“We are proud to welcome the Holiday Inn Chicago/Aurora property to the Holiday Inn family,” said John Merkin, senior vice president, Brand Management, Holiday Inn Brands, The Americas. “With this hotel design, Holiday Inn has arrived at the perfect convergence of tradition and innovation that will define the Holiday Inn of the future, offering the value and authenticity business travelers and families expect from this beloved brand. The Holiday Inn Chicago/Aurora represents the new face of the brand that is redefining guest comfort in towns across America.”

Throughout the hotel, guests will see artwork reflecting memorable images from the Holiday Inn brand history, including founder Kemmons Wilson departing his Holiday Inn jet, a stylized version of the Great Sign – the iconic beacon that came to embody the brand – and the Great Sign as a ‘50s-style movie set backdrop.

The hotel’s full-service restaurant will be Kem’s Café, a new concept from Holiday Inn named after the brand’s founder, Kemmons Wilson.

The hotel design debuts a bold change in room décor for Holiday Inn, creating a residential atmosphere that features iconic representations of the brand’s history throughout the hotel. The bedspread and carpet display simple, organic patterns in stand-out colors like warm blues, browns and mahogany wood, and each guestroom features a newly designed breakaway armoire that allows guests to see the flat screen TV from anywhere in the room. Upgraded features like faux leather ottomans, a variety of lamps, refrigerators and granite vanities will all be standard in each room. The residential design includes business-focused necessities like an ergonomic work station, data ports, complimentary high speed Internet access, WiFi capabilities and AT&T VoIP phone systems, which will allow guests to conduct conference calls for up to six participants even while using their computer online. In addition, each room will have the standard Holiday Inn guestroom accommodations – comfortable queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, cable television, hairdryer, coffee maker, iron and ironing board.

The Holiday Inn-Chicago/Aurora will also offer a variety of other amenities such as a lounge. With 1,300-sq. ft. of function space, the hotel will also be available for business meetings and banquets.

“A home-away-from-home for generations of travelers, Holiday Inn has always represented quality and comfort, and this new hotel takes the Holiday Inn experience to a whole new level,” said Natalie Prignano, General Manager. “We’re proud to be a part of the next generation of Holiday Inn. Aurora is a well-traveled market and a perfect fit for its first Holiday Inn hotel built in the prototype design.”