Virgin Hotels of Richard Branson makes its debut in Chicago

Photo: dnainfo.com

A damn cup of tea was all that Sir Richard Branson wanted. To find one is it so hard?

Apparently, the answer is yes when the tycoon who is 64 years old is on the road. He stated that most hotels do not have a decent cup of tea served at any hour let alone after breakfast. Then it is quite apt that the new hotel of Branson serves properly made tea and breakfast everyday for 23 hours.

Virgin Hotels Chicago that has 250 rooms opened for business recently. It occupies a 1928 Deco tower in the Loop at the Old Dearborn Bank Building. It is the new Virgin Hotel brand’s first property, or better still the opening salvo. Three decades after its first foray into travel hotels are a next move that is natural for the conglomerate. It is easy not to remember that in 1984 Virgin Atlantic was an outlier: in a room that was full of grown-ups who were staid it was an interloper who was cheeky. As Branson states it, the knack of Virgin is for getting into markets that are stale and in which a rip off of customers were taking place. Note too that the company recently had their plans announced of the launching of a cruise line soon.

In that situation, the arrival of Virgin Hotels could not have happened at a time that was better (or worse?). Hotels just like airlines have been nickel-and-diming their guests for things that were once gotten by them for free: checking out late, Wi-Fi that was optimized, even theatre tickets’ printing. All of those charges are being done away with by Virgin in addition to other annoyances. Rather than Cokes of $8, “street level” are where mini-bar prices have been set, and for room-service delivery there is no fee.

Photo: virgin.com

The aim is to have common sense and user-friendliness restored design-wise. Branson stated that there are such simple steps that a couple of lifestyle hotels took into consideration that to the guest meant so much. For example, intuitive lighting controls, or power outlets by the bed. Or a sliding door that cleverly has rooms divided into two spaces that are distinct: the “lounge,” with a dining table and a bed, and the “dressing room,” with a makeup desk, a vanity, closets, and a bathroom. Branson stated that a small detail was what a sliding door was, however is allowed for some privacy, has hallway noise blocked out, and permits you to remain behind doors that were closed during the delivery of room service.

The philosophy of Virgin bodes well for consumers today, who usually choose lodgings on the basis of square footage and thread count than the “personality” of a hotel – which is possessed in shades by this brand. We are all going to watch and see if a winning formula is what it would add up to – there are plans for properties in New York City and Nashville – and if the lead of Virgin would be followed by travelers. 

Photo: chicago.curbed.com

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