Skift Take
Virgin Hotels kept us waiting long enough that their product better be nothing short of jaw-dropping.
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It appears the day many thought would never come has finally arrived: Virgin Hotels opened its first property in Chicago yesterday.
Virgin Hotels did nothing except hype up a hotel where a lack of punctuality failed to kindle the anticipation Virgin Group's founder Richard Branson intended when he announced in 2010 that the brand's first hotel property would open in 2011. Considering this hype culture around the hotel brand and its nearly four-year gestation, it's no surprise the company gave guests an app before it gave them a guest room.
The hotel chain's long-awaited opening this week was plagued by multiple delays and cost overruns all while the brand teased travelers of the amenities it claims are far superior to its competition. Along the way, the brand changed CEOs and spread rumors about itself which only added to the confusion.
App Attack
These antics accounted for the hotel's latest ambitions for its consumer smartphone app. Creating an app for a single hotel is much simpler than building one for a global chain with thousands of properties -- even if the app may have unprecedented features.
Grant
