With brand details finally worked out, Virgin Hotels is ready for U.S. debut

It might have taken longer to get out of the starting gates than they would have liked, but executives at Virgin Hotels say the new brand is beginning to hit its stride.

The first property will open in Chicago within the next three months, and the group will announce a second project—this one in California—shortly, said Raul Leal, CEO of North America for Virgin Hotels.

Another key point of differentiation—and perhaps one of Virgin Hotel’s biggest competitive advantages—is the brand’s existing network of 65 million global customers, Leal said. He anticipates most business to come organically, which gives executives a lot of flexibility in terms of marketing and distribution.