Illinois
The former MileNorth Hotel in Chicago has been converted into the Cambria Hotel & Suites Chicago Magnificent Mile. The 215-room, 29-story hotel is located between the city’s Magnificent Mile and Lake Michigan as well as near attractions in the area such as Millennium Park, John Hancock Center and the Chicago Riverwalk. The property features a rooftop lounge, 52Eighty, and nearly 4,000 square feet of meeting space. There are two meeting rooms that can be divided into multiple spaces as well as a private dining room for 100 guests.
Dual-branded Hampton Inn by Hilton Chicago Downtown West Loop and Homewood Suites by Hilton Chicago Downtown West Loop opened with a total of 336 guest rooms in downtown Chicago. The property is near The United Center and Willis Tower and features a large communal area with a shared fitness center, indoor pool, outdoor Fulton Garden Terrace and 6,200 square feet of meeting space. There are two distinct lobbies with separate check-in desks and dining areas. The property’s meeting space includes a ballroom that can accommodate up to 150, two boardrooms, three meeting rooms and prefunction space.
Michigan
DoubleTree by Hilton Detroit Bloomfield Hills will open in the former historic Kingsley Inn property following a $10 million revitalization. Set to be completed in fall 2017, the 147-room hotel will feature a full-service restaurant, indoor pool and 11,400 square feet of meeting space. Originally built in 1958, the property is near a number of Fortune 500 companies, including Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Google and Volkswagen of America. The meeting space will include two ballrooms-—the Grand Ballroom can be divided into three separate spaces—and prefunction space. The new restaurant concept, Joe Muer Seafood, is known throughout the Midwest.
Minnesota
The Ascend Hotel Collection unveiled its newest addition, enVision Hotel St. Paul South. The hotel, an Ascend Hotel Collection Member, features Against the Grain restaurant and bar, specializing in comfort food alongside beer, wine and cocktails with the option for dine-in, take-out or room service. The 85-room hotel has 10,000 square feet of function space for up to 380 guests, an indoor pool, a fitness center, a business center and the brand’s complimentary breakfast for all guests.
The Hewing Hotel debuted in Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood. Formerly a timber warehouse, the Jackson Building has been transformed into a 124-room hotel with a Nordic-inspired design. The main level of the hotel will have The Andrews Ballroom, The Commissioner Boardroom, and private dining rooms as well as lobby space and Tullibee, a restaurant focusing on hyperlocal sourcing and partnerships with regional farms, fishermen and vendors. Up North, a year-round rooftop space, will feature a cocktail bar, pool and 20-person cedar sauna.
Radisson RED Minneapolis opened in November. This property is the first Radisson RED brand, inspired by art, music and fashion, in the U.S. The hotel’s design created flow between spaces without traditional walls to separate the lobby, restaurants, bars and meeting spaces and brings these spaces into one. The hotel is located in the city’s East Town neighborhood near the new U.S. Bank Stadium and offers 164 studio guest rooms, 1,000 square feet of meeting space and OUIBar + Kitchen, the brand’s restaurant and bar concept that features a large mural created by local illustrator Adam Turman, known for his bold style and interpretation of Minnesota landscapes.
Nebraska
The 333-room Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District is scheduled to open in summer 2017. Marcus Hotels & Resorts will manage the 12-story hotel, which will offer 20,000 square feet of meeting space with an additional 16,000 square feet of prefunction space. The property will feature a rooftop pool, bar and entertainment space, and a full-service restaurant.
Wisconsin
DoubleTree by Hilton Racine Harbourwalk opened after a multimillion-dollar renovation and rebranding of a formerly independent hotel. The 121-room hotel is near the city’s business district and North Beach neighborhood with views of Lake Michigan. The hotel’s Third Coast Wood Fire Pizza and Pub also offers views of the lake inside as well as the outdoor Tiki Bar that overlooks the marina. The property features 4,000 square feet of meeting space, including the Harbourview Room, which can hold up to 80 guests. Many of the meeting rooms have art inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed several buildings in the area.