The 337-room Aloft Chicago Mag Mile occupies the original location of the Museum of Contemporary Art. With interior design by Anderson/Miller, Ltd., the hotel pays homage to the museum by infusing art throughout guestrooms and public spaces.
A photo of the original museum greets guests in the lobby accompanied by background on how the art program was approached for the hotel, which was developed by Tishman Hotel Corporation and MetLife Investment Management. The theme is predominantly displayed in the property's 5,600 sq. ft. of meeting and event spaces, which are named after contemporary artists who had exhibited at the museum in the past: Warhol, Escher, Mondrian and Lichtenstein. Those spaces feature reproduced works for the artists and are displayed in the namesakes' respective meeting rooms. For example, poppy flowers spanning across a wall covering are a focal point in the Warhol room.
At one time, the Museum of Contemporary Art's photographer captured works in black and white. Now, 50 years later, the design team recreated large-scale reproductions of this footage with mono-color enhancements. Guests can see this work throughout the corridors on floors three through 19. Other artist-history throwbacks include reproductions of a Chuck Close show in the presidential suite and a rooftop-level event space named after Jan van der Marck, who was the first director of the museum. The 19th floor showcases a "Party People" exhibit that features patrons of the past gallery shows wearing tiaras and gowns. Plaques accompany each piece to tell a bit about the artist and the show that this particular work was featured in.
The Aloft Chicago Mag Mile also includes an indoor pool on the 19th floor, the brand's signature W XYZ Bar, its grab-and-go Re:fuel by Aloft, a fitness center and regular live music programming. The development is the first urban example of Aloft's updated brand design vision.