PERSONALITIES
watched the River North Art District ( RiNo ) continue to grow – it seemed all that was missing was a hotel ( and a local one at that ).
Once the lightbulb went off , I became consumed with bringing the hotel to fruition . It was a daunting five-year journey to bring The Ramble Hotel into existence , but like any multi-step process , you can ’ t get overwhelmed by the entirety of the undertaking . I had a very clear vision of what needed to happen and I was convinced I was the only one who could execute – this stubbornness proved to be of great benefit to our project .
H : What do you love about the business ?
RD : I love what a great hotel can aspire to be . Creating an escape that ’ s also rooted in connection is inspiring to me . Curating an environment that romanticizes and pays tribute to timeless rituals in hosting is important , and that ’ s what gets me out of bed in the morning .
H : Can you provide more details about The Ramble concept , such as its size , unique services ?
RD : We feel that a great hotel is more than building a beautiful space , providing a comfortable bed , or cultivating a lively bar and restaurant scene . Midnight Auteur was created as a holistic hotel experience , one that leverages the experience of two established groups – The Ramble Hotel and the globally-recognized cocktail group Death & Co – to create hotels that fully and seamlessly immerse guests in dynamic social spaces and retreats .
H : There are so many lifestyle brands offering unique experiences .
What sets The Ramble and your future plans apart ?
RD : What makes a hotel great is highly subjective , so we ’ re sticking with what we ’ re passionate about . We love placemaking , we love design , we love cocktail-anchored hospitality and we ’ re inspired by gracious and warm hosting . We seek to create highly intentional experiences within legacy properties , and if we execute well , we know we ’ ll find our people .
H : Biggest lesson through COVID ?
RD : Take a stance and then commit to strategic , decisive and transparent communication around that approach . Our focus was placing the health and safety of our employees and guests above all else . While the respective goalposts of the CDC and federal , state , local governments were continuously
78 hotelsmag . com September / October 2021