Chicago Hotel Blog

Had another long weekend at the Ramada Chicago Hyde Park over Fathers Day. It was great though, about 300 people came in for the Sunday Brunch and had a great time as they always do at our brunch.

I also met some intresting people staying with us for a special event here in Chicago this week.  American Idol is in town for tryouts! Thousands of people are here to let “Simon, The Big Dog Randy and Paula” hear them sing their hearts out.  A couple of the girls were singing in the lobby, I hope to see them on the funny side of the show. I don’t think their going to make it!  No one else was letting us hear them so I couldn’t judge the others to see if we had a winner staying with us.

A large family came in from their day of visiting our fair city Saturday night.  They looked dead to the world.  They told me that they had walked 8 miles up Clark Street to see Wrigley Field.  Plus they walked all around downtown and at Navy Pier.  They were planning to go to the pool and just soak for the rest of the night.  Thats what we provide here at the Ramada “Rest & Relaxation.”  We even have a beach accross the street for those sun worshipers staying with us.  As I have always said there’s always something to do in Chicago and Ramada Chicago Hyde Park is just the place to recharge your batteries and enjoy A Great Midwestern Vacation Destination.

Tags: Chicago Beach, Chicago Hotel Blog, Chicago Vacation, Ramada Chicago, Things to do in Chicago

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Its amazing how many people come here for a Chicago Vacation! I can understand why, there’s so much here if your planning a Chicago Vacation. Every year thousands of people come to the Ramada Chicago Hyde park and they plan their Chicago Vacation. Being close to two Chicago beaches, near the Museum of Science & Industry and close to the Metra Train all our Chicago vacationers get to have easy access to all the great activities here during the summer here in Chicago.

Most people visit Navy Pier, The Chicago Cubs or Chicago White Sox or visit one of our great museums while there here on their Chicago Vacation. Many of the people that come here are Europe and its fun to watch them react to everything here in Chicago while their on vacation. As I have said before, alot of people are amazed by the view from our hotel looking out over Lake Michigan. When they see it, they think its the ocean!

Having a central location makes it easier to get out and see more attractions while your here on your Chicago Vacation. Some of our guests even go out as far as Great America or accross to Indiana and the gambling boats in Hammond or East Chicago. Of course Chicago theater has some of the best shows with top performers equal to or better than Broadway in New York!

View of Chicago From Ramada

What ever you like or want to do on your Chicago Vacation the Ramada is here to save you money on your room rate, and free parking so you get to enjoy more of our great city!

Tags: Chicago, Chicago Hotel, Chicago Museums, Chicago Vacation, Chicago Vacations

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I stayed at our hotel last night and its now Sunday Morning. Its a little overcast today and we’ve had rain off and on for the last day or so. I opened my hotel drapes this morning and decided to take a photo with my cell phone camera of several of the views that our guests see when they wake up. I wish it had been a sunnier day but even these views are better than the typical view that you see from many of the downtown hotels in Chicago. An example of that is also below. That picture is typical you only see other hotel rooms facing you or it could be worse you could be facing the garbage cans in the back alley!

I’ve also put a link in here to our new Flickr Page with some great pics of some of the art thats in the neighborhood. Some of it is architecture some of it sculptures. Either way there are some great things to look at when you stay at the Ramada Chicago Hyde Park. Getting just 5 minutes away from downtown lets you see a whole new side of the city.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chicagohotel

Here’s one of the photo’s I took nearby the Ramada

I just met three ladies that were staying here for a conference. Barbara, Linda and Jane got in a little personal time while they were here by escaping the conference and having our driver John take them downtown to the museum.
They came back later on and told me about their adventures downtown and they couldn’t thank me enough for giving them directions to some of the sights and sounds of Chicago. These girls from Minnesota needed to escape the winter coldness that engulfs that great state of theirs. I guess our warm hearted staff melted that coldness away! At least I hope it did! They said they are coming back again this summer. Ok, thats all for now I’ve got a bunch of Italian doctors (about 25 of them) staying here for a medical convention that want to talk to me.

Hope to see you here soon!

Tags: Chicago attractions, Chicago Conventions, Chicago Hotel, Ramada Chicago Hyde Park

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Everyday when I go to work, I’m amazed by the view that we have in front of our hotel. We look out across Lake Shore Drive and behold one of the “Great Lakes”, Lake Michigan presents itself in all its grandeur. Many of our guests that arrive here from around the world always say the same thing…”it looks like the ocean!” And it does! We also get to look across the lake towards downtown Chicago and see the majestic skyline of this great city who’s in the running to host the 2016 Olympics.

Looking out over this view I always want to take a picture. In fact I’ve started bringing my camera to work. The city and the lake have a different look each day. The sky changes color, the water is different shades of blue, the sunlight highlights the skyscrapers downtown differently. Take a look at the architectual details on some of the buildings, like the museums in the area. Many of the buildings are really works of art, the detailed craftmanship on the stone work brings these buildings to life… makes you wish you could be a stone carver and do such wonderful work that will be noticed and marveled at for years and years to come.

By looking at the newer buildings, it seems that many of these artists have long left this world and the canvas thats being painted now is just colored steel and concrete. Many of our guests after enjoying the main attractions in Chicago, start exploring the inner city and begin to see those details that make Chicago special. Now, that could be our unique older buildings, our people, our landscape or even our animal life. Like our special friend that lives here in Hyde Park against all odds away from their home halfway around the world. Their normal enviroment is the Amazon Rain Forest but somehow they have adapted and now call Chicago Hyde Park their home.

If you look up in the larger trees in our neighborhood you will see these nests made up of twigs. In fact, they can be as large as four to five feet in height. When you first see this little green bird that resembles a parrot, you think how in the world can this happen. Usually when you see one, your going to see a dozen or more at a time, as they do stay in flocks. They are called Monk Parakeets. They are the largest parakeet I’ve ever seen. They are fun to watch and their nests actually have room for multiple families in them so their body heat combined helps them survive the cold Chicago winters.

How they got here no one knows for sure. Possibly an escaped pet or a broken cargo container. Either way they are just one of the great things about Chicago that our guests get to enjoy when they stay here. So bring your camera and explore a unique side of Chicago.

Tags: Chicago attractions, Chicago Blog, Chicago Hyde Park, hotel blog, Hyde Park, Monk Parakeets, Ramada Chicago Hyde Park

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