BERLIN - Artfully combining sophisticated minimalism with the industrial aesthetic of an early 20th-century warehouse, The Robey Hall puts guests at the heart of the action in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. The hip younger sister property of The Robey offers up Modern American cuisine at the neighboring Cafe Robey, as well as rooftop cocktails with cityscape views at Up & Up and Cabana Club. High ceilings, exposed brickwork, and polished concrete floors in the 20 loft-style guestrooms are home to box-style beds in birch plywood and steel, while the open-plan lobby acts as a neighborhood hub with an “everybody welcome” attitude.
Originally opened as The Hollander, the property has undergone renovations to create a fluid extension of The Robey hotel, which is located in the adjoining Northwest tower. Housed in the former Hollander Fireproof Warehouse, which stands as a monument to Chicago’s industrial epoch, the structure’s industrial intentions provided French design studios Cigue and Delordinaire with the inspiration for the hotel’s design concept. The Robey Hall’s 20 private rooms and suites all boast soaring 11-foot-high ceilings, as well as rough-textured brick walls. Beds rendered in crisp, blond-hued birch plywood and black steel are illuminated by Schoolhouse Electric bedside lamps and framed by custom-made folded steel shelving. Spanning between 260 and 390 square feet, each guestroom offers a sitting area, a workspace, and polished concrete floors.
However, it is the communal spaces - complete with cement panel cladding, oak tables and touches of leather - that are the beating heart of the hotel. The hotel’s open-plan lobby lounge and bar H!Bar is dominated by a 27-foot-long wooden workbench by Delordinaire, and is also home to a Metric Coffee Co. espresso bar and bicycle hire shop in partnership with Tokyobike. A tucked-away neighborhood spot for Chicago natives and guest alike, the space is defined by design, curated house sounds, and vinyl. H!Bar and the Robey Lounge feature a progressive program of events and live music.
From the ground up, the sixth-floor rooftop of The Robey Hall plays host to Cabana Club, a stylish poolside cocktail bar and sun deck with 180-degree views of the city’s skyline. The cocktail list of classic warmer-climes concoctions including palomas, caiprinhas, and micheladas to extend the summer vibes all year long, and is complemented by a selection of tostadas and skewers. Outside, a wood-burning fireplace and chilled-out soundtrack courtesy of regular DJ sets ensure that, at The Robey Hall at least, the Windy City has just become decidedly hotter.
