IHG, Ruby Group launch Ruby brand in US

ATLANTA – IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) and Ruby Group will develop the brand’s first hotel in the U.S. with a property in downtown Chicago.

Ruby Group will develop and operate the hotel under a 30-year franchise agreement with IHG, overseeing renovation and repositioning of the historic Inn of Chicago building into a Ruby Hotels property that “blends soulful design with its storied past.”

The transformation of the late 1920s era landmark – one block east of the famed Magnificent Mile – will honor its Chicago hospitality heritage while introducing Ruby’s modern sensibility.

Expected to begin in the latter half of 2026 and open in 2027, plans call for a 22-story hotel with 412 rooms and a reimagined lobby and bar experience that will include a rooftop terrace and bar. Public spaces will be updated and guestrooms will combine efficient layouts with premium finishes, delivering an elevated experience at a lower cost per square foot.

Ruby Group is developing the project together with Orange County-based Berk Properties. Led by principals David Davidson and Rajesh Masina, Berk Properties contributes deep real estate and hospitality expertise, drawing on more than 25 years of experience in the residential and hospitality luxury real estate markets in the U.S.

The introduction of Ruby Hotels to the U.S. less than a year after IHG’s acquisition of the brand and just four months after its U.S. development availability reflects its ambition to grow the brand to more than 120 global hotels during the next decade and more than 250 during the next 20 years.  Founded in Germany in 2013, Ruby’s expanding presence includes 35 open and pipeline hotels across major European cities.

“This flagship signing underscores the brand’s strong growth potential and momentum in key locations across the Americas and around the world,” said IHG’s CEO of the America’s Jolyon Bulley.

“This project marks a significant milestone for Ruby Group and its international growth,” said Michael Struck, founder and CEO, Ruby Group. “In partnership with IHG and alongside experienced development partner Berk Properties, we are bringing Ruby’s design-led and efficient hotel concept to the U.S. market for the first time. Ruby Group’s operating platform will also now be launching in North America, offering extraordinary operating efficiency to investors with a unique operating set-up that utilizes both centralization and automatization to drive margins while lowering operating risks."