Meet Jonathan Gordon of The Neighborhood Hotel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Gordon.

Hi Jonathan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Jonathan Gordon, husband, father of two incredible girls and a lifelong entrepreneur.

As far back as I can remember, I was running a small business (lemonade stand, snow shoveling, t-shirt business) or dreaming about starting one. After college, I continued to dream while spending my days working in commercial real estate. I spent my first ten years as a broker helping buyers and sellers find common ground. I transitioned to working for a large landlord of office buildings;  this job was a fundamental building block for my future as it taught me how to THINK and ACT like an owner. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective) that firm sold off most of its properties leaving me jobless in 2018. Some would see this as a setback…for me, this series of events gave me the opportunity to design a new path, tapping into my dream to build a business that I was passionate about. Enter The Neighborhood Hotel; my experience and entire journey led me exactly here…to the launch of The Neighborhood Hotel, a business plan that I designed, combining my passion for hospitality with my love of real estate.

The first Neighborhood Hotel opened in March 2020 featuring 14 boutique hotel apartments at Clark & Wrightwood in Lincoln Park. This was our first location and a test of our thesis that travelers would appreciate our commitment to design a hotel that incorporated the best features of a short-term rental. We currently have 153 hotel apartments (either open or under development) across five locations in Chicago and SW Michigan. We let the community, and the characteristics of each building, guide the design and the stories that we tell. When people visit the Neighborhood Hotel…they feel like they are home.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m not sure how much fun we would have if the road was smooth! My road was anything but, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Starting a business is a lot like being a parent, if you knew what was next, you would never do it. With both of those important jobs, there is no choice but to push through the struggles and end up better for it. It’s all part of the ride!

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about The Neighborhood Hotel?
I currently function as CEO of The Neighborhood Hotel, but like any business that is yours, my role is to do everything and anything I can to drive the business forward and make our customers happy! My company owns and operates a brand of apartment-style hotels located in the center of vibrant communities. Our guests leave with a sense of connection to each neighborhood that we are located in, our style of lodging allows for people to have a more rewarding travel experience…one that they will remember and look forward to returning to.

Our team is filled with travel enthusiasts who enjoy spaces that inspire, comfort, and fuel. We’re fans of transforming old buildings with unique history into well-outfitted apartment style hotels that honor the old while representing the now. Our vibe is fresh + fun, with rooms that are stocked to support everyone from the homebody to the adventurer. We’ve created properties that serve as a well-equipped basecamp for the explorer and a sanctuary for the traveler who needs to recharge, reset or just chill.

Our spaces are simple + clean, punctuated by accents that bring the right amount of pop. Yet we see any NBHD booking as way more than a stay but as an experience. Each property has a unique Field Guide; that allows any customer to experience the best of what that unique location has to offer. The Neighborhood Hotel provides a connection to local partners, restaurants, businesses, activities so that we curate your experience from start to finish!

The properties are meant for ALL to enjoy; families, solo adventurers, business travelers, girls trips, corporate retreats, family reunions, weddings…there is a room, a property, an experience for ALL!

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
There is never going to be a right time or the perfect time. Just START; you will figure it out along the way! I always say, “jump and the net will appear”. If you don’t know the answer, trust that you will find someone who does, and if that person can’t help, then maybe they know someone that can. Do not be afraid to ask questions, we all started at the beginning at one point in time.

Pricing:

• Lodging options range between 1-3 bedrooms.
• Pricing varies by season.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nbhdhotels.com
• Instagram: @the.neighborhood.hotel
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbhdgrandbeach/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-neighborhood-hotel
• Twitter: @nbhdhotels

Image Credits
Ryan McDonald