Building a bridge between the community and hotel is top of mind for SpringHill Suites Chicago Chinatown General Manager Sharon Espino.
The 148-room hotel, which opened in June, is the latest development for the close-knit, century-old neighborhood, and its first branded hotel. The hotel is owned by Che Mei Wong and operated by Maverick Hotels and Restaurants.
As part of an HNN series focused on hotel general managers, Espino said in an email interview the goal when opening the hotel was to be mindful of Chinese culture and to represent and engage members of the community.
Tell us a bit about Chicago's Chinatown and how your hotel fits into it.
Chinatown is a vibrant community in Chicago, filled with so much history, culture and local, authentic restaurants. With the community's iconic red "Welcome Gate" to the local merchants and the bustling streets, this community is truly a staple of Chicago.
We've built a modern hotel to serve the needs of the people, while integrating with the community and its businesses. We've been mindful of Chinatown's established position as we continue to build relationships and serve the community.
What do you feel this new hotel means to the neighborhood and to the overall resurgence of tourism?
The hotel was built to be part of the community. Our owner's vision was to build something that will serve the Chinese people, while bringing a global brand to the neighborhood.
Being very mindful that the facade of our hotel should represent the community, we have the traditional Chinese stone lions, or shishi, guarding our doors. We want to be able to represent the community and bring fresh energy into the market.
Describe what some of the challenges were, both in terms of opening during a pandemic as well as ensuring the hotel was welcomed by the community.
There were challenges with the pandemic and the integration of a new venture in a closely knit community, but we have overcome those hurdles. We were focused on building a team that represents the community and the service industry, which has blended to build a strong and welcoming team.
How has the labor shortage affected your property, and what are you doing to overcome it?
We, too, are affected by the labor shortage. One of the ways we serve our community was to fill our jobs with members of the neighborhood, but we currently still have many positions to fill.
We do have a strong core team, wearing multiple hats, so that we can continue to provide the Marriott standards to our guests.
Describe the hotel's design. What makes it attractive to both corporate and leisure travelers? What's the business mix been like so far since opening?
Our suites are designed to provide comfort and quality. Separate living and sleeping areas allow for space for our guests to work and relax. We have partnered with a well-known furniture design company to give everyone well-appointed suites that unite value, excellence and responsible manufacturing.
Most of our travelers are leisure, and we have a small percentage of business travelers who have returned to traveling for work.
How does your team plan to draw in groups for meetings, small weddings and more? Is the team noticing an increase in requests for social gatherings?
We are the only branded hotel in Chinatown. Our proximity to downtown Chicago is another strong benefit for meetings, wedding groups and business travelers that will return.
Our message to the local businesses is that we are your partners in business as well as a partner for the community.