CHICAGO—Langham Hospitality Group’s fourth U.S. property—The Langham, Chicago—has officially opened its doors. Located in the last office building designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, known for developing the modern skyscraper, the 316-room hotel resides within the 52-story landmarked riverfront property at in the heart of the city.
This is the company’s first purpose-built hotel in the United States. “After more than four years of planning and construction, we’re delighted to join the Chicago community and bring our brand of European hospitality to this great city,” said Langham Hospitality Group CEO Brett Butcher. “The Langham, Chicago was a labor of love for our Chairman, Dr. K.S. Lo, who is passionately committed to developing luxury hotels in heritage buildings.”
The Langham, Chicago is the world’s first hotel to reside in a Mies van der Rohe building. Built in 1971 as IBM’s regional headquarters, the building was declared a Chicago Landmark in 2008 and entered into the National Register of Historic Places in March 2010. As the only Mies building to feature double-paned glass, now called thermopanes, it was on the forefront of the “green” movement.
The hotel offers Langham signature features such as afternoon tea, a Club Lounge with dedicated butler service, and Chuan Spa, based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. The hotel also provides some of the city’s largest standard guest rooms starting at 516 sq. ft., a Mediterranean-influenced restaurant and lounge (Travelle), 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting and banquet space, and a fine art collection featuring more than 140 works.
Converting the building’s 13 floors into a luxury hotel involved the work of six architects and designers. Notable is the involvement of Chicago-based architect Dirk Lohan of Lohan Anderson. The grandson of Mies van der Rohe, Lohan worked on the IBM building with his grandfather. Lohan has taken the historic ground-floor lobby level and fashioned the space into a hotel reception area, mindful not to disrupt its original travertine walls and granite floors.
London-based Richmond International designed the luxurious, yet contemporary interiors, while New York’s Rockwell Group created the inspired mid-century modern setting for the hotel’s signature restaurant Travelle.
Each room features 55-inch televisions; a deskside “jack pack” offering video/audio, HDMI/iPhone/I-Touch play back of audio/video content and Ethernet capability; a custom-designed midcentury-style “cellarette” houses in-room tea and a Nespresso coffee machine, in addition to a selection of drinks and snacks. Bathrooms feature travertine stone, a favorite of Mies van der Rohe, and come with heated towel racks, double-sinks, and a wet room with a separate bathtub and rain shower. All rooms feature a separate dressing room with dressing table and mirror.
Complimentary WiFi, morning newspaper, overnight shoeshine and use of the hotel’s fitness facility and pool are also included. A Cinema Suite, seating up to 16, is available for rental. For families, the hotel offers a Kid’s Suite, featuring books, games and video programing.
