What’s your carbon footprint? Want to travel without the hassle of destroying the environment? The Hotel Felix in Chicago is the answer. The Hotel Felix is leading the way in eco-friendly hospitality for the city of Chicago. As the first downtown hotel to be Silver certified by LEED standards, guests can rest assured that their stay will not only be enjoyable but environmentally enriching.
Nature plays a large part in the design of the hotel. Earthy tones permeate through every room and I found myself relaxed just walking through the front door. The lobby makes excellent use of natural lighting and minimalist space. The lounge is unobtrusive and blends in completely with the rest of the lobby.
Unlike other hotels the Felix makes use of the space provided without creating unnecessary road blocks for the guest. A single wall separates the lounge and the rest of the first floor. This makes it ideal for guests during busy periods. Instead of trekking over to the other side of the hotel for a drink while you wait for your room, everything you want is right at your fingertips.
The same approach is used for the living quarters. All beds are equipped with slide out drawers to maximize the design of the bed. The closet space isn’t all that big but theoretically you wouldn’t need it with the storage already provided. There are two layouts for the guest rooms, one where the bed faces the wall and one where it faces the television. Guests should request latter because there seemed to be quite a lot more space in the room. The placement of the television in the smaller quarters doesn’t really make for an adequate viewing angle but the hope is that you did not travel all the way to the Felix just to watch TV.
The hotel has put together a truly first class experience for their guests. The only problem is they do it on a rather small scale. When I walked into the gym I was surprised at how tiny it was. With only a few treadmills, bikes and a rack of weights the fitness center could easily become crowded when the hotel is at capacity.
Regardless, it wasn’t the fitness center that caught my attention. The event was just starting to pick up around 7 p.m. as I followed a group of women into the spa. A smiling, young attendant greeted me at the entrance. Although it was loud outside of the spa the sound of calming music penetrated the air and filled the senses. The lobby is small but gives a great view of what is going on in the rooms surrounding you. In one, a woman rested quietly on a padded table while a masseuse gave her a thorough neck massage. The look on her face when she awoke was one of total bliss.
During regular hours the spa provides a number of treatments ranging from a brightening treatment ($15) to a Himalayan rejuvenation treatment ($175). Judging from the simple neck and hand massages I received the treatments are well worth their cost and undoubtedly a big selling point for staying at the hotel.
Located right in the heart of downtown Chicago the Hotel Felix is sure to become a well-loved tourist destination. Prices are kept moderate and while the locale feels posh it is not too pretentious. In the era of green living it is nice to know that you can enjoy some relaxing time away from it all without the guilt that you are destroying the planet in the process.
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Written by Guest on 2009-06-28 21:45:28
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