This was published 9 years ago
Virgin Hotel review, Chicago: Testing Richard Branson's new so-called female friendly hotel
By Jennifer Parker
After a hectic morning working- while-travelling, I checked into the Virgin Hotel in Chicago in typical business traveller fashion: sleep deprived, cranky, and on a deadline.
Six hours later, I was relaxed, dolled up, and cackling with the hotel restaurant staff over a rude game of Cards Against Humanity.
And that's exactly how Richard Branson wants me. When his very first hotel opened last month in Chicago's business district, he dubbed it "female friendly," and especially equipped to pamper professional women. "We're taking into consideration the rise of female business travellers, and appreciate what it means to our success as a brand," said Branson.
Style yourself in style.
As cheeky (or patronising) as it sounds, it's not a terrible business strategy. Women represent about half of all business travellers, according to the Center for Hospitality Research-and Virgin Hotel's main competitors (W hotels, Thompson, Kimpton, Hyatt) are already adapting.
"Female business travellers are very relevant today and continue to grow as a customer base. It's the premise for the creation of our hotel room," said Raul Leal, CEO of Virgin Hotels.
Before building this 26-story, 250-room hotel, Leal hired marketing consultants from Communispace to go to a secret model- hotel room in Larchmont, NY to focus-group their way into what women want.
Did they succeed? Naturally, I got on a plane to find out.
Upon arrival, two vest-suited bellboys with disturbingly large pompadour hairdos graciously carried my suitcase and escorted me from taxi into the black and Virgin-signature red lobby, where a 20-something blonde stood waiting with my room key.
"You're all checked in, Ms. Parker. Please let us know if you need anything at all," she said, her smile suggesting I've entered a den of mischief.
Co-designed by the Rockwell Group Europe and Virgin Hotel's in-house design team, this hotel is very tech-forward. For starters, it does not have a front desk. Rather, there are two computer screens sitting atop a former cigar bar (the prior tenant was a 1920s bank) where you can access your reservation profile and check-in. This, being a busy woman and all, I had already done using the handy Virgin Hotels mobile app.
So far, so good, though nothing feels gender specific. That is, until Mike the bellboy opens the door to my standard king bed chamber-a $US209 ($A268) per night, two-room pied-a-terre.
Tip sorted, and sweet privacy now my own, I realise suddenly that I'm starving. So, I go straight for the mini-bar (actually an open-tray snack stash atop the fridge.) There, tucked not-so-secretly between a Cliff Bar and the deluxe mixed nuts is a "Lover's Intimacy Kit."
The contents of this $US20 tin of temptation includes two condoms, personal lubricant and a vibrator. A VIBRATOR. Amused, rather than offended, I remember that this is Branson's hotel. You know, that winking Brit billionaire who, among other things, trots the globe posing for pictures with blonde, busty flight attendants.
Having scarfed down the $US5 can of nuts (Virgin is admirably offering street-level prices for their minibar products), I check out the room's other "feminine" features-which most of the men I know would like.
Vanity: The spacious glass-topped silver vanity table with upholstered chair and backlit magnifying mirror gets it right. Leisurely powdering, glossing, and penciling your extreme close- up reflection is so much more enjoyable without having to stand leaning over a sink.
Closet: There are sliding shoe racks at the base of each closet (bonus for neatness!), and there are extra lingerie hangers for your delicates. (What do Virgin executives imagine women are doing all day?)
Peep Holes: In the sliding wooden doors which separate the bedroom and dressing room, there are two eye-level peep holes. The idea, which Branson demonstrates in this video, is that ladies can modestly witness hotel staff deliver room service and leave without revealing themselves (gasp!) in various states of undress. (This is either a male-fantasy based design feature, or just an excuse for Virgin to use the words "peep hole").
Shower: A spacious (two person), gleaning white and red tiled shower boasts a rainfall shower head, handheld shower head, and bench designed to make shaving your legs a more comfortable experience. (No more leg up the wall gymnastics! Thank you, people of Virgin.)
Hairdryer: I tend to go for maximum 80s poof, and this powerful Andis brand hairdryer with attached diffuser did the trick. (Note to all hotels everywhere: There is nothing worse than a weak hairdryer).
