CHICAGO — RIU Hotels & Resorts has set its sights on Chicago as its next big destination.

After purchasing a plot of land in Streeterville, the city’s commercial and cultural centre, the company has announced a new-build skyscraper for its line of Riu Plaza urban hotels. Upon completion, it will house a four-star hotel with 28 floors and more than 350 rooms. Construction is set to begin in spring 2022 and is expected to continue for another two years.

“We have been working to make this opportunity a reality for several years. It’s a dream location for any investor, right in the heart of the city,” says Luis Riu, CEO of RIU Hotels & Resorts. “Chicago is a great tourist destination that complements and enhances our range of urban hotels and strengthens RIU’s commitment to the United States, where we are about to open our fourth hotel, the Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square.”

The future Riu Plaza hotel will be located at 150 East Ontario Street in the Streeterville neighbourhood, close to Navy Pier. It will offer a range of services that caters to business and leisure guests including breakfast and a standout Sky Bar on the 26^th floor.

With the upcoming debut of Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square, the number of Riu Plaza hotels will total nine. These include: Hotel Riu Plaza España in Madrid; Hotel Riu Plaza Panama in Panama City; Hotel Riu Plaza Guadalajara in Mexico; Hotel Riu Plaza Berlin in Germany; Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin in Ireland; Hotel Riu Plaza Miami Beach in Miami; Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco; and Hotel Riu Plaza New York Times Square and Hotel Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square, both in New York.

In the next few years, the Riu Plaza brand will also debut new properties in Canada and the United Kingdom. The newly-built Riu Plaza Toronto hotel will feature 350 rooms, meeting rooms, a gym, bar and restaurant, while another Riu in London, which has already begun construction next to Victoria Station, will open in 2023 with 435 rooms.