Earth Day Event: Recycle Your Electronics for a Chance to Win a Stay with Us

On Earth Day, recycle your electronics at Best Buy on Michigan Avenue for a chance to win cool prizes, including a one-night stay with us at Hotel Felix.

Here’s the 60-second rundown on how to participate in the event at Best Buy in the John Hancock Center (875 N. Michigan Ave.) from 12-3 p.m.

Radio 60 Sec. Spot Mix Drive Rewind 45 hits

Hint: You may have heard this on the Mix (101.9), the Drive (97.1) and Rewind (100.3)

Hotel Felix Chicago Recommended by Latest 2013 Chicago Michelin Guide

Hotel Felix is honored to be recommended in the MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2013.

Hotel Felix Chicago was recommended by Michelin in the prestigious MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2013.

About the establishment, Michelin said, “This innovative boutique hotel was the first hotel in Chicago designed to meet the specifications of Silver LEED certification.  From design elements (carpets are made from recycled materials; floors are cork and bamboo) to practices (paperless front desk; eco-friendly cleaning products), the Felix takes eco-conscious living very seriously.”

“We’re honored to receive this esteemed recognition from the Michelin Guide Chicago,” said George Jordan, area general manager of Hotel Felix Chicago. “This is a testament to our team’s ongoing hard work to ensure a pleasant guest experience when staying with us.”

The guide also commented, “Is this where Al Gore stays?  He may not be camping out here, but the Felix would certainly warm his heart.”

According to the Michelin web site, “Only the best restaurants and hotels are included in the guide, where every establishment is a trusted Michelin recommendation.”

For more information and reservations, please visit www.hotelfelixchicago.com or call 312-447-3440.  To purchase the MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2013, please visit http://www.michelintravel.com/michelin-selection/chicago-2013-2/ or download the mobile app on iTunes.

Feeling the Love from our Friends Down Under

We always love to hear when our guests enjoyed their time with us. We recently received this incredibly touching letter and poem from guests who hail from Australia and we couldn’t resist sharing them!

“To the management and staff

Of Hotel Felix, Elate Restaurant,

For the lady who looked after our room on the 10th floor, to the window cleaner, the lads and lasses at the front counter. And to the main ambassadors who meet everyone first hand at that darn red rotating front door with a real spirit of Chicago smile. And a how de do, each time one goes out. Not forgetting the guys and dolls from the Elate Restaurant, well done, you guys did Chicago proud. Must not forget the young bloke who carried the little bar fridge up to our room for my wife’s diabetes medicines, that needed refrigeration. Our son sure picked the right accommodation just a block away from his unit on Superior. We had a magnificent view out our window and I spent hours sitting there writing down our activities of the day. It was there I wrote a poem, of your Windy City, the sights and sounds. Never will I forget the sound of that Klaxton horn on the fire brigade, people, food and places of interest, there is still more to see!

Maybe another year hey! We came to Chicago to find the spirit of Chicago, but it found us! So you know, this poem included here, has been taken also to the Tribune.

Hopefully they may publish it, about two Aussies from Down Under. Also to the Chicago Spirit at Navy Pier and The Hard Rock Café.

We had a fabulous time in Chicago. Thank you all very much.

R&R

From Minden

Queensland

Australia

4311

The Spirit of Chicago Found

By Two Aussies From Down Under

We flew United from Down Under

Leaving many hours ago

Man was it a rush

But everything seemed to flow

Coming over We slept

We talked

We viewed the clouds

The morning glow

The night sky

The moon above

The aircraft seemed so slow,

It was a first

Never flew like this before

But roll on L.A. to Chicago

We have just to get up and go

Taxi ride from O’Hare

Peak hour

Slowed us down to a crawl

Cabbies driving on the wrong side of the road

Everyone pushing

Horn blowing

Move over, speed up

After our long trip

Enough to make us bawl.

We are from out of town

Give us a chance

We wanna see

The sights of your Chicago

The Windy City

Your town of renown

Finally level 10 Hotel Felix

At our window

To view high rise Chicago

We have time to slow down

Wow!!! How tall can you go

Cars seem like ants

Crawling tracks of bitumen

In one big endless flow.

Stopping at red light

That turn to green

To understand the quantity of cars

It just has to be seen.

On the morrow

We hailed a red bus on Michigan

With its cut down top

Climbed aboard

Took our seat

To view the Chicago scene

Loads of people, tall towers

Our city tour was not going to be a flop.

Kept our hands down under

The Chicago Loop

Warned of this, otherwise

Our hands would get the chop.

The signs said Route 66

People all round getting their photo fix

One day we will give it a go

Just like Billy Connelly

On his three wheeler, motorbike that is,

We will follow the flow.

A long walk along Chicago, Superior,

Huron, Erie

To the magnificent mile

1^st trip, visit Victoria’s Secret

Panties, bra and perfume sprayed around

Could not but hide a smile.

Historic Water Tower, Hancock Tower

Willis Tower, one could not miss

Cause on our walk along Michigan

One could not miss

Marilyn Monroe’s Statue

Put the crowds in a tiss

Lining up for photos

Under that posture.

We all remember in her film

Some Like It Hot

The guys selling hot dogs

Rubbing their hands

Cause they were in the right spot

Across Chicago River

To Millennium Park

On the left the Art Institute of Chicago

Seeing the original masters

Broke my artists heart

We left the Art Institute

With samples of the masters arts

To put them on display

For my fellow artists

Right here in Minden Park.

Stepping back to Navy Pier

Around which our sneakers

Left their mark,

But not before we had lunch

On the Spirit of Chicago,

From which photos were taken

Of Chicago skyline

The enormity gives you quite a start.

