1. The Wit Hotel opened in May at the downtown intersection of State and Lake. With a facade bearing a yellow zigzag, the 27-story property houses 238 guest rooms and 60 suites. In-room amenities range from soaking tubs to 60-inch flat-screen TVs. On the third and fourth floors, meeting spaces such as Dickinson and Wilde are named after famous wits and can host conferences for groups of 16 to 99 guests. On the fourth floor, a multimedia theater called Screen can seat 40 in recliners, couches, and club chairs. Other features of the property include a spa, which can be rented for groups of 10.
2. Also open since May, the boutique River Hotel overlooks the Chicago River from Wacker Drive. One hundred guest rooms include business-traveler perks such as workstations and free high-speed Internet; corporate apartments are also available. On the ground floor, Italian restaurant Bella Bacino’s serves comfort classics like pizza and bruschetta.
3. Hotel Felix debuted on the border of River North and the Gold Coast in April. The boutique property took over a 1920s building and, after a $20 million renovation, is awaiting its LEED certification. Three meeting rooms offer seating for 20 to 34; and 225 guest rooms provide wireless Internet and iPod and iPhone docks.
4. The Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza completed a $20 million renovation in June. New amenities in the hotel’s 521 guest rooms include 32-inch flat-screen LCD TVs and complimentary high-speed Internet access. The property’s 20,000-square-foot conference center, which spans two floors and offers 13 meeting rooms, also underwent a full renovation.
