Design: Hotel Versey Opens in Chicago’s Northside

CHICAGO—Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC—the Chicago-based hotel management affiliate of Oxford Capital Group, LLC—announced the opening of Hotel Versey, a lifestyle hotel in the heart of the city’s Lincoln Park–Lakeview neighborhood. Located at the intersection of West Diversey Parkway, North Clark Street, and North Broadway, the newly-renovated 137-room hotel is housed within Chicago’s 1920’s Diversey Arms building,?previously the Days Inn Chicago. Once known fondly as the “Rock and Roll Days Inn,” the transformed property honors its history and location through its contemporary design and invites guests to “Stay Like a Local” in the city’s diverse and lively Northside.

“The Oxford team is excited to be involved with another distinctive, historic property with such strong ties to its surrounding community,” said John W. Rutledge, founder, president, and chief executive officer of Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC and Oxford Capital Group, LLC. “We are delighted to introduce a new lifestyle hotel brand to the neighborhood and look forward to welcoming a diverse range of guests seeking a unique hotel experience in Lincoln Park and Lakeview.”

Surrounded by a selection of popular shops, nightlife, and local dining options, Hotel Versey provides a home base for guests to explore the neighborhood, and is within walking distance to Wrigley Field, home of Chicago’s recent World Series champions; Boystown, the city’s LGBTQ community; DePaul University; nearby Halsted Street’s Blues venues, and more.

Hotel Versey and longtime locals General Manager Stefanie Hrejsa and Operations Manager Scott Ray consistently take the opportunity to share their insider knowledge with visitors. The duo have led the hotel’s team together for two decades and will continue to welcome in hotel guests, business travelers, sports fans, families, and urban explorers alike.

“We worked closely with the design team to create a playful, yet refined hotel experience that has yet to be seen in this sub-market,” said George Jordan, senior vice president of operations of Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC. “We saw an opportunity to evolve this iconic building into exactly what this community has been waiting for.”

Comprehensive renovations began in February 2017 to reposition the hotel as a fresh, modern lifestyle experience that meets the needs the diverse of today’s traveler. The new Hotel Versey encourages guests to take in Chicago’s history, celebrate the property’s colorful heritage, and immerse themselves in the hotel’s present-day surrounding locale.

Designed by Chipman Design Architecture, the hotel’s “Art Arrival” corridor greets guests with custom-made artworks—from traditional murals to contemporary street art. This gallery-like entryway leads guests into a?new lobby with an open layout that has contemporary, colorful seating. The reinvented reception area now backs to a sprawling display of shelving filled with a curated collection of Chicago artifacts and items representing the connection between old and new. The lobby will eventually connect to the ground-level restaurant underway in the former fitness center and breakfast room areas. The new restaurant as well as?retail outlets will be added to the first floor of the hotel in late 2017.

Each of Hotel Versey’s 137 guestrooms have Chicago connections hidden throughout for guests to discover. New artwork and custom wallcoverings bring the energy and colors from the surrounding neighborhood into each of these spaces. Each room includes complimentary WiFi, 50-inch HDTVs with premium programming, and SoniCast, allowing guests to stream their favorite TV shows, movies, and music directly to their room. Nespresso coffee machines and signature luxury linens round out the standard room offerings, while executive rooms accommodate business and long-term travelers with the addition of a microwave and refrigerator.

Hotel guests also receive complimentary access to the neighboring L.A. Fitness. Additional partnerships include an ongoing relationship with Wyndham Hotel Group and co-branding through Days Inn?so that guests can?earn?Wyndham Rewards.