Hotel Arista

Guide to Eco Hotels in Chicago

An eco hotel, or a green hotel, is an environmentally sustainable hotel or accommodation that has made important environmental improvements to its structure in order to minimize its impact on the natural environment and eco friendly hotels Chicago are considered excellent place to hang out for a couple of nights in Chicago and then beyond in Illinois.

Chicago, Illinois might not be known as a green city, but Chicago has a citywide Sustainable Action Agenda, a vast network of sustainable mass public transit options, a high share of energy efficient buildings, and is home to a host of other green city initiatives.

Sustainable Chicago is a broad action plan that covers seven themes: economic development and job creation; energy efficiency and clean energy; transportation options; water and wastewater and waste and recycling; parks, open space and healthy food; and climate change.

 

 

1. Hotel Arista 4* – Eco Friendly Hotels Chicago

Hotel Arista
Hotel Arista

Located less than 1.6 km from Interstate 88 and 8 km from dining and shopping in the Naperville city centre, this modern hotel features on-site dining and a cocktail lounge. Each room includes free Wi-Fi.

A 42-inch flat-screen cable TV and an iPod docking station are provided in every room at Hotel Arista – Naperville. The bathroom features a walk-in shower and bathrobe, along with an in-mirror TV.

CityGate Grille, an American-Mediterranean fusion restaurant, is located on site and serves lunch and dinner. SugarToad offers brunch and room service options.

Located near Interstate 88 and 5 miles from the DuPage Children’s Museum, this upscale hotel is both 9 miles from the Hollywood Casino and the Paramount Theatre.

The bright rooms include free Wi-Fi, iPod docks and flat-screen TVs, plus mini fridges, marble bathrooms with low-flow water fixtures, soaking tubs and separate showers. In-room dining is available. Suites feature separate living space and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Amenities include free parking, a fitness center and a high-end spa. Dining options consist of a chic lounge serving Greek food with cocktails, and a trendy gourmet restaurant featuring American cuisine.

Hotel Arista, affiliated with Preferred Hotels & Resorts, is the Illinois’ first LEED-certified hotel and serves as the focal point of CityGate Centre, a one-million-square-foot, mixed-use lifestyle center. The hotel features 144 rooms, 10,000 square feet of meeting space, a state of the art fitness center, salon, spa and three restaurants including Che Figata, Tap In and CityGate Grille.

Very Eco-friendly and luxurious accommodations. Very friendly staff (there for a business meeting). It’s about 30 minutes from O’Hare and afternoon traffic to the airport is a bear, so plan accordingly!

One of us is an architect, so we love experiencing and supporting LEED Eco-Luxury anything! This hotel is hip without the waste with beautiful design and finishes.

We especially like how clean this hotel is each time we have stayed. And most importantly, we can bring our golden lab and it is very easy to walk her and play with her in the adjoining large lots. There is a $50 pet fee and you are required to have a $250 pet deposit.

OCATION: a few block north of I-88 and Rte 59. This hotel is 6 years old.

PARKING: approx 30 spots in front of hotel. Free parking garage around corner. Tip… as soon as you pull in garage, note there IS an entrance from the garage into hotel, on your right. There is a security door that appears as though you need a hotel key, but you do NOT. You will walk through ballroom hallway and then around to front desk.

ROOMS: beautiful and comfortable. We had the Grand Luxe double queen. Slightly larger rooms than standard queen and on top floors 10-12.

Upon returning to our room after our evening out, the turn down service was pleasantly surprising.

No ice machines on the floors, so gone are the nights of hearing ice hitting a bucket at 0200. Just dial “O” and they promptly will bring up a full bucket of ice. We also requested plates, silverware and champagne glasses. Again, arrived promptly 🙂

Tip…bring your own bottles of water. In the room, the 2 bottles were $5 a piece. There was a small fridge.

Appreciate all the eco-friendly touches within hotel.

