Wednesday, 28th. January, 2004. Coinciding with the opening of FITUR, the International Tourism Trade Fair in Madrid, Sol Meliá has announced the opening of its first Hard Rock hotel: the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago. The first fruits of a 2003 agreement between Sol Meliá and the Rank Group, the company that owns the Hard Rock brand, the opening of the hotel also means the beginning of development of the Spanish chain�s fifth hotel brand, in addition to its Meliá, Tryp, Sol and Paradisus properties.  The opening of the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago also means a debut for Sol Meliá hotel operations in the United States, a market which is of enormous importance for the chain given its size and affluence. Sol Meliá�s fifth hotel brand: Hard Rock Sol Meliá is a hotel chain with a highly differentiated hotel portfolio, both with regard to the locations of its hotels and their category and type (city and resort). The company is thus able to cater for the needs of a wide range of different types of travellers through its 5 hotel brands: Meliá (City and Resort/ 4 star superior and 5

Hard Rock Hotel Chicago 230 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois

Hard Rock hotels are contemporary hotels located in the heart of major cities and leisure destinations, with a modern design and ambience, spectacular bars and restaurants and superior quality service. Hotels with all of the spirit and glamour of �Hard Rock�, splendidly combined with the �savoir faire� of traditional hospitality. A completely new hotel experience.

After Chicago, additional Hard Rock hotels are foreseen in American cities such as San Diego and New York, and also in some European capitals, amongst other destinations.

The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago

Located in the fully restored 1929-historic Carbide and Carbon building, the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago is centrally positioned in the heart of the Windy City along Michigan Avenue. It provides 381 rooms on 40 floors, including 13 suites, each of which has a whole floor to itself. All rooms have great views over beautiful Chicago and are equipped with the very latest modern technology. The renovation of the building has involved an investment of 102 million dollars, and has been managed by the Lucien Lagrange Architects studio and the prestigious designer YabuPushelberg, perfectly combining original Art Deco works with contemporary furnishings and musical themes and artefacts, the characteristic trademark of the Hard Rock brand. 

Great cuisine is also another of the strong points of Hard Rock. The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago offers guests a chance to dine out in one of America�s favourite restaurants: the China Bar & Grill. After great successes in cities such as New York and Miami, this exotic restaurant franchise led by Jeffery Chodrow is also now making its debut in Chicago thanks to the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago, giving guests and other visitors to the city a chance to discover the secrets of the most original and delicious Asian cuisine.

The Base Bar, with its glamorous decoration and non-stop music, is also a great place for guests to wind down and enjoy themselves after a hard day.

The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago also provides 13 spacious meeting rooms able to host the widest range of events for up to 320 guests.

Founded in 1956 in Palma de Majorca in Spain, Sol Meliá is the largest resort hotel company in the world and by far the largest hotel company in Spain, both in the city and resort hotel markets. The company currently provides 350 hotels in 30 countries on 4 continents and provides employment to more than 36,000 people in its Meliá, Tryp, Sol, Paradisus and Hard Rock Hotels.