floor has been
transformed into the Commons Club — a space designed to have the feel of a private members’ club, where guests can dine, drink, work and mingle, and the venue for the nightly hosted Social Hour. Te hotel has four additional dining outlets, including
Miss Ricky’s, a 23-hour all-American diner; a rooftop bar and lounge; and the Two Zero Tree coffee shop and wine bar. Te bedrooms — which start at $209 (£138) per night plus
taxes — are divided into two areas: a dressing room area, complete with make-up desk, shower and his and hers closets, and a bedroom-cum-lounge. Tey are separated by a set of sliding privacy doors. Te focal point of the latter is the patent-pending
ergonomically designed bed, which features an added seatback at the bottom corner, to make it easier for guests to work or watch streamed films from their bed. Tey can plan their stay through a bespoke app called Lucy — billed as a personal comfort assistant — who can deal with anything from room service and spa reservations to local recommendations. Virgin is positioning its hotels as fun, comfortable and
devoid of unpopular hidden charges. Wi-fi is free throughout the property, the minibar boasts items marked at ‘street’ prices and there are no fees for either the business centre or early check-ins and late check-outs. Te Chicago model will be the template for Virgin’s Nashville
and New York properties, set to open in summer 2016 and autumn 2017 respectively.
virginhotels.com
New openings
The Serras Hotel is housed in a 19th-century Barcelona building in which Picasso had his first studio and painted Ciencia y Caridad (Science and Charity) in 1897. The 30-room boutique hotel is situated in the Spanish city’s Port Vell Marina neighbourhood, with views over the waterfront and the Gothic Old Town, and has a rooftop bar with sea views. Michelin-starred chef Marc Gascons is heading up the restaurant.
hoteltheserrasbarcelona.com
Maison Souquet, latest member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (pictured left), is a lavish new hotel in the Montmartre district of Paris. Its 20 suites and rooms were created by designer Jacques Garcia, who has used antique woodwork and leather furnishings to recreate the opulence of the Belle Epoque era, while facilities include an underground pool, spa and ornate hammam.
slh.com/hotels/ hotel-maison-souquet
Anantara has opened its first Qatar property — the 141-room Banana Island Resort, a 20-minute luxury ferry ride from the capital Doha. The resort, on a private island off the coast, has an 800-metre private beach, its own marina with dive centre, a 100-metre lagoon pool and the country’s only over-water villas. Guests can avail themselves of the holistic lifestyle programmes at the resort’s dedicated wellness centre.
anantara.com
From top: Hotel entrance; Commons Club; one of the hotel’s 250 rooms
20 ABTA Magazine February 2015
countrybycountry.com
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