How We Restored And Operate A Landmark Hotel with Love - Tely Nagle, The Drake Oak Brook

In this episode, Tely Nagle, owner of The Drake Oak Brook, shares the inspiring story of purchasing and transforming a neglected historic Chicago area hotel into a Condé Nast award-winning property.

Listeners will learn:

• The history of The Drake Oak Brook and its connection to the famous Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago (01:09)
• The state of disrepair the hotel was in when Tely and her husband Jim purchased it in 2013 (04:01)
• The renovation process and Tely's creative inspiration for restoring the hotel to its former glory while updating it with modern amenities (07:36)
• The importance of hiring a good management company to handle infrastructure and people while focusing on the guest experience and design (15:35)
• How Tely and Jim live on the property and are hands-on in every area of the business (16:42)
• The hotel's partnership with Marriott International and becoming part of the Autograph Collection (19:34)
• Tely's philosophy on delighting guests and creating a culture of love among team members (22:32)
• The opening of their new restaurant, COA, which pays homage to Tely's Mexican heritage (28:50)

Mentions:

• Gino DiRenzo, who managed The Drake Oak Brook from its opening in 1961 (02:36)
• First Hospitality Group, the management company Tely hired to help run the hotel (14:50)
• Marriott International and the Autograph Collection (19:45)
• Coa, the hotel's new restaurant focusing on tequilas, mezcals, and Spanish-Mexican fusion cuisine (28:50)

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Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands