Lake Zurich's first hotel opens its doors

Getting a hotel ready to open is similar to preparing a house to show to prospective buyers. Beds have to be made, carpets have to be cleaned and everything has to look fresh and new.

Jessica Neville, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express that opened in Lake Zurich Thursday, is tending to many of these last-minute issues.

"In the next hour, these three rooms need to be cleaned again," a man in a plaid shirt and blue jeans told Neville, handing her a note with the room numbers.

The Holiday Inn Express is the first hotel in Lake Zurich, and it opened amid surprisingly nonexistent controversy. When the proposal came before the village board in August 2007, residents of a neighborhood directly behind the hotel voiced their concern about it potentially being a large eyesore and producing too much unwanted noise.

However, as hotel officials unveiled the "Now Open" sign, they found none of that opposition from neighbors.

"The only unexpected thing was the warm welcome we got from the community," Neville said.

Jeff Halen, who lives in the neighborhood behind the hotel, said the community did not know what to expect when the hotel was being built. Now that the building is complete, he said he has no concerns about it because there is no traffic flow between the hotel and the neighborhood.

"The hotel looks really nice and we really look forward to them as a neighbor," Halen said.

Neville said she thinks most of the residents were concerned about the hotel being kept up, but now that they can see it, they are reacting positively.

"I've had some neighbors come for tours and book an anniversary party," said Gail Regas, sales manager. "I think we've really changed their minds."

The hotel has a 37-inch flat-screen television in each of its 86 rooms, as well as a microwave and mini-fridge. It also sports an indoor swimming pool and hot tub.

Neville said they will host a grand opening celebration June 9.

"I want to get a couple nights of sleep before we think about a grand opening," she said.