boutique hotel – Page 3 – Building The Godfrey

Add Tech to Your Stay

At The Godfrey, we’re all about high tech and high touch throughout the hotel. Our Chicago property led the way with its cutting-edge technology and amenities. We are proud to say our Boston property will boast a number of high tech offerings throughout the guest rooms and the hotel.

First, a look in the guest rooms and the guests will notice a number of tech advances, including but not limited to our mobile keyless room entry. Guests who have a smart phone can simply download the app on their phone. This makes entering the room easy, plus it is one less thing to carry when you’re out and about exploring Boston. While on the phone, guests will also have the option of mobile accessible hotel services.

The room also has large 55 inch HD TVs and a high-quality bluetooth audio system. The desks are designed with USB ports. The room is set for a high-tech traveler on business or leisure travel.

Perhaps most importantly, we have invested in a state-of-the-art wireless / WiFi that’s fast and reliable, something that can be hard to find at other hotels. Plus, have we mentioned it is free? Yes, free, fast and reliable Wi-Fi. That makes getting business finished at our hotel a little easier.

Restoring the Past

Boston is entrenched in history. From the Freedom Trail to the Bunker Hill Monument, it’s hard to go a block without reveling in one of the hundreds of historical monuments. And while The Godfrey Boston is mere blocks away from some of these main landmarks, you don’t have to leave our hotel to experience the city’s rich past.

As previously mentioned, our hotel is a complete restoration of the Amory and Blake buildings, which were once the center of Boston’s shopping district. Working together with Spillane, we’re bringing the Amory and Blake back to life and restoring their original beauty, which we shared a sneak peak of earlier this week. In fact, the three main areas we’re working to restore -the facade, the elevator lobby and the interior-facing light wells – are historically protected by the National Register of Historic Places.

godfrey hotel — The original facade of the Amory and Blake buildings

Godfrey Boston — Intricate details being restored on the facade of the hotel

Upon entering The Godfrey, you’ll see the building’s past married with its future. The walkway leading up to the front desk will start out as a matte, textured marble that displays the brick and other original materials used. The floor will then gradually transition to highly polished dark marble that signifies the decidedly modern design of The Godfrey and the future of these two historic buildings.

As you head up to your guest room, you’ll notice another nod to the past. The elevator vestibule boasts the original marble walls and ornate ceilings of the Blake. We’ll update this area to be mainly monochromatic white while maintaining and paying homage to the intricate detail.

If you’re staying in an interior-facing guest room, you’ll have the privilege to overlook our historically-preserved courtyard. It might not look like much at this point in the restoration, but it’s set to be a gorgeous respite from the bustling streets outside.

There are still a lot of changes in progress, but the restoration is coming along quickly. Stay tuned for more updates on our historically protected areas in future posts.

Marble, Marble, Marble

As a boutique hotel, there are many characteristics and features that are unique to just our property in Boston. Our high standards and excellent guest service will be consistent with our Chicago flagship hotel. And, another consistency will be the beautiful use of marble in our lobby. Both properties have marble yet they won’t be exactly the same.

When guests enter our lobby in Boston’s Downtown Crossing, they will notice a luxurious, welcoming lobby with our team ready to greet them. We also are restoring some of the original character and charm of our building, including the original marble. During our site visit, we took photos of the original marble below. By opening, we will change the overall color but keep the beautiful look of the marble through restoration and preservation.

Original marble in our building, which will be restored during the building process.

And this is the “before!” We are excited to show you the “after.”

Just to jog your memory, Chicago’s lobby has gorgeous marble as well, which you can see in the photo below:

The Godfrey Hotel Chicago. Photo by Papadakis Photography.

Stay tuned for continued updates on our Boston property and let us know if you have questions.

America’s Coolest Rooftop Bars

The hard work was worth it! Travel + Leisure magazine has named I|O Urban Roofscape at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago one of America’s Coolest Rooftop Bars. The article recognizes Chef Riley Huddleston’s unique mixology and experimentation with his drink menu, as well as the hotel’s cubist, modern design. Take a look at the feature here.

From the fourth floor perch at the epicenter of River North, I|O Urban Roofscape offers panoramic views of Chicago southern skyline. I|O Urban Roofscape encompasses nearly 10,000 square feet of lounge and event space to offer a premier destination of style for all occasions and private events.

You can view our food and drink menus, or make a reservation, at iogodfrey.com. Stop by this summer to try a Chef’s Margarita made with fresh juics and Don Julio, Tuaca, and Cointreau with a signature habanero salt air foam, or satisfying Golden Truffle Fries with parmesan and truffle ketchup. See you soon!

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.