Owner & CEO of The Neighborhood Hotel
Jonathan Gordon has been drawn to entrepreneurship for as long as he can remember, spending his childhood running small businesses, from lemonade stands and snow shoveling to selling custom T-shirts, while always dreaming about the next business he might build.
After college, Gordon began his professional career in commercial real estate, spending his first ten years as a broker helping buyers and sellers find common ground. He later transitioned to working for a large landlord of office buildings, an experience that became a fundamental building block for his future. Working on the ownership side taught him how to think and act like an owner, giving him the perspective and experience that would eventually shape his approach to hospitality and real estate.
When the firm sold most of its properties in 2018, Gordon found himself at a crossroads. Rather than viewing the unexpected career change as a setback, he saw it as an opportunity to create a new path centered around his entrepreneurial spirit. Drawing on his background in real estate and his passion for hospitality, he developed the business plan that would become The Neighborhood Hotel.
The first Neighborhood Hotel opened in March 2020 in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, featuring 14 boutique hotel apartments at Clark & Wrightwood. The property served as the first test of his vision to combine the best features of a boutique hotel with the comfort and character of a short-term rental.
Today, Gordon continues to shape The Neighborhood Hotel around the belief that guests should feel immersed in the community rather than simply staying in a hotel. Each property is thoughtfully designed around the character of its building and neighborhood, allowing the surrounding community to guide the design, atmosphere, and stories told throughout the guest experience. Through this approach, Gordon has created a hospitality concept where visitors don’t just stay in a hotel; they feel at home.
Check out some images of Jonathan Gordon’s boutique hotel