Time for home

A bus to catch $2.25

Along Michigan

To Huron

Hotel Felix,

Another day Field Museum

Other places around yet for us to roam.

From our window

Down there on the corner Erie and Clark

The sign, The Kerryman

Has to be Irish

To be sure to be sure

To share a Guinness

Some cottage pie

We’ll be down there

By and by.

May the wind blow on our backs

As we walk on Clark

To meet the Fair Colleens

And to say G’day

To have a fine Irish meal

Coin a phrase of Clint Eastwood

Come on Paddy make our day

The spirit of Chicago

Motivated our legs, our selves

We walked and walked

Chicago, Michigan and Superior

Block after block

Sights we have only viewed on T.V.

Before our eyes

With open mouths, the high rise,

The architectures

The sights to see

With our Chicago City Pass

We knew where we wanted to be.

Photos taken for all at home to see will remind us forever

Of your spirit, we felt thru and

Thru

To return some day to your Windy City

Cause with your residents

We could never have a blue.

We will remember

The people who live and work in Chicago

Hotel Felix and Elate Restaurant Staff

The Spirit of Chicago at Navy Pier

The Kerryman

The Hard Rock Café (Angie & Tish)

McDonalds on Clark

Jake Melnicks Corner Tap

La Ma Dia

Navy Pier

Architectural Chicago River Tour

Untouchable Tour

Two Aussies from Down Under

Left your Windy City

Happy

With a smile on our lips

With the spirit of Chicago in our

Hearts.

To our dear Australian friends, we will always remember you too, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this beautiful poem. We hope you make another trip across the pond to visit us and to find the spirit of Chicago once again!

Photo Credit: Nimesh M

LM Bistro in Zagat

We’re excited to share two articles from Zagat highlighting the opening of LM Bistro, the new French restaurant adjacent to Hotel Felix. The first (viewable here) describes the transformation of the former Elate space into what will be LM Bistro. The second (viewable here) includes LM Bistro in their piece detailing Chicago’s five best hotel restaurants.

Thanks Zagat for the shout outs! We’re excited to welcome the newest addition to the Hotel Felix family.

Welcome LM Bistro!

We’re excited to welcome LM Bistro, the approachable French gastro bistro, as the new concept restaurant adjacent to Hotel Felix. The owners of LM Bistro, Stephan and Nicole Outrequin Quaisser, are partnering with Elate owner, Anthony Fiore, to open the restaurant in the space that used to house Elate. LM Bistro was formerly located in Lincoln Square.

Photo Credit: Billaday

It will be a coming home of sorts – four members of LM Bistro’s team (including the co-owners), along with our general manager, George Jordan, previously all worked together in key positions at The Drake. Needless to say, we’re looking forward to having “the gang” back together! With their sleek, upscale concept and outstanding menu, LM Bistro is a perfect fit for the River North neighborhood.

Felix Gardens of Babylon

Today Hotel Felix erected a scaffolding to do a few touch ups, however this is not your ordinary construction site. Hotel Felix has transformed this eye sore into a hanging garden. Fifty plants are hanging on the scaffolding creating a little garden on a sidewalk of Chicago.

Keep an eye on our “Garden of Babylon” as it continues to grow!

Spotted at Hotel Felix

Guess who we spotted last weekend at Hotel Felix? Here are some clues: Lethal Weapon, Angels in the Outfield, The Color Purple.

You guessed it; actor, producer, humanitarian, Danny Glover! Mr. Glover spent his weekend here in the Windy City and chose none other than this Eco Friendly dig. A big thank you to Danny Glover for choosing us during this recent stay in Chicago.

Looking Back Today: The Snow Storm of 2011

Snow-mageddon, Snow-pocalypse, Snotorious B.I.G or Sno.m.g. Whichever name you prefer, on this historic day last year Chicago was hit was one of the largest storms to date. The storm left a blanket of snow over the city leaving many people stranded. Although not record breaking, the storm left 20.2 inches of snow in its path.

The storm settled in as the third worst snow fall behind 1999, which came in second with 21.6 inches, and 1967, which had an astounding 23 inches covering the city. Hotel Felix offered an oasis from the “Thunder Snow” with a discounted price for those with no place to go. Take a trip down memory lane with this photo gallery of Snow-pocalypse from the Chicago Tribune. What are your memories or experiences from the blizzard of 2011?

And The Results Are In…

The Hotel Felix Photo Contest has come to a close and we would like to send out a huge congratulations to our winner Sophia Vu!

Our five runner ups, also winning fabulous prizes, are:

Kristoffer Carter

Matthew Weiner

Victoria Vu

Leah Jones

Deborah Palacios-Hayes

Our grand prize winner, Sophia Vu, will be enjoying  a two-night stay and one spa treatment. Plus, a $50 credit toward the lobby bar, room service, or Elate Restaurant, the sumptuous eatery adjacent to Chicago’s Hotel Felix. The top five runner ups receive a $100 gift card to be redeemed during a stay at Hotel Felix. We would like to thank all of our shutter-bugs for participating in the contest and hope to see you all again soon.

Two Days and Counting

The Hotel Felix Photo Contest will be coming to a close on August 3rd. Chicagoans and visitors have just two days to upload their photos with our eco-friendly sculptures for a chance to win big. All you have to do is pose with either sculpture, ‘Like’ Hotel Felix on Facebook (www.facebook.com/hotelfelix), then upload your picture to the photo contest. Contestants have a chance to win a two-night stay, one complimentary spa treatment, and a $50 credit toward the lobby bar, room service, or Elate Restaurant. So head out to 111 W. Huron St. downtown Chicago!