Lodges in Chicago, Honolulu rebrand

A historic Chicago lodge and a home on Waikiki are acquiring new names.

Chicago

Oxford Resorts & Resorts, the Chicago-primarily based hotel management affiliate of Oxford Funds Group, has rebranded the former Lodge Essex as Le Méridien Essex Chicago. The house, owned by an Oxford joint venture with Quadrum Global and managed by Oxford Motels & Resorts, will proceed to operate as an unbiased lodge until eventually it officially joins the Marriott Global loved ones this summer time.

“We are energized to join forces with Marriott International to marry our midcentury fashionable landmark Hotel Essex with the internationally renowned Le Méridien model,” explained John W. Rutledge, founder, president and CEO of Oxford Accommodations & Resorts and Oxford Capital Team. “We’re normally seeking for ways to enhance the overall performance and benefit of our motels and as leisure and business enterprise travel regains momentum this yr, and in the many years ahead, we felt combining forces with Le Méridien was a prudent, strategic go.”

The landmarked hotel, which dates back again to 1961, reopened in 2019 just after undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation from Essex Inn into Resort Essex. Its initial midcentury modern-day aesthetic was reimagined for the 21st century, drawing on the building’s Global Design and style architectural roots in the 1960s. The property’s interiors leverage the floor-to-ceiling windows to retain focal factors of Grant Park, Lake Michigan and the cityscape.

“When we began speaking with Marriott International around possible collaboration options, Resort Essex’s midcentury contemporary design and style was an obvious suit for the Le Méridien brand name, which champions this aesthetic across its portfolio,” explained Sarang Peruri, COO of Oxford Cash Team and partner at Oxford Motels & Resorts. “We feel the Le Méridien Essex Chicago is a complementary positioning within this mixed-use project with obvious synergies with the flats and retail.”

Le Méridien Essex Chicago has 274 king and double guestrooms, a health and fitness middle and two dining spaces.

Honolulu

Resort proprietor, developer, and operator Dovetail + Co has moved into Hawaii with the acquisition of Waikiki Sand Villa Hotel in Honolulu. Located together the Ala Wai Canal in just going for walks length to Waikiki Seaside, the hotel will be rebranded as the Wayfinder Waikiki pursuing a renovation of the property’s 228 rooms, 70-foot saltwater lagoon pool and several bar and cafe areas. 

Led by Dovetail + Co founder and CEO Phil Hospod, the business will direct the renovations while Springboard Hospitality will oversee day-to-day administration and functions. “Travelers are hungry for remarkable nevertheless approachable life-style motels that help them dig deeper into the destinations they’re checking out,” Hospod said. “The acquisition of Waikiki Sand Villa Resort is the first of what we believe that will be an active yr as we establish toward a promising long term.”

In March 2020, the corporation opened City Cowboy Lodge in New York’s Catskill Mountains followed by the Wayfinder Resort in Newport, R.I., in Could of 2020. Dovetail has a third task under development on New York City’s historic Bowery.