Virgin’s first hotel has opened in Chicago and it is everything anyone has ever wanted in a hotel.
To start off, the rooms have exceptional minibars that stock personal favorites such as Peanut M&M’S, red wine, and even precautionary Emergen-C, all sold at street prices. That means you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg the next morning when you realize you came back from a crazy night out and ravaged the minibar.
While Wi-Fi is something we usually take for granted at home, it’s something we pray is free when we stay in hotels. Though most hotels will have you purchase a package for internet service that is limited to two devices, the Virgin hotel has free and open Wi-Fi throughout the premises. The Virgin Hotel website declares that “Bandwidth is a right, not a revenue stream.” Thank the lord.
Ever walked into your hotel room after checking in and thought to yourself, “I need an upgrade”? Well, at Virgin’s hotel, it’s not necessary. They offer “chambers,” not rooms.
Each chamber consists of at least two rooms that includes a sleeping area and a smaller area for wardrobe storage and getting ready (separated by a sliding door).
These chambers were designed for the female traveler in mind and typically feels roomier than a standard hotel room in Chicago.
The hotel is located above the Loop portion of the Chicago L and has been renovated from a historic bank building designed by C.W. and George Rapp.
It’s a chic and tastefully designed hotel that blends the old with the new to create its own aesthetic.
On the lobby floor, you can see where bank tellers used to sit and the check-in desk is the original cigar bar and candy stand from the bank.
There is even a red Tesla Model S available as a town car that will drop you off within a two-mile radius of the hotel. It’s available on a first-come first-serve basis.
