CHICAGO — Waldorf Astoria Chicago has commenced a new renovation project across the hotel with an anticipated completion of spring 2022. As part of the renovation, the hotel will debut a transformation of its dining venues with a new signature restaurant, a cocktail bar, and lobby lounge, will introduce enhancements to its spa, and will have a refurbishment of its guestrooms. The project will also debut new suites with a redesign of its Presidential Suite as well as the introduction of a new Astoria Suite.
Leading the hotel’s renovation is the Chicago-based hospitality design and architecture firm KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group, which first designed the interiors in 2009. Paying homage to Coco Chanel as a cultural figure, the KTGY Simeone Deary team merges the hotel’s roots with a refreshed design that embraces the hotel’s vision.
“We are delighted to usher in a new chapter for Waldorf Astoria Chicago, and we are honored to reunite with KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group to execute this refreshed design vision,” said Todd Temperly, general manager, Waldorf Astoria Chicago. “We look forward to having guests and Chicagoans rediscover our timeless Gold Coast experience, with new and returning traditions for them to cherish.”
Dining Experiences
As part of the new dining experience, Waldorf Astoria Chicago will introduce Brass Tack, a brasserie concept drawing inspirations and ingredients from the Midwest. Both the menu and the space will serve group dining and shared plates, evoking the traditions of a brasserie with a Chicago touch. The hotel will also introduce a lobby-level Peacock Alley lounge—paying tribute to the original at the brand flagship, Waldorf Astoria New York—that will serve as a relaxation space for guests, with a design with dark colors and furnishings, a black-and-white marble fireplace, and collective books.
Bernard’s will return to Waldorf Astoria Chicago and be reestablished as a destination that offers a craft beverage program with classic cocktails and modern iterations, alongside wines and spirits. Bernard’s will re-emerge in its former space with a design with dark colors, classic forms, tweeds, and equestrian influences.
“We invite locals and out-of-town guests alike to discover a new and exciting era at Waldorf Astoria Chicago as it steps into its graceful renovation to present an enhanced luxury experience,” said Ari Glass, head of real estate at Mansueto Office, owners of Waldorf Astoria Chicago. “With grander accommodations, new dining settings, and the return of a beloved Chicago cocktail lounge—all designed through the exquisite vision of our esteemed, longstanding design partners at KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group—Waldorf Astoria Chicago will sit at the epicenter of a quintessential Gold Coast experience.”
Accommodations
Guestroom and suite designs will be refreshed with white-and-black color schemes, incorporating influences from Coco Chanel’s style and providing a Parisian apartment feel. The rooms will have new mirrors and furnishings incorporated throughout. Beds will have floral-inspired upholstered headboards.
The hotel’s redesigned suites will launch as new spaces. Both the 2,400-plus square foot Presidential Suite and the 1,800-plus square foot Astor Suite will have living and sleeping settings designed with black and white color accents, wood flooring, and metals. The Presidential Suite will be a fitness room with a Peloton bike, Echelon Mirror, hydro rower, treadmill, and free weights.
The Waldorf Astoria Chicago Spa & Health Club facilities will also receive a refresh and the addition of a new couple’s treatment room to align with the property’s design vision.
