CHICAGO, Ill.—Chicago-area VIPs gathered last week to celebrate the official grand opening of the new dual-branded Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile, winner of Hilton Worldwide’s 2013 Best Conversion award. Local business leaders joined Hilton Worldwide and property leadership team members, as well as representatives from Driftwood Hospitality, owner/operator of the hotel, for the special occasion.
Throughout the evening, attendees enjoyed tours of the extensively renovated property, interactive in-room cooking demonstrations, signature cocktails, jazz performances in the Hampton breakfast area by the BMR4, and a mash-up by Charizma Entertainment on the hotel’s 40th floor pool deck. Homewood Suites’ Lodge served as a fireside retreat with coffee cocktails and s’mores.
Bill Duncan of Hilton Worldwide, Rob Auman of Driftwood Hospitality, Jennie Cimino of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and Peter Austin of Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile, gave remarks during the event.
A silent auction took place throughout the evening with prizes including signed memorabilia from professional athletes and air and hotel accommodations to Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa in Costa Rica, raising more than $15,000 to benefit the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Each attendee was also asked to bring a new children’s book for donation. Driftwood Hospitality and Hilton Worldwide will donate the several hundred books collected to the hospital during a reading event and donation ceremony, for use on the newly created Lewis’ Reading Wagon.
