Okay, so it’s been a while….

Since we opened our doors in March, The Blackstone Hotel has been constantly bustling with parties, meetings and people ….and it has been wonderful!! Our amazing associates have risen to the challenge of making this new Chicago hotel the one of the best in the city and they have done a magnificent job! We are getting lots of great press, Here are a couple links to check out for now:

American Architect Article Showcasing The Blackstone: (complete with stunning pictures!!)
http://www.gettys.com/images/stories/News/ChicagoArch_Blackstone_July-Aug.pdf

A few fun photos taken from the hotel on July 4^th: http://www.weby4u.com/photos/stuff/blackstone-hotel.php

AND as with any new hotel, we are constantly adding more and more extraordinary people to our roster! To celebrate them (new and old!), we will be showcasing a new employee every Friday! (starting next week) The first one will be our new General Manager, Shakir Hussain!

The Blackstone Hotel's Grand Re-Opening

Our Grand Opening party was April 30 and it turned out to be an amazing event!! Here is a wonderful video made by Renaissance Hotels!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVd9nyMLxTo

More info and pictures from the party to come!!

The Blackstone on CBS

Look! We made the local news:

http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=43475@wbbm.dayport.com

We're back for another 100 years, Chicago!

Well, the Legendary Blackstone has officially been open for an entire month! So many exciting things have happened in the past 30 days:
- During the first week, the hotel was teeming with camera men, models and directors here for photo shoots!
- The very first meal (in history!) was had in the Historic Barbershop! THANK YOU to Jennifer, Ricardo and the entire Banquet staff! You did an amazing job making this even beautiful and flawless!
- Guest's have not been trickling in - they've been coming in swarms! We have already had two sold out weekends, and there are many more to come!
- And if the craziness of a new hotel isn't enough to keep us all awake: Our full service Starbucks Cafe is up and running full speed!!

Aside from these exciting little details, we have received LOTS of press! Check out these articles:
- Luxist: http://www.luxist.com/2008/03/16/the-renovation-of-the-blackstone-hotel-in-chicago/
- Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-0327_g_sleepsmar27,0,1605022.story
- PR.com: http://www.pr.com/press-release/77749
- And even one about Mercat! http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-0320_d_table_hoppingmar20,1,4532696.story

AND if that isn't enough, if you have the opportunity to pick up Chicago Magazine, Christine Newman wrote a beautiful article about the Hotel! Christine spent many, many hours here at the hotel trudging through the dust, meeting in the pre-opening office, and sifting through old pictures and news papers! a VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU to Christine!!

Have you seen The Blackstone???

We eagerly wait to welcome you!!!!!!!!!!

First Impression

When you walk into the Blackstone, our elegant lobby is the first thing that you see. Here are some exciting pictures that, Molly, our Business Travel Sales Manager took on Friday!

This is a good one of the whole lobby! They are still working on a few finishing touches, as you can see, but its coming along nicely!

GREAT picture of the steps leading to Mercat!

This is the fireplace, it will be an actual working fireplace in the winter!

WOW!

So one day back in July of August of 2007 we walked into the pre-opening office and our Director of Engineering, Mike2 (yea, he's the second one out of about 5), had brought us a suitcase brimming with historic papers, photos and newspaper clippings! One of the items in the suitcase was a negative of an old photograph of the staff in 1910, when the hotel first opened! We finally had it developed and here it is:

The Historic Barbershop

Look how far the Barbershop has come!! Here is a historic rendering of the Barbershop from 1910! Yes, they really did give haircuts in that room - in fact, it is rumored that Al Capone was one of them!



This is a great picture of all the guys working hard to make it beautiful! Gosh, they sure had a LONG way to go back then!

Here is the most current picture of the Ballroom now! From hair to dust to carpet!!

More Press!!

Here is another article about the Blackstone in the Chicago Journal!!
http://www.chicagojournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=60&ArticleID=4049&TM=61161.36

There is also an amazing article about our wonderful General Manager, Fletcher Mayes, in Ebony Magazine! (Coming Soon)

March 1

Well, we're getting close!!! The hotel is scheduled to open MARCH 1!! It is so hard to believe that it's already mid-February! It looks like we aren't the only ones super excited about it either, Check out this article in the New York Times!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/realestate/commercial/13hotel.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin