godfreyhotel

Q&A with Gettys Design Director Chris McDonough

Chris McDonough is Design Director at The Gettys Group, leading interior design for the guest rooms at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago. We spoke to him about where he started with the project, and about how he wanted guests to feel when they arrived at the hotel.

The Gettys Group Design Director Chris McDonough created an urban sanctuary when designing guest rooms at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago.

Q: What are some of your favorite features in the guest rooms?

A: From a guest experience and emotional response, my favorite aspect of the guest room is the overall feeling of sophisticated calm that the space provides. The subtle variance in the shower tile finish is a hidden design element that the guest can discover.

Q: Where did you start when designing the rooms? Or, what was the inspiration?

A: The boldness and the strength of the exterior architecture was obviously a design parameter that we had to consider. When considering the guest room design, our goal was to compliment the unique exterior but also provide an urban sanctuary for the guest from the energy of River North.

Q: What do you want guests to feel when they stay at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago?

A: We would like the guest to feel stylish and sophisticated, and that they have found a hidden, unique gem within the crowded Chicago hotel market.

To see more of our guest room photos, take a look at this blog post featuring the newly designed spaces. You can also learn more about guest room features at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago by clicking here.

Thank you Chris for conducting the Q&A.

Siobhan Higgins Review of The Godfrey Hotel in AirChicago

Siobhan Higgins wrote about how The Godfrey Hotel is THE hottest new hotel in Chicago for the heavily-anticipated inaugural issue of this quarterly magazine distributed within Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway Airports. Check out what he thinks are the best parts of The Godfrey Hotel and I|O Urban Roofscape.

Spring Improvements at IO Urban Roofscape

Chicago’s winter was a rough one – we heard new phrases on how to describe the deep freeze we withstood, including Chiberia, Polar Vortex (or really, Polar Vortices), among others. It felt like the worst winter ever but on the record books, it was only the third snowiest winter in Chicago’s history.

Now that spring is finally here, we’re rejoicing and beautifying our indoor-outdoor rooftop, I|O Urban Roofscape. Yesterday, we added more lounge seating, additional water elements and more flowers. You can see a photo below of the installation in progress.

Beautification at IO Urban Roofscape - Chicago's largest indoor-outdoor lounge. — Beautification at IO Urban Roofscape – Chicago’s largest indoor-outdoor lounge.

George Jordan, Area General Manger and SVP of Oxford Hotels & Resorts, relaxing for a minute at IO Urban Roofscape.

We love the new additions that add to the welcoming, lounge-feel to IO Urban Roofscape. Our Area General Manager and SVP of Oxford Hotels & Resorts, George Jordan (above), was spotted chilling out on our new lounges.

Be sure to stop by IO Urban Roofscape this spring. The restaurant just started serving full brunch on weekends, along with breakfast, lunch and dinner. To see the menu and details, visit http://www.iogodfrey.com. See you there.

Retractable Roof Education by Libart

Installing a retractable roof system like the one at IO Urban Roofscape takes much planning and preparation. Libart North America’s recent blog post explains how architects took a special retractable roof course with Libart Project Manager Jeff Manger prior to construction of The Godfrey Hotel Chicago.

Libart Project Manager Jeff Manger taught architects about retractable roof systems. (libartusa.com)

IO Urban Roofscape encompasses approximately 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, with 10,000 square feet of lounge and event space – named for its captivating Indoor/Outdoor ambiance. Get started at the indoor bar with plush banquettes and a VIP area. Breeze through the sliding glass wall and you’ll find yourself sipping drinks at the outdoor bar during the day, after work, at night or on weekends in front of the commanding views of Chicago.

Indoor/outdoor paradise with our retractable roof system.

Experience IO Urban Roofscape, where you can enjoy the day and dress the night. Follow on Twitter and Instagram at @iogodfrey, or plan your next event. You can even see some of the various daytime or evening events we have hosted in the past by clicking here.

Q&A with UrbanBuddy’s Paul Brogna

You’re standing in The Godfrey Hotel Chicago’s lobby with your friends, and you’re trying to decide where to eat dinner. Not one of you is from Chicago, so who do you ask for help? We have our in-person hotel concierge and our on-site touch screens to help you with these questions, but thanks to UrbanBuddy, you can now also download a unique, mobile concierge app directly to your phone.

The Godfrey Hotel Chicago's touch-screen concierge by UrbanBuddy creates a one-of-a-kind travel experience. — Get more information about UrbanBuddy on The Godfrey Hotel Chicago touch screens. You can scan the QRC code to download the app.

We talked to UrbanBuddy’s Paul Brogna about the vision behind their company, and how it helps travelers get the most out of visits to new cities:

Q: How did UrbanBuddy come about? What was the inspiration?

A: Our story began in Barcelona, Spain, where Pete and I spent a semester abroad in 2007 studying architecture. Barcelona is where we learned how valuable knowing a local really is, which became the catalyst to create UrbanBuddy. The inspiration came from one local named Keyan Pak, who was our go-to source for local information and really showed us the local way throughout our entire abroad experience.

Q: What are some of the best tips you would provide guests looking for something to do in Chicago? And in River North? We’ve noticed UrbanBuddy is great with hyper-local questions.

A: UrbanBuddy is a resource for hyper-local and on-demand information. For guests looking for something to do in Chicago, I would recommend downloading the app and ask our expert locals! After all, the service is about real-time information and not based on reviews or static content. For the best tips on what to do in Chicago, ask your UrbanBuddy and chat in real-time.

Q: Why should guests try using UrbanBuddy?

A: I think The New York Times put it best: “[UrbanBuddy is] like an in-the-know friend whispering in your smartphone.” Every traveler has questions, needs and a desire to be wowed and to seek out a local’s perspective. UrbanBuddy provides travelers with the platform and community they need to find the best answers.