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Hotel Palomar Chicago Won't Open Until May But You Can Make a Rezzie Now

Where: 505 North State Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60654

UPDATE: The hotel's reps tell us that it will actually open a few weeks before May 1. So Spring 2010 is the preferred opening time frame. Rezzies are still being accepted for May 1 and beyond.

Just as you start to hunker down for the winter in Chicago, we'd like to give you something to look forward to when the ice thaws--the upcoming Hotel Palomar Chicago has just announced that it will be opening in May 2010.

Located in Chi-town's River North neighborhood the 261-room hotel will be as Kimpton as you expect it to be (stylish decor, eco-friendly practices, free wine hours etc.) but it will also have a heated indoor pool and sundeck and a restaurant adjacent to the hotel with what will be "the city's largest mixology station." Um. Yeah, you will find us here at 5pm. Not in the lobby drinking wine.

Now, May is a long ways off so forgive us if we're not clicking immediately to make a reservation but for those of you who can't wait, the hotel is accepting reservations for May 1. Rates start at $190 a night for a king deluxe room.

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Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza Wins Renovation of the Year

Where: 350 W. Mart Center Drive [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60654

The Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza helped shed the shabby image typically associated with the budget hotel chain by winning Renovation-of-the-Year, an industry-wide award given by the InterContinental Hotel Group, for its makeover of the lobbies, restaurants and guest rooms.

Adjacent to the Merchandise Mart and perched on top of the Chicago Apparel Center, the 521-room hotel got J/Brice Design International to give it a facelift. Major changes are visible in the lobby, where designers chose more moveable ottomans and similar backless seating over sofas so that guests could shift things around and their own congregating areas. The design company also put the focus on the view—the hotel looks out over the Chicago River and the city skyline—rather than on installation artwork.

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Tags: Hotel Promotions / Chicago Hotels / Hotel Swag / → All Tags

Fresh Cupcakes And Free Nights From Chicago's Hotel Dana

Where: 660 N. State Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60654

Can we get a "woot woot" for free stuff please? No, we're not just talking about cookies on pillows or complimentary valet parking here; Chicago's Hotel Dana is down with giving away some serious bonuses in their "Random Acts of Dana" campaign now through July 1.

If you're planning on heading to Chicago this weekend for theTaste of Chicago or just for a local getaway, then the Hotel Dana may randomly reward you with a prize for picking them. Among what's up for grabs are: overnight accommodations, dry cleaning services,in-room manicures and pedicures, massages at the Spa, suite upgrades, gift cards and meals at their restaurant "ajasteak," freshly baked cupcakes, instructional cooking classes with Executive Chef Joshua Linton, and cocktails at Vertigo Sky Lounge.

Too bad we already missed out on the grand prizes: a weekend in the Penthouse Nirvana suite and dinner for six on the hotel's rooftop. So long as there's still time for free mani and pedis however, we're in. Chicago is hot and humid in the summer and that means it's flip-flop time. Nightly rates at Dana run about $300, so try to win the free stay if you can.

[Photo: Dana Chicago]

Tags: Chicago Hotels / Hotel Openings / Green Hotels / → All Tags

Chicago's Hotel Felix Soft Opens With LEED Hopes

Where: 111 W Huron St [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60654

While some Chicago hotels may not be living up the to the claim of "boutique" after a renovation, it looks like the new Hotel Felix is doing just fine one month after opening. As one of Chicago's first hotels designed for LEED Silver certification, the property appropriately opened just in time for Earth Day and has been quietly bedding folks with complimentary breakfast in preparation for its grand opening later this summer.

Although the interior was completely redone and outfitted with eco-friendly materials like bamboo flooring, the 225-room hotel still retains its 1920s facade and smaller room sizes from its days as the Hotel Wacker. An introductory rate beginning at $120 for a Queen room through May is enough to win us over however, and free wireless internet clinches the deal.

Eventually they will even boast of an "upscale eclectic American restaurant" and an Asha-Aveda spa to anchor the property, but we're simply excited to hear that a vintage Chicago building is seeing an eco-friendly renewal and bringing more options to the River North area, away from Michigan Avenue.

[Photo: Hotel Felix]