NexGen Hotels, a hotel development and management company based in Itasca, Ill., has acquired the Hotel Versey in Chicago. The 137-room hotel will be managed by Genuine Hospitality Group of St. Louis.
The boutique hotel is part of a 1920s Diversey Arms building, a Northside Chicago landmark, that first was home to jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke. Later it was known as the “Rock and Roll Days Inn” due to its popularity with many stars of the ‘90s such as Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Wilco, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Black Keys.
“The Hotel Versey has been on our radar for a long time as it is steeped in rich hospitality tradition that dates back to the 1920s,” Chris Patel, president of NexGen Hotels, said in a statement. “We hope to continue on with this tradition with this completely one-of-a-kind hotel.”
Each guestroom includes a SoniCast streaming platform as well as Nespresso coffee machines. Executive rooms accommodate business and long-term travelers with a microwave and refrigerator. The Chicago décor theme also carries through on the walls behind each bed, which highlight iconic Chicago sites like Wrigley Field, the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier and the skyline.
The hotel’s “Art Arrival” corridor has custom-made artworks, from traditional murals to contemporary street art. This gallery-like entryway leads into the lobby with an open layout that has contemporary, colorful seating. The reception area backs to a display of shelving filled with a curated collection of Chicago artifacts and items representing the connection between old and new.