A look at the history of the iconic Drake hotel
An interview with Denise Muralles, sales manager at The Drake Oak Brook.
Q: Tell us a little bit about the property.
A: The Drake is an iconic hotel with rich history dating back to 1962, when it first opened. We are an independently run hotel that sets itself apart from the competition because of history and beauty of the facility.
Q: Explain the history. How did The Drake, get its name?
A: The hotel opened in 1962 as the counterpart The Drake Hotel on Michigan Avenue. They were both owned by the same people. Bringing The Drake to the Oak Brook area really helped with the development of the village of Oak Brook and the expansion of the Hotel Industry in DuPage County. The Drake Oakbrook was the place where celebrities stayed such as Prince Charles and Frank Sinatra. Later in the life of The Drake, Jim and Tely Nagle -our current owners - purchased the property in 2013.
Q: What does the venue have to offer when it comes to corporate meetings?
A: The Drake has an elegant outdoor veranda overlooking our garden, beautiful fountain and gazebo. We have over 12,000 square feet of meeting space which consists of 12 meeting rooms ranging from 500 to 4,254 square feet. We have a wonderful catering department that put together our exquisite catering menus to fit anyone from a large corporate event, weddings, social events, to the smallest, intimate board meeting.
In addition to our meeting space, we have 84 luxurious guest rooms. The Drake also has The Colonial Restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Q: Describe the atmosphere.
A: From the minute you drive in to the porter cochere, you begin to experience the rich history that the hotel has maintained since it first opened, back in 1962. While walking through The Drake you see the hotel is surrounded by hand crafted and custom-made wood fixtures, furniture and chandeliers. There are 3 fountains at our entrance and 10 acres of outdoor space, displaying our beautiful landscaping, gazebos, and stonework.
Q: What are people in your industry talking about?
A: People in the industry are focused on luxury amenities, upgrades and world-class customer service. We pride ourselves in being able to provide all of these trends, and furthermore, focus on providing each guest with a memorable, and one of a kind, stellar experience.
Q: Tell us one interesting fact about the property that most people may not know.
A: Our owner, Tely Nagle was a big part of our design and décor! She worked hand in hand with our designers who hand crafted the furniture, crystals, and wood fixtures throughout The Drake.
The unique décor and tradition is what sets us apart from your traditional hotel.
Q: Two people we should follow on Twitter and why?
A: Conan O'Brien because everyone always needs a good laugh and FHG, our leading hotel management company.
Business: The Drake Oak Brook
Address: 2301 York Rd Oak Brook, IL 60523
Owner: Jim and Tely Nagle
Number of employees: 100
When business opened: First opened in 1962 and re-opened in June of 2015
Web address: <a href="http://www.thedrakeoakbrookhotel.com">thedrakeoakbrookhotel.com</a>