Virgin Hotels Is Headed For Las Vegas

Virgin 

Virgin Hotels, the lifestyle hotel brand by Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, in partnership with a group led by Juniper Capital Partners and Fengate Real Asset Investments along with their partners Dream, Cowie Capital Partners, and other private investors, has purchased the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas from a Brookfield-managed private real estate fund in a transaction that closed today. The group plans to open a reconceptualized and revitalized property, the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, in the late fall of 2019. The Virgin Hotels brand’s entrance into the entertainment capital of the world is an exciting development – one that will see innovative design fused with irresistible amenities in order to give guests experiences that will surprise and delight.

“Las Vegas has long held a special place in my heart,” said Sir Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group. “Virgin Atlantic and Virgin America have enjoyed flying to Las Vegas for years and I’ve always known that Virgin Hotels could thrive there as well. I’m really looking forward to painting the town Virgin red.”

The property, located at 4455 Paradise Road, will continue full service operations under the Hard Rock flag until it opens as a Virgin Hotels hotel. Guest rooms, restaurants and public spaces will undergo a face lift, expected to cost in the hundreds of millions, with the final product being a showcase of Virgin’s signature sleek and stylish design with an eclectic mix of social spaces.

“Our partnership is extremely proud to be investing in the Las Vegas market with an amazing brand like Virgin Hotels,” said Partner and new Property CEO, Richard “Boz” Bosworth. “We couldn’t be more passionate about the project and this partnership, and look forward to the exciting journey ahead.”
The hotel will feature 1504 well-appointed Chambers, Grand Chamber Suites and Penthouse Suites; a 60,000 square foot, fully-renovated casino, multiple pools over five acres, world-class restaurants, lounges and bars, including new nightlife venues and the brand’s flagship space, the Commons Club, as well as numerous meeting and convention spaces.
“Las Vegas is a dynamic city – the people, the excitement, the entertainment. To me, it’s always been the perfect city for our next Virgin Hotel,” said Virgin Hotels CEO Raul Leal. “We are dedicated to delivering the best in design, entertainment, heartfelt service and culinary excellence and we can’t wait to welcome visitors to what is sure to be an awe-inspiring Las Vegas experience.”

Fengate is managing its investment on behalf of the Laborers’ International Union of North America’s (LiUNA) Central and Eastern Canada Pension Fund. “LiUNA is pleased with our strong working team behind this strategic investment, and we are very proud that the highly-skilled brothers and sisters of LiUNA will be a part of building this extraordinary new Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas,” said Joseph Mancinelli, LiUNA International Vice President and Regional Manager for Central and Eastern Canada.

Travelore News: Virgin Hotels Makes Its Debut In Chicago

World's first Virgin hotel rolls out the red carpet for guests

Today marks a milestone in the history of the Virgin brand with

 Virgin Hotels opening the doors to its first property, Virgin Hotels Chicago. The new hotel brand will join a

 stellar portfolio of hospitality companies led by Virgin Group and its founder Sir Richard Branson, and offer

 the same excitement, heartfelt service and smart innovation that Virgin is known for.

"It's been a long held dream to start beautiful, comfortable, fun hotels for guests and give them what they want

 and need while being gentle on their wallets," said Richard Branson, Virgin Group Founder. "I'm tremendously

 proud of the brilliant Virgin Hotels team, and I look forward to hosting our fans and spending more time in

 Chicago."

Since the brand's inception, eliminating fees and surcharges have been top priority, along with creating an

 experience that allows guests to feel that Virgin Hotels is their place in the city. A champion of the customer,

 the hotel brand offers free Wi-Fi (at unlimited bandwidth) and has eliminated early check-in fees, late check-out

 fees, room service delivery charges, business center transactions, and other services that have caused 

frustration for travelers.

"Chicago is an exhilarating and historic city, and a place we're happy to call home for the first-ever Virgin

 Hotel,"

 said Raul Leal, CEO of Virgin Hotels. "It's an exciting time for our team as we get to unveil our new approach

 to room design, service, and entertainment within the hotel industry. We hope our fans recognize the subtle

 yet authentic Chicago touches throughout the hotel, and come to think of us as their place away from home

 whether they're traveling or a local."

Virgin Hotels Chicago is located in the heart of Chicago's Loop district in the historic Old Dearborn Bank

 Building at 203 N. Wabash Ave. The 26-story Art Deco building, a Chicago landmark, offers 250 guest rooms,

 including 40 one-bedroom suites and two Penthouse Suites.

Several of the building's original features remain intact and are showcased throughout, like a beautiful 1920s

 oak Cigar Bar that serves as the hotel's front desk, ornate brass elevator doors, and the original mail slot and

 chute serving all floors.

At the heart of Virgin Hotels Chicago is The Commons Club, a dynamic space where guests can dine, drink,

 work and mingle, as well as attend the nightly hosted Social Hour. The vibe is one of a private members club,

 without the fees, where guests and locals alike are welcome. The two-story space it occupies was the original

 bank floor with its beautiful coffered plaster ceiling.

The Commons Club menu, created by Chef Rick Gresh, features a variety of internationally influenced small

 plates, from Stuffed Potato Tots to a Cauliflower Caesar to Cider Mussels to a Lobster Flatbread. The dinner

 menus Large Plate options also embody unique and flavorful compositions, like the Fatty Noodles, a delectable

 combination of lobster, udon noodles, Sriracha, furi spice and rapini or the Eye of the Ribeye, Chef Gresh's

 one-of-a-kind black truffle tattoo technique adorned on a Ribeye served with bone marrow mac n cheese. The

 Commons Club is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The hotel will have four additional dining options, including Miss Ricky's, a 23-hour, All-American diner and a

 rooftop bar and lounge, all opening between February and April of this year. Seating from 12 to 108, Virgin

 Hotels Chicago has three modular spaces on the third floor to accompany any type of social event, dinner or

 meeting.

Virgin Hotels Chicago will feature a two-chamber room layout, with small touches that make traveling for 

business or leisure an easier experience. All guest rooms are divided into two spaces by sliding doors,

 complete with a peephole. The dressing room includes a full vanity, make-up desk and mirror, an extra-large

 shower with a bench, and his and hers closets designed by Poliform. Slide open the privacy door and guests

 will enter the lounge with a red SMEG mini-fridge, LG Smart TV, custom designed table that swivels and a

 Poltrona Frau task chair. Tired of searching for an outlet, guests can look no further than their bedside to find

 ample outlets for their smartphone, computer or other electronic devices.

Virgin Hotels has also taken working from bed to another level. The brand's patent pending, ergonomically

 designed bed is the ideal space for setting up shop while on a long business trip, or to pop open your computer

 and stream a movie. Plush bedding rounds out the experience creating ultimate comfort whether guests are

 working, recharging or playing.

What's next?
Virgin Hotels has plans to open a second location in Nashville in the summer of 2016 and a third property in

 New York City in the fall of 2017. The team will announce two additional locations by the end of 2016, as well, 

with the brand hoping to have 20 locations by 2025.

ABOUT VIRGIN HOTELS:
Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value and a

 seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir

 Richard Branson's global Virgin Group has pioneered for over 40 years. Each property will intermix a passion

 for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and

 inclusive environment for travelers and locals, alike. Chicago opened in January 2015, with New York, Nashville

 and others to follow. For more information, please visit www.virginhotels.com.

Take A Peek Inside The New Virgin Hotels

Hotel Launches Official Website and Animated Video Showcasing Hotel Offerings

Looking to get a peek inside Virgin Hotels? Today, the four-star lifestyle

 brand launches its website and introduces, in true Virgin fashion, a fun animated video, highlighting traveler pain

 points and demonstrating in stark contrast the ways Virgin Hotels will eliminate those frustrations. 

Guests can now make reservations at virginhotels.com for stays starting January 15, 2015. The website uses

 responsive web design, creating an optimal user experience that's interactive, content rich and sparks curiosity.

 Whether guests are browsing the website using their desktop, smart phone or tablet, the site is tailored to the

 device, making all the

 important information easy to reach. 

"Our goal in the creation of Virgin Hotel's website was to clearly differentiate the entire experience from what

 typical hotel websites have been offering up, while also improving upon ease of use," said Doug Carrillo, vice

 president of sales & marketing for Virgin Hotels. "Guests will no longer have to sift through unnecessary or

 irrelevant information. The site will show exactly what guests want to know and helps them find it effortlessly."

Virgin Hotels takes viewers on a playful and humorous journey, illustrating guest obstacles and how the new

 hotel brand will lead the charge by putting guests' comfort, productivity, pockets and needs as top priority. 

Through the video, guests will learn about some of the resolutions Virgin Hotels is bringing to the market,

 including:

• An end to 'nickel and diming.' Free Wi-Fi with no bandwidth restrictions, street level minibar pricing and
•  no hidden fees at check-out
• A pied-a-terre style room that's divided into two chambers allowing for maximum privacy and function
• An app* that controls the room environment, entertainment, service and check-in/out
• Chamber amenities that cater to the female business traveler

"The video goes beyond just a tour of the two chamber concept, it's our anthem for rebellion in the name of the 

guest," said Carrillo. "For too long, guests have put up with hidden or absurd fees for common services,

 outrageous minibar prices and slow Wi-Fi at ridiculous prices. And they've settled for a room that's focused on

 form, rather than function. Virgin Hotels is here to change that and set a new standard."

Virgin Hotels Chicago will be located in the heart of Chicago's Loop district in the historic Old Dearborn Bank

 Building at 203 N. Wabash Avenue. The 27-story Art Deco building, a Chicago landmark designed by C.W. and 

George L. Rapp Architects in 1928, will offer 250 guest rooms, 40 one-bedroom suites and two rock star suites.

 Additionally, the hotel will feature meeting spaces, restaurants, lounges and other public areas that reflect the

 Virgin brand's stylish and functional legacy. 

*The mobile app is slated to launch in late fall of 2014 and will put guests in the captain's chair using their

 personal mobile. Guests will have access via their mobile device to check-in and out of the hotel, order room

 service, control the TV and room setting, plus much more.

ABOUT VIRGIN HOTELS:
Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value and a seamless,

 personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson's

 global Virgin Group has pioneered for over 40 years. Each property will intermix a passion for food and beverage

 with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for

 travelers and locals alike. Chicago will open in December 2014, with New York, Nashville and others to follow.

 For more information, please visit www.virginhotels.com.

Stay connected on all the latest news by following Virgin Hotels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and

 more.

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