godfreyhotel

Throwback Thursday – A Look Back at the Construction of I|O Urban Roofscape

It’s Throwback Thursday (or #ThrowbackThursday or just #TBT) and we want to take a look back at the construction and progress of I|O Urban Roofscape. From the beginning, the team envisioned what I|O Urban Roofscape is today: a rooftop lounge with uninterrupted views of Chicago’s southern skyline. I|O’s rooftop lounge offers panoramic views, a fire pit, shimmering water elements, a video wall and our famed retractable roof. It boasts approximately 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.

But first, it was simply a blank canvas. Take a look at this #TBT photo below from Feb. 15, 2013 (more than one year ago), which shows I|O Urban Roofscape in the beginning. This was from one of our many #SiteVisits and you can see parts of the impressive skyline view as initial surveying is completed.

Flash forward to Dec. 5, 2013 and you can see our one-of-a-kind retractable roof being installed. A photo is below:

Then, take a look at I|O Urban Roofscape today – an indoor bar with plush banquette seating, a VIP area and more. Guests and Chicagoans can step outside and walk past the sliding glass wall to the outdoor lounge. It makes for the perfect place to sip cocktails at the outdoor bar or enjoy lunch while taking in Chicago’s skyline. No matter the weather, I|O Urban Roofscape offers the perfect escape and is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night bites. To view I|O’s menu, please click here.

Following are photos showing how the breath-taking rooftop lounge has evolved into Chicago’s newest hotspot:

The entry of I|O Urban Roofscape at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago.

The indoor bar at IO Urban Roofscape at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago.

It all comes together when you take a look at the photos from start to finish – and of course, we hope to see you soon at The Godfrey’s I|O Urban Roofscape.

#ThrowbackThursday - A look at how I|O Urban Roofscape evolved from a blank canvas to Chicago's rooftop lounge with a retractable roof, fire pit and shimmering water elements. — #ThrowbackThursday – A look at how I|O Urban Roofscape evolved from a blank canvas to Chicago’s rooftop lounge with a retractable roof, fire pit and shimmering water elements.

Unique IO Urban Roofscape Events

During the first six weeks at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago, we’ve hosted some amazing IO Urban Roofscape events – all extremely unique in tone. From styling details to room setup, we can accommodate any party or event request.

Kehoe Designs hosted a beautiful birthday party in the Truss Room, with lots of pink notes and an overall theme of love.

Birthday part setup in the Truss Room for Kehoe Designs.

We converted our space into a press room for The Godfrey Hotel Chicago’s official ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, with a beautiful lunch setup complete with orange floral centerpieces at IO Urban Roofscape.

IO Urban Roofscape set up for a press conference with Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Sophisticated table settings greet Mayor Emanuel and attendees of the ribbon cutting ceremony for The Godfrey Hotel Chicago.

Akira Chicago hosted a fashion show and party, and we delivered a comfortable viewing space for guests to take in all the new trends.

IO Urban Roofscape even accommodates a runway for an Akira Chicago evening party and fashion show. — IO Urban Roofscape even accommodates a runway for an Akira Chicago evening fashion show.

Finally, Choose Chicago joined us for one of our first lunch events and we were able to show off our rooftop lounge during the bright, sunny daytime hours. Our red and white floral table designs completed the look.

Choose Chicago dined with IO Urban Roofscape for one of our first lunch parties.

We can customize your table settings for any season or occasion.

With spring approaching, now is a great time to book your next meeting, party, lunch, dinner or fundraiser with The Godfrey Hotel Chicago and IO Urban Roofscape! Our retractable roof will open as the temperatures rise – you won’t believe our truly amazing view of the magnificent Chicago skyline. Click here for more information on special events.

I|O Urban Roofscape Time Lapse – #NowOpen

If you missed the release of I|O Urban Roofscape’s awesome time lapse video this weekend, you can watch it here. The video captures the entire construction process for the nightlife hot spot, showing the installation of the retractable roof. We’ve also been snapping some awesome photos of guests having a blast at I|O Urban Roofscape since we opened – you can see them in the video, too. Come see us soon and make sure to tag photos of you and your friends with @iogodfrey on Twitter and Instagram, or visit us on Facebook.

I|O Urban Roofscape is Chicago’s largest indoor-outdoor rooftop lounge and is open year-round. We offer unobstructed skyline views, a gourmet bar menu, innovative mixology cocktails and more. To learn more, please visit www.iogodfrey.com. Curious about the menus? Our food and drink offerings are available here.

#TBT – King Guest Room

Do you remember what The Godfrey Hotel Chicago’s guest rooms used to look like? We certainly do. Following is a #TBT photo from last September, before all the luxurious amenities and furnishings were installed.

Before all of our luxury furnishings were installed! — Before all of our luxury furnishings were added.

But look how far we’ve come… Today’s #TBT post compares the before and after photos of our king guest rooms.

Now completed, our king guest room is inviting with its comfortable, high-quality linens and everything you could need during your stay.

Need to work? We hope you don't. But if that is the case, we offer a fully equipped workspace. — Need to work? We hope you don’t. But if that is the case, we offer a fully equipped workspace.

We have 221 stylish and contemporary rooms: 182 graciously-sized rooms, 12 Executive King Rooms and 27 One-Bedroom Suites. Extra amenities are key to luxurious travel and our rooms offer complimentary Wi-Fi, luxurious linens, a wet bar, iHome docking station, extra seating and more. As you can see from the photo above, the rooms are equipped with large work stations as well, including an ergonomic chair. When working on the road, it’s important to have both comfort and efficiency. To see more details on our rooms, please visit our website.

Make a reservation today and come see the guest rooms for yourself. We’re #NowOpen and we’d love to have you.

The Godfrey Hotel featured in Travel + Leisure Magazine

Travel+Leisure placed The Godfrey at the top of the new hotel list in “Chicago Decoder”. They featured our modern structure and how it “cuts a commanding figure against the Chicago Skyline.”

Although as the new kid on the block, we certainly take advantage of the more modern things we can offer guests, just like T+L mentioned our RFID card scanners. With this, guests don’t even have to juggle everything to simply open their door. Convenience at its finest. To some it may seem like a modern luxury, but to us, it just makes sense.

Chicago is a great city, with plenty to do and see. You never know where you may find the next adventure or even find time to relax. At The Godfrey Hotel, we strive to give you a modern, luxurious experience, so you can find your element.