Oktoberfest in Chicago

As fall swings in, so do some of Chicago’s finest events. Oktoberfest will be making its 8th annual appearance in the Lakeview neighborhood at 3000 N. Lincoln Ave. There will be a $5 donation collected at the front gates where all the proceeds will be going to St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church founded by German immigrants in 1882. Bring you appetite and get ready to quench your thirst  from September 23: 5p.m.- 10p.m., September 24 11 p.m. – 10 p.m., September 25 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Along with the delectable homemade food and beer gardens will be many German bands performing live throughout the day. “Kinderfest,” or the children’s activities, will take place at 11a.m. on Sunday. The Belmont Subway station has both red and brown line trains and the 145 CTA bus will provide transportation for festival goers. So grab your favorite Lederhosen and get ready to polka the day (and night) away!

Namaste

Don’t miss out on the last month of Yoga at Lincoln Park Zoo! Meditate and enjoy the Chicago skyline as your back drop while you stretch to perfection. The class takes place Thursdays 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Saturdays 9-10 a.m at the Nature Broadwalk Peoples Gas Pavilion (located at the Farmhouse when weather does not permit). Classes are designed to target beginners and intermediate yogis. CTA 151 and 156 bus routes stop directly at the zoo on Stockton Drive. Make sure to bring your own mat and water while you perfect your downward dog!

Click here to register for adult yoga.

Travel Green

Heading to the Chicago Air and Water show this weekend? Whether you’re a Chicago resident or visiting for the big show this weekend, we encourage you to take advantage of Chicago’s superb public transportation system.

The Air and Water show takes place along Lake Michigan and attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators. The most economical and eco-friendly way to travel to the show (besides walking or cycling, of course) is by using Chicago Transit Authority. CTA bus routes 151 or 156 are the best ways to get you to the lakefront to check out the sights.

Have a smartphone? Download one of several CTA Bus Tracker apps so you know when your bus will arrive, down to the minute (for the iPhone we love Buster). For more information please visit CTA’s website and check out the schedule. Enjoy the show!

The 53rd Annual Chicago Air and Water Show

For over 50 years, The Chicago Air and Water Show has been providing entertainment from the lake shore for Chicago patrons. On August 20 and 21, trained professionals and the military will be soaring through skies and hitting the water. The headliners include U.S Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S Army Parachute Team: Golden Knights, and U.S Navy Parachute Team Leap Frogs.

The performances can be viewed along the lakefront from Fullerton to Oak Street, with North Avenue Beach being the intermediary of the show. The Chicago Air and Water show begins at 10 a.m. and wraps up at 3 p.m. – the 151 or 156 bus routes will be the best ways to get to the lake front. Check out the CTA schedule online for the most up-to-date information. Over 2 million people were in attendance in 2010, so make sure to get there early to snag a spot!

Hotel Felix Gains Silver LEED Status for Green Design

We have some great (green) news to share. Hotel Felix has been recognized for its environmental efforts and received official notification of its certification as a Silver LEED Hotel, making it the first hotel in Chicago to earn this prestigious status. This high level of certification is earned when a building performs in several key areas, including water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.

Hotel Felix meets LEED standards for its adaptive reuse of an existing urban structure, convenient access to public transportation, and the use of green materials throughout, such as recycled content in the corridor and guestroom carpet, and bamboo and cork flooring in the public areas.

LEED certification was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in an effort to promote sustainable design and construction practices. LEED certification is world-renowned and is the most prestigious achievement in sustainable building. We are pleased to be recognized with Silver certification status for our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. This year alone, over one million gallons of water will be saved through our water reduction program.

We’d like to express a special thank you to our guests for helping us achieve this monumental goal. We remain committed to lessening our environmental impact, while also providing an upscale and intimate luxury hotel experience for our guests.

Come and see how we are making a Silver LEED Certified difference!

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.