Bike it!

Bike the Drive is happening on Sunday!  Bike the Drive is the annual Active Transportation Alliance fundraiser where Chicago’s beautiful Lakeshore Drive is closed to car traffic and opened to those who want to bike.  What better way to kick off the summer in Chicago but by enjoying the beautiful lakefront without all the traffic and who really ever misses traffic?  You do need to register if you plan on cruising up and down Lakeshore Drive, go here for more information.

Don’t worry if you don’t  have a bike handy, not only are there several bike rental companies in the area, but some even have special discounts for Bike the Drive.

Bike and Roll Chicago
Bike Chicago
Bobby’s Bike Hike

photo by blue bike

Even if you can’t make it for Bike the Drive, renting a bike and seeing Chicago on two-wheels is an excellent way to explore the city and get a little exercise too!

ASHA Spa Packages

Whether you’re staying at the hotel for business or pleasure, the Hotel Felix has special online booking packages that allow you to indulge in a special 60 minutes massage. The Just Relax package includes guest accommodations, a 60 minute massage, and a $50 gift certificate to the 900 Shops located nearby. The Pamper Me package includes guest accommodations and a 60 minute massage in one of our luxurious and private treatment rooms.

photo by mahesh khanna

At the ASHA SPA, our full trained staff understands that using the best natural products will help rejuvenate and heal our guests. Using only the natural plant and flower extracts in our services, we also only use the current and most effective techniques to cater to individual needs.

click here for package rates and reservations.
view ASHA SPA list of services here.

Bamboo & Cork Flooring

How often do you take the time to notice flooring? I’m guessing not often.  At the Hotel Felix we want to provide our guests with a comfortable, eco-friendly, environment and that environment includes flooring.  Our use of sustainable and recycled flooring materials is part of the reason why we are Silver LEED certified and Green Seal certified.  If you don’t know much about bamboo or cork flooring, well here’s your chance to learn something new!

photo by danielepesaresi

Bamboo Flooring

• fast growing plant
• harvest replenishes itself within 3-5 years as oppose to the hundred years needed for one tree
• no need for replanting, grows from stem left behind
• little or no pesticides needed
• the Hotel Felix uses bamboo flooring in the Spa

photo by mauroguanandi

Cork Flooring

• it’s “springy” – so it’s perfect for high traffic areas
• made from Cork Oak bark, only the bark is harvested, so the tree remains
• provides insulation, keeping warmth in and acts as a sound barrier
• 9 to 12 years regeneration of bark
• anti-microbial
• the Hotel Felix uses this flooring in the meetings rooms

From there to here!

The Hotel Felix is conveniently located in Chicago’s hot River North area. Our location is not only in the heart of downtown, but close to shopping, restaurants, and nightlife but it’s also very accessible by public transportation.

If you are unfamiliar with Chicago’s transit system, check out www.transitchicago.com – you’ll find fare information, schedules, maps, and trip planners! While this website is user friendly, below are step by step instructions on how to get from there to here!

Both major airports in Chicago are the end/beginning of  two transit lines in Chicago, so upon arrival to Chicago you don’t need to fuss to make sure you’re getting on the train in the right direction, just hop on the train car and pay attention for your stop

O’Hare Airport – Blue Line
Clark and Lake, walk 6 blocks north on Clark Street until you reach the hotel on the corner of Clark and Huron. Or from the train stop, walk one block east to Dearborn and take the #22 bus north, exit on Clark and Huron. Or walk one block west from the train stop to LaSalle and take the #156 bus north, exit on LaSalle and Huron, walk one block east to the hotel.

Midway Airport – Orange Line
Clark and Lake, walk 6 blocks north on Clark Street until you reach the hotel on the corner of Clark and Huron. Or from the train stop, walk one block east to Dearborn and take the #22 bus north, exit on Clark and Huron. Or walk one block west from the train stop to LaSalle and take the #156 bus north, exit on LaSalle and Huron, walk one block east to the hotel.

Depending on the time of day, trips to or from the airport should take around an hour.  And if you want to be green friendly but don’t want to take public transit, a shared ride is another option.  At the either airport, visit the transportation counter and you’ll find information on shared rides.  Prices for shared rides vary on the number of passengers, but a one-way trip from either airport will cost between $20-$30.

If you’re not coming from one of the airports, we are also accessible from one of the several train stations, serving Metra trains and Amtrak trains.

Union Station
Exit the station on Canal and Jackson, take the #156 bus north and exit on LaSalle and Huron. The Hotel Felix is located on Huron just one block west of LaSalle.

Randolph Street Metra
Walk west on Randolph to the Randolph/Wabash train stop and take the Brown Line towards Kimball and exit at the Chicago stop. Walk east down Chicago Ave 3 block until you reach Clark St.  Walk south on Clark St. for 2 blocks to reach the hotel.

Walk west on Randolph to the Randolph and Washington Red Line
stop. Take the Red Line north towards Howard. Exit at Chicago Ave and walk west 2 blocks until you reach Clark St. Walk south on Clark St for 2 blocks to reach the hotel.

Ogilvie Station
Exit on Canal and walk south to Canal and Jackson. Take the #156 bus north and exit on LaSalle and Huron. The Hotel Felix is located on Huron just one block west of LaSalle.

As always, please feel free to contact the Hotel Felix team with questions.

Greenwashing makes us green

The Chicago Tribune recently posted an article by Julie Deardorff titled “Some companies greenwash in effort to clean up.”

This article discusses how some companies mislead the consumer to the green-friendliness of a product in order to make some green (i.e. $$$). With all the promises of green products, earth-friendly materials, and a low carbon foot print, how is a consumer to know if these items are really green? The exact meaning of the word “green” is being argued over by environmentalist but several companies have stepped forward like the U. S. Green Building Council and Green Seal to start putting specifications on being green. Very soon the Federal Trade Commission is going to release the Green Guides, which will provide guidance on which companies are telling the truth when they claim to be green. Check out the full article for tips on how to double-check a product or company “green-ness.”

Read the full article here.

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The Hotel Felix is proud to be Silver LEED Certified and Silver Green Seal Certified.

Friends of Downtown Award

We’re blushing with pride over the Welcome to Downtown Award given to the us by the Friends of Downtown!

The Friends of Downtown is an organization that celebrates Chicago’s downtown community. This annual award program recognizes businesses and organizations that contribute to the quality of downtown life. The Welcome to Downtown Award specifically recognizes a downtown business that contributes to making the downtown a well-designed, vibrant, economic heart of the city. Past award-winners include Pastoral, Zipcar, and Carnivale.

We are so proud to be recognized as a contributor to the thriving downtown Chicago community!

To learn more about Friends of Downtown, please go to http://www.friendsofdowntown.org/.

Mindful Chicago Awards

Mindful Metropolis is an online magazine working to bring like-minded communities throughout the Chicagoland area together. Mindful Metropolis focuses on fresh ideas, green culture, art and design – basically being mindful of our environment. The Hotel Felix is thrilled to be nominated for a Best of Mindful Chicago Award! The awards focus on spotlighting businesses that are green, sustainable, using holistic practices, or fostering a sense of kindness with in the community.

Voting ends on May 7, so you still have time to (please and thank you) vote for the Hotel Felix as well as your other favorite green businesses in Chicago! To vote, go here.

The winners of the Best of Mindful Chicago Awards will be announced on May 21 at the Green Carpet Gala. For more information on this spectacular event go to Mindful Metropolis Green Carpet Gala.