�We are delighted to open our second Hotel Indigo in a destination like Chicago,� said IHG�s Jim Anhut, senior vice president, brand development for the Americas. �We designed the brand to address the desires of style-conscious guests, who are seeking experience and quality, and with its worldwide notoriety among travelers, Chicago is the perfect city to continue to grow our recently introduced �accessible boutique hotel� concept,� he added.

Quietly nestled on a tree-lined street, Hotel Indigo Chicago-Gold Coast is a full-scale renovation of the historic Claridge Hotel, a fixture of Chicago architecture since 1926.  Just steps from downtown Chicago, the location is ideal for guests who want to spend their days shopping on Chicago�s Magnificent Mile and Oak Street�s boutique row or indulge in the nightlife and entertainment on Rush and Division streets. 

�As boutique hotel developers in the Chicago area for nearly 20 years, we saw an opportunity to partner with InterContinental to preserve and revive a piece of Chicago�s architectural history by fully renovating the historic Claridge Hotel,� says Eugene Kornota, principal, Neighborhood Development Corporation.  �With all the elements of this innovative brand concept, the hotel will again become a centerpiece of Chicago�s Gold Coast neighborhood.�

In addition to the hotel�s 165 guestrooms�including two suites, the property will feature a variety of dining options.  The hotel�s bistro-style restaurant, The Golden Bean, offers seasonal, health conscious fare and Starbucks coffee.  It will be complemented by the introduction of the Phi, a full bar featuring a unique tapas menu.  Phi offers an intimate 24-seat front window setting from which to enjoy flavorful authentic Spanish tapas and a full service bar featuring a wide selection of wine and specialty drinks.  This novel food and beverage concept is destined to become a neighborhood favorite.

Meeting every need of business and leisure travelers, the hotel�s meeting room � The Da Vinci � is equipped with the latest amenities, including high-speed wired and wireless Internet access and a built-in stage area.  It can seat up to 55 people reception style and is perfect for small to mid-size meetings. 

The Hotel Indigo Chicago-Gold Coast will also host a permanent art collection of Bill Olendorf (1924-1996), with his original oil paints and serigraphs displayed throughout the hotel.  A native Chicago neo-impressionist whose works hang in museums and galleries worldwide, his original paintings have been included in the private collections of presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush Sr., Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford, as well as those of world leaders including Henry Kissinger.

�We are excited to open our doors to enthusiastic travelers who want to see first-hand what the newest Hotel Indigo is all about,� said Angie Hines, general manager of Hotel Indigo Chicago-Gold Coast.  �We�re not only providing great accommodations to travelers, but also welcoming local residents to the Golden Bean and Phi.�

Hotel Indigo is a lifestyle hotel brand designed to address the desires of style-conscious guests who are seeking experience and quality over pure mundane functionality when traveling. 

The soul of the retail-inspired concept is renewal�thoughtful changes that are made throughout the year to keep the hotel fresh, similar to the way retailers change their window displays. Hotel Indigo�s guestrooms feature signature murals, area rugs, and duvets and slip covers that will change periodically, while public spaces will be transformed seasonally through changing artwork, murals and directional signage. 

The Hotel Indigo Chicago-Gold Coast features brand standards such as: signature oversized lobby chairs, which create a personal work or dining space within the public areas of the hotel; cozy, airy and inviting guestrooms with plush bedding, whitewashed wood furniture, hardwood flooring and spa-style showers. The hotel also offers complimentary wireless access in all guestrooms and public spaces.  A�phi�tness studio with cardio equipment and free weights is also available for guests.  In addition, the �phi�tness studio at the Hotel Indigo Chicago-Gold Coast will feature an onsite fitness instructor. Also unique to Hotel Indigo Chicago-Gold Coast, additional services will be available for guests and local residents who are seeking to be pampered from the spa and nail salon located on the second floor of the hotel. 

InterContinental Hotels Group is managing this hotel on behalf of the Chicago-based ownership group Neighborhood Development Corporation, who in partnering with Gold Coast Hotels, Inc, formed a new entity, 1244 Dearborn LLC.  Hotel Indigo Chicago-Gold Coast is located at 1244 North Dearborn Parkway, Chicago, IL 60610. 

With Hotel Indigo�s phenomenal reception, it is primed for continued expansion in the United States. Future sites of Hotel Indigo hotels include Sarasota, Houston, Chicago-Palatine and additional hotels in other major U.S. cities are under consideration.  The first Hotel Indigo opened in Atlanta in October 2004.

About Hotel Indigo

The newest member of the InterContinental Hotels Group family, Hotel Indigo fills a critical void in the lodging industry by addressing aspiring consumers who are �trading up� to affordable luxury and service, but still seek value and style.  Following a retail-inspired design and service concept, Hotel Indigo seeks to revolutionize the travel and hospitality industry by creating a new segment of hotels that are totally focused on the customer and helping guests create an experience in an environment suited to their own lifestyle.  A brand developed primarily for conversions, Hotel Indigo is designed to fit a variety of markets in locations where a hotel might not be reaching its full potential, but is poised for success post conversion. 

Based on the timeless beauty found in nature and realized through the Golden Mean (also known as the Fibonacci series or Phi), the design and décor of Hotel Indigo creates a warm welcoming environment.  From the nautilus shell logo � a symbol of perfect proportion and natural beauty � to the deliberate design of the lobby chairs and guest room furnishings, the architectural concept creates a relaxing atmosphere of order and balance.

Hotel Indigo
www.hotelindigo.com