We stayed here Memorial Day weekend for a family member’s graduation. Loved everything about this hotel. It is not part of a chain which is refreshing! Our room was spacious and I loved that the hotel is eco-friendly. I fell in love with the bathroom design and wish my bathroom at home was as luxurious. May I also say, as a woman I love hotels that really get that we need mirror magnification to apply makeup. Perfect mirror and what a surprise to see a TV within the big bathroom mirror.

I was mostly interested in the boutique atmosphere, but was also very interested in visiting because the property is LEED certified and it’s tough to do in a hotel, so I wanted to see what types of green features the Arista uses that are noticeably different than other hotels. One of my favorite chain brands so far are the Element hotels by Westin, because they are, by design, very eco-friendly, and this property used similar tactics such as the use of a lot of glass, more tile and less carpet, LED all over the place, and less disposables – no plastic cups here!

The Room
– spacious
– lots of counter/desk space
– windows open!
– bathroom was spacious with a narrow, deep soaking tub w/shower handle, separate glass stall shower and the toilet was in its own little room…sink vanity was spacious
– love the Molton Brown bath products and the comfy bathrobe
– partial couch with lots of pillows
– high quality brushed steel ice bucket w/tongs
– I actually really enjoyed the mattress

This hotel shines in an area that has long been a center of hotel/motel mediocrity. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The staff goes out of their way to ensure a good experience. The extras are thoughtful; eco-friendliness, good dining room, excellent coffee and gelato shop, fitness center, spa, etc.

Eco Friendly Hotels Chicago
Eco Friendly Hotels Chicago

How much does a room costs at Hotel Arista?

Prices start 177$/night for King Room. The Suite Room is 330$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for couples.

This double room has a bathrobe.

Where to book online – Hotel Arista – Eco Friendly Hotels Chicago you can find the best eco friendly hotels deals in Chicago during Chicago Jazz Festival which  is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Chicago on Booking.com or Expedia.com or Hotels.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

 

2. Makanda Inn & Cottages – Eco Hotels Chicago Illinois 

Makanda Inn & Cottages
Makanda Inn & Cottages

Intimate knotty-pine inn offering cottages & casual rooms with balconies, plus 18 acres of woodland.

A unique, lodging experience in the B & B Inn or in our 3 Private Cottages for adults. Southern Illinois first, Eco-Chic property! Open all year! A Virtual tour is on our website! The Inn has 4 private B & B Suites, those guests enjoy a sumptuous breakfast meal daily. Our cottages: two are one-bedroom units and West End Cottage is a 2 bedroom / 2 bath cottage. Breakfast is Not Included with cottage rentals. Cottage guests are invited to visit the common areas at the Inn to access the free Wi-Fi & our Inn Bar Services!
Cottages do not have Wi-fi. Each Inn Suite has a refrigerator & coffee maker. One bedroom cottages have an equipped kitchenette which includes: a two burner electric stove, sink, refrigerator, coffee maker, and microwave. West End Cottage has a full-size, well-equipped kitchen. Local micro-roasted, Steam Shovel Coffee is supplied freshly ground in your Suite and fresh beans & grinders are in the cottages. We provide Handmade natural soaps! Sorry, no pets or guests under 13.
 The experience not only meets the expectations from past visits but we continue to be surprised with the improvements. It is hard to find a place that can not only meet your expectations but improve on an already fantastic experience. The rooms are as perfect as the day we first stayed and the management has always been very attentive and a true champion of local adventures.
Don’t let the ECO friendly aspect of this resort scare you, it is truly a first class adventure and well worth a visit no matter how far you travel. Rooms are spotless, well stocked and comfortable. Well beyond our expectations. We look forward to many more opportunities to visit.
World class eco lodge tucked away just south of SIU Carbondale. Peaceful and serene wooded hills. Amazing decor, stone thermal mass fireplace in the great room. The staff are outstanding and a must stay place when you travel to Southern Illinois.
This was our third stay at this “green” inn. Large crowds and congestion were expected for Eclipse 2017 in Makanda/Carbondale , center of longest duration, and the hosts went above and beyond to accommodate the guests’ needs during this unique time. The breakfasts were five stars as usual. The very comfy beds and high end linens made for great nights sleep after all the excitement of the eclipse activities going on in the area. The inn and cottages are beautifully decorated with interesting use of wood. Easy access to restaurants, wineries, orchards and outdoor activities.

