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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Building The Godfrey 