Chicago Pendry hotel opens at the Carbide & Carbon Building

Chicago Business Journal

By I-Chun Chen  –  Staff Reporter

Pendry Hotels & Resorts has opened its latest hotel at the iconic 1920s-era Carbide & Carbon Building in the heart of the Loop district.

Pendry Chicago features 364 redesigned guestrooms and suites; renovated public spaces, including the hotel brand’s signature modern French brasserie and cafe, Veneux; Bar Pendry; the Billiard Gallery; and a summer rooftop bar, set 24 stories above Michigan Avenue to debut June 25 as Château Carbide.

The hotel also has 13,000 square feet of meetings and event space, a fitness center, and a curated art collection featuring works from both world-renowned and local Chicago artists.

The Burnham Brothers designed the Art Deco-style Carbide & Carbon Building, famed for its Champagne bottle design composed of polished black granite, green and gold terracotta with bronze trim, topped off with an ornate cap of 24-karat gold leaf.  

The renovation of the building’s public spaces was led by Alessandro Munge and the design collective, Studio Munge. Design features includes a black-and-white striped floor that leads arriving guests to the reception parlor, adorned with works by Amsterdam-based artist, Arnout Meijer.

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“Reimagining this landmark building was an opportunity and an honor we approached with excitement and care,” said Michael Fuerstman, co-founder and creative director of Pendry Hotels & Resorts.

The hotel also brings a sense of Southern California style to Chicago, in a partnership with Los Angeles-based fashion designer Heidi Merrick, who designed custom women's uniforms for front desk and Bar Pendry staff. 

Merrick, the daughter of famed surfboard shaper Al Merrick, also also created a custom “SRF Pendry” sweatshirt for Pendry Hotels & Resorts inspired by her SRF Collection. The partnership with Merrick is the second in this collaborative series, following the opening of Pendry West Hollywood earlier this year.