The Inn is so unique that my description will hardly do it justice. You really have to visit to get an idea of what makes it so special. The Inn is very class=”_3f5ztoLj”>eco friendly. The walls are actually made of straw and covered with a masonry plaster, and the rooms are beautifully different. We massaged our tired feet on the river stone floor in the shower after a hike at nearby Giant City State Park, and we slept soundly each night in our luxurious and comfy bed.

There is a large common area downstairs with sitting and eating areas and even your own private bar! Makanda is located smack dab in the middle of the Shawnee Wine Trail, so it’s fun to bring a bottle back to the Inn and enjoy it in the relaxing common area. Malcom invited us to think of the common area as our living room, and we felt very comfortable using it.

Breakfast each morning was expertly prepared with mostly organic and locally grown ingredients. I think the waffles with fresh peaches and ice cream were my favorite, but my husband was partial to the breakfast burritos. It was fun to see what was cooking each morning.

I didn’t expect to find so much to do in southern Illinois. Giant City State Park (which is just around the corner) and the Shawnee National Forest offer some beautiful hiking trails with unusual scenery. A visit to Garden of the Gods is worth the drive. Malcom and Lorraine are a great source of information about the area.

 The decor and view was very relaxing and eco-friendly. A wonderful retreat for any couple! Very private and the view is just incredible! Malcolm and Lorraine were very friendly and helpful, with great advice about local places to eat and see. Couldn’t ask for more and can’t wait to return.
We loved learning about the eco-friendly principles the lodge was built on and chatting with the other guests over breakfast . This inn ( and cottages) is perfect for those interested in hiking, golf, wine trails or just restful solitude.

This is a fantastic, eco-friendly inn located in a peaceful setting on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, nestled in the Shawnee National Forest. It’s the perfect home base to explore local wineries, state parks, and other southern Illinois attractions.

The innkeepers, Loraine and Malcolm, are very welcoming. We stayed for two nights, and the breakfasts both days were delicious and beautifully presented. We appreciated the use of local ingredients and thought that went into the breakfast preparation; we were asked ahead of time about our food likes/dislikes/allergies.

The Inn itself is very well-designed and has the vibe of a spa. The rooms are quiet and spacious and have wonderful amenities like an in-room recycling bin (thank you!), a generous-sized mini-fridge, in-room coffee maker with locally-produced ground coffee, and handmade wooden accessories.

Eco Hotels Chicago
Eco Hotels Chicago

How much does a room costs at Makanda Inn & Cottages?

Prices start 272$/night for Luxury Suite, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Resort View (Suite 1).

Where to book online – Makanda Inn & Cottages – Eco Hotels Chicago you can find the best eco friendly hotels deals in Chicago during Chicago Jazz Festival which  is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Chicago on Trip.com or Expedia.com or Hotels.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

 

3.  Virgin Hotels Chicago 4* – Eco Friendly Hotels Chicago

Virgin Hotels Chicago
Virgin Hotels Chicago

Steps away from the iconic shopping, dining and entertainment of Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile, this downtown Chicago boutique hotel puts a spin on modern luxury and comfort, offering 5 on-site restaurants, a rooftop bar and nightclub and expansive meeting and social spaces.

Each lifestyle-focused room at Virgin Hotels Chicago is designed with focus and relaxation in mind, offering a large dressing room area separated from the bedroom by sliding door panels. The dressing area features a closet with ample shelving and storage space, a well-lit make-up desk and a luxury walk-in shower with a rainfall shower head. An ergonomic bed and a 42-inch flat-screen LG Smart TV are provided in the bedroom area.

