"Start us off with an overview.Grupo Habita turned a 1929 office building in central Chicago into a cool, cleaned-up industrial space with brass fixtures and a rooftop pool giving 360-degree views. A world away from the steely skyscrapers and broad avenues of Downtown Chicago, The Robey slots perfectly into its hipster setting, between the trendy neighborhoods of Bucktown and Wicker Park. There is no grand arrival—Uber literally deposited me in a puddle on the sidewalk—but the discreet door that lead to a small lobby, with its mid-century furnishings, marble wall panels, and terrazzo flooring was a warm welcome from the snowy air outside. Give us the backstory on this place.The Robey is the second U.S. property—following New York’s Hotel Americano—from Mexico’s hip Grupo Habita. With a small portfolio of just 13 hotels—mostly found within Mexico—they are best known for sniffing out promising locations and tasking cool designers, like India Madhavi, Joseph Dirand, and Dimore Studio, to outfit their properties. (The hotel is now managed by Spearhead Hospitality.) Tell us all about your room. Owing to the building’s slender, triangular frame, the best rooms in the house are the corner suites (at the point of the triangle) where eight wrap-around windows—which overlook the junction where Milwaukee, North, and Damen Avenues meet—fill the interiors with natural light. The decor, by Nicolas Schuybroek and Marc Merckx, is simple, bordering on austere, with minimal furnishings and a low-key grey color scheme with hints of maroon. The bathroom, which has a similar fuss-free aesthetic, is separated by a wire-glass window inspired by the building’s former life as an office. Food and drink: What's on offer here?Café Robey, at street level, is a thrumming neighborhood restaurant that serves modern American dishes during the day. There's also food and drinks available at Clever Coyote on the second floor, and the Cabana Club, open during the summer months. How did you find the service?The fuss-free aesthetics of the hotel match the service, which is understated. I was taken to my room and given a ‘tour’ but thanks to the lack of embellishment (which includes the light switches), there really wasn’t a lot to go wrong. The wait staff in Café Robey and in the bars are friendly, casual, and familiar. Imagine the other guests are part of a tribe. What's their deal? The Hipster Herd: Tattoos, shiny Apple laptops, ironic eyewear, local obscure clothing brands. Likely to have a green approach to their food, to be seen reading books and poetry by people like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and Norman Mailer, and saying things like: “I liked them before they were cool.” What about the neighborhood anything notable nearby? Northwest of Downtown Chicago’s grand buildings, shiny skyscrapers, and wide-open greens of Millennium Park, The Robey’s proximity to Bucktown and Wicker Park is gritty and urban. Jostling alongside independent boutiques, artisan coffee shops, and hot pop-up restaurants is exactly where you’d expect to find a hotel from Grupo Habita. What's the one thing you'd change?Nothing. It’s great for what it is. Anything else of note?There is no spa or gym, but there is a dipping pool (The Cabana Club) on the sixth floor of the adjoining building. For fitness buffs, the hotel has a partnership with Bucktown Athletic Club, which is a fully equipped gym next door; guests receive complimentary access. So, sum it up for us.I love Downtown Chicago, but if this isn’t your first time in the city, the best local experience, by far, is here at The Robey. Explore the vibrancy of the Wicker Park-Bucktown neighborhood, and make it back in time to enjoy a glass of wine at one of Café Robey’s sun-drenched booths." - Lauren Ho