Mood Music: Is this female friendly, or hook-up friendly? Never-mind. You can plug into a USB port and stream your own music using the room's "Stelle Audio Couture" cylinder speaker. Or, simply turn on the TV and get free access to countless albums from Lufthansa Systems' collection, curated specially for Virgin Hotels. (So, maybe I danced around my room to Katy Perry's greatest hits. Maybe).
Free, Fast wifi: Arguably this is most important feature for working women (and men alike). Upon check-in, you're automatically signed in to free, high-speed internet-avoiding that great pet peeve of nice hotels: nickel-and-diming on the wifi. And the room's oval shaped wooden desk, Virgin-red lamp and saddle leather chair provide a comfortable work space.
Okay, so most of that above stuff is just as "male- friendly" as anything else; critics say there's not much substance behind being "female friendly" in the hotel business today-their central argument being that these features address basic design functionality and aren't gender specific.
"I'm skeptical whether targeting women travellers is really going to mean anything. Why wouldn't a man want a beautifully lit vanity?" asks Donna Olshan, president of New York City residential real-estate company Olshan Realty. "It's just to me another branding gimmicky thing. What will define them is really good reviews on TripAdvisor."
A frequent business traveller herself, Olshan expects fast wifi, a beautiful room, excellent coffee, and a great gym out of any high-end hotel. "Hello! Business women work out. If your gym isn't good, forget it," she says, the brassy voice of a pure- bred New Yorker.
On this point, the Virgin Hotel disappoints. The 25th floor gym consists of little more than 10 cardio machines, yoga mats, and hand weights on a concrete floor. For two mornings, I had the treadmills to myself.
And the toiletries (hand-held Red Flower bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel) leave something to be desired. Take a page from spa bathrooms, folks-and provide hairspray, face cream, and eye makeup remover. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it does have to be there - because it means I can leave mine at home and travel with liquid-free hand-luggage.
What's more-the hotel's subterranean spa isn't open yet (a big no-no, in my high-maintenance travelling book.) It's due to debut this spring, when two other hotly anticipated selling points - a 2,500 feet of rooftop bar, restaurant and terrace, and "Miss Ricky's," a street level American diner with a sports- lovers flat screen TV appeal will also open.
That said, the hotel's now-open social space, called the "Commons Club," already includes a full-service restaurant, bar, library work-space and a cocktail lounge called the "Shag Room."
Would I rather have the "Dirty Pretty Lover" or the "Broad Shoulder" - asks Tony, the lanky, suave bartender who's taking time to gauge my tolerance for bourbon, amid his crowd of thirsty clients.
"The Broad Shoulder's pretty strong," he warns, sneakily giving me a taste of both $13 cocktails. The bar, which serves two free cocktails for guests from 6-7 pm, makes happy hour immediately happy. So, I take the lover, whose frothy mix of bourbon, quince, raspberry and sparkling Moet, has me at hello.
To my left, it seems the 30-some group of after-work revellers in the Shag Room lounge (where a massive half-circle couch, encircled by velvet curtains sits on a shag carpet) - are equally entertained by their stiff drinks. That, or they just really like the indie pop music beats-think Drake cover remixes at vibrating volume.
"They can't be having more fun than we are. I'll go get Cards Against Humanity," says Sam Pierce, the woman sitting next to me at the bar. She's the Commons Club's 28-year old manager, who takes pride in the fact that her "library" lounge offers candy, comic books and games called "Smart Ass" along with general digital connectedness.
One and a half cocktails later, and the crowd has gathered round us to see who's winning the popularly perverse game. Fill in the blank: "White people like _______" My card reads: "The Make-A-Wish Foundation."
With that, I had won... another cocktail. And Branson's hotel had officially showed me-and the working women around me - a good time.
Virgin Hotels Chicago is now open. Its 250 rooms start at $US209 per night, and include 38 Grand Chamber Suites ($US345) and two Penthouse Suites (opening in April.) Sister hotels in Nashville and New York are slated for 2016 and 2017, respectively.
BLOOMBERG
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