Panoramic views of the iconic city skyline surround the outdoor rooftop bar and nightclub. The Commons Club combines craft cocktails and small plates for guests to enjoy throughout the day. A premium coffee and wine bar is also available at the hotel.

A 4-minute walk from Millennium Park, this hip hotel is a mile from both the Museum of Contemporary Art and lively Navy Pier.

Sleek rooms with wood floors feature free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, plus minibars and coffeemakers. They also include separate dressing areas, ergonomic headboards and rainfall showerheads. Suites add separate living/dining areas. Room service is available 24/7.

Evening social hours are offered in a trendy cocktail lounge. There’s also a modern American diner, a hip rooftop bar and a coffee shop, as well as live entertainment and DJs. Other amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, a spa and 3 meeting rooms.

Virgin Hotels Chicago, situated in the heart of downtown Chicago, has re-imagined the hotel experience for consumers, combining heartfelt service and exclusivity for all. The 250-room, 26-story hotel considers every desire and comfort for the modern traveler. The hotels two-chamber room concepts (yes, two!), is complete with an ergonomic bed for optimal lounging, reading and relaxing; dressing area and closet space separated by a set of sliding privacy doors. It’s quite simple here: uninhibited high-speed WIFI, no hidden fees and street level pricing on minibar and videos on demand. No more ‘nickel and diming’.
Virgin Hotels Chicago has created 5 unique restaurant and lounge experiences, from Miss Ricky’s, a reinvented American diner; Two Zero Three, our Euro-style coffee and wine bar to The Commons Club, a hybrid bar, lounge, restaurant and laid back study with a members only vibe where all are welcome and the cherry on top, Cerise Rooftop full of spectacular views and eclectic drinks.
Everyone here is a bit kookie and helpful, which makes the stay more fun. Rooms are appointed so well—including eco friendly lights, recycling, etc.
Clean, modern, quirky, cosy and wonderful rooms with great beds. Good room layout and very soundproof. Best thing: great service & cool staff! Love The Tesla also, what a great idea to give free, eco friendlier rides to customers.

 The room is very nicely appointed with brand new decor and stylish furnishings like a “Vespa” chair and bright red mini-fridge. Bathroom was large and sparkling clean. Closets were open to the sink/vanity area which makes so much sense! Motion sensor lights in this area kept us from fumbling for switches while also being eco-friendly.

As the hotel stands at the northeast corner of the “Loop” L tracks, I wondered how the train noise would be. Our room was actually at that corner of the hotel (on the 19th floor) and I could barely hear the trains at all. Those who stay on lower floors might ask for a room at the northern end or eastern side of the hotel.

And speaking of noise control, heavy doors isolated our bedroom from the hotel hall so we never heard a peep from outside our room.

WiFi was free and easy to jump on.

Great roof-top bar–although the outside portion was closed due to rain the night we were there. Fun restaurant on the ground floor and nice-looking coffee/beer/wine bar just off the lobby too.

Short walk to Michigan Ave, the Bean, museums, etc. Also: they’ll offer you a lift to spots within 2 miles in the hotel’s own Tesla electric car.

Eco Friendly Hotels Chicago
Eco Friendly Hotels Chicago

How much does a room costs at Virgin Hotels Chicago?

Prices start 217$/night for Deluxe King Room. The One-Bedroom Suite is 331$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for couples.

Featuring a separate living room with a sofa, this spacious suite also offers a dining table, separate dressing room and two-sink vanity.

Where to book online – Virgin Hotels Chicago – Eco Friendly Hotels Chicago you can find the best eco friendly hotels deals in Chicago during Chicago Jazz Festival which  is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Chicago on Booking.com or Expedia.com or Hotels.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

by Sorin

Sorin is a freelance travel writer. He is an experienced travel writer and traveller. Since 2012 he explored more than 60 countries on 4 continents: Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. Currently is based in Romania after spending the last 7 years in Myanmar.