CHICAGO
Hilton Worldwide recently announced the addition of LondonHouse to Curio - A Collection by Hilton, its global brand of luxury hotels offering authentic experiences. The property will be located in Chicago's historic London Guarantee Building and new 22-story architecturally synchronized Modernist glass tower.
Built on the site of historic Fort Dearborn in 1923 at the corner of North Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive, the historic London Guarantee & Accident Building was home to the renowned jazz club "London House," which hosted numerous jazz luminaries before closing in the 1970s.
One of four 1920s buildings that flank the North Michigan Avenue Bridge, LondonHouse is scheduled to open in Spring 2016 following completion of a comprehensive restoration and redevelopment, coupled with its 22-story contemporary addition, to create a high-design, 452-room luxe lifestyle hotel with two floors of retail.
The hotel's Chicago-based developer and manager, Oxford Capital Group, LLC, began work on the Alfred S. Alschuler-designed London Guarantee Building in 2013, followed up with construction of the new glass tower, designed by Chicago's Goettsch Partners, beginning in December 2014.
The new Modernist tower will host the hotel's main entrance and feature a gateway arrival lobby leading to the grand second-floor check-in lobby and bar. It will also include approximately 25,000 square feet of meeting and pre-function space comprised of a junior and grand ballroom, and multiple board and meeting rooms.
The hotel will also have a destination spa and fitness center. At the top of the hotel, the refurbished historic cupola and roof-top dining and outdoor event spaces will offer what Oxford believes will be Chicago's only tri-level hotel rooftop, with panoramic vistas of the city.
The design scheme of LondonHouse, led by Simeone Deary Design Group, will speak to the London Guarantee Building's roots, while adopting the progressive thinking of the 1920s to create modern and chic accents. The color palette will feature greys and whites, punctuated by jewel tones and eucalyptus woods. The guest room design is inspired by the luxurious automobiles of that era. The hotel will be outfitted with modern furniture upholstered in lavish materials, paying homage to the opulence of the 1920s.
