In Chicago, as everywhere, a healthy attendee is a focused attendee. Not only does a health-and-wellness focus keep meeting-goers relaxed, connected and energetic, but active outings show off the Third Coast at its best.
“Health and fitness is absolutely a part of Chicago’s culture,” says Nathan Aydelott, director of marketing at East Bank Club (EBC). “Walk along the iconic lakefront during the summer and you’ll see what feels like the whole city out there running, biking, playing volleyball. We’re a bike-centric city with bike lanes that make it easy and safe to travel.”
The success of the massive East Bank Club itself can be taken as proof that Chicagoans value fitness. The 450,000-square-foot facility is consistently ranked one of the top fitness clubs in the country. EBC’s 10,000 members enjoy seven indoor tennis courts, four swimming pools and a 60,000-square-foot sundeck, among other top-notch facilities.
EBC, the original anchor of the redeveloped River North neighborhood, also makes a stellar off-site for a meeting.
“EBC is all about health and wellness, of course, so it makes it a perfect venue for anyone looking to promote healthy living,” Aydelott says. “We offer heart-healthy menu items, and you can include guest passes to work out as part of your event. We organize fitness-focused activities for event and meeting groups, and our fitness professionals can lead groups in yoga exercises, Pilates-based stretching, nutrition discussions and more.”
Event space at EBC includes the 2,772-square-foot River View Room, a 1,752-square-foot terrace and a 500-square-foot boardroom. The club’s elegant restaurant, Maxwell’s at the Club, offers banquet space.
Healthy Hotels
Chicago’s upscale meeting hotels cater to health-conscious groups, including offerings from Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants.
“Kimpton has pioneered numerous health-focused programming over the years, such as complimentary bike rentals, cold-pressed juicing, running with the manager and in-room yoga,” says Suzanne Halperin, senior director of operations for catering at Kimpton Chicago. “We have been a trendsetter in this arena. However, now it’s definitely a global initiative in our industry.”
Kimpton currently boasts four Chicago properties, with a fifth slated to open in 2016. Hotel Palomar offers group passes to local fitness club Shred415, and private classes are available by arrangement. Hotel Monaco offers gluten-free options for lunch and dinner, as well as water service with added fruit and herbs to fancy up the H2O and encourage hydration. Both of these properties, along with Kimpton’s Hotel Burnham and Hotel Allegro, present planners with a healthy-eating meeting package, food breaks wherein groups build their own trail mix bars and smoothies, and yoga mats and hula hoops for active breaks.
In addition to the luxury promised by its five-star, five-diamond status, The Peninsula Chicago serves up cultural, historical and wellness education with its Peninsula Academy program. One academy offering, Eastern Eats, comprises a dim-sum cooking class and tea ceremony at the renowned Shanghai Terrace restaurant.
The hotel’s 19th and 20th floors are devoted to health and wellness, with a half-Olympic-size swimming pool, spa and fitness center. Daily group fitness classes range from sunrise yoga and mat Pilates to high-intensity interval training. There are 339 guest rooms and 11,250 square feet of meeting space.
PageBreak
The James Hotel hosts private spa parties and offers curated meeting breaks. Examples of breaks can include a tranquil tasting of rare teas paired with finger foods, or Break to Give, a hands-on service project to benefit the community. There are 297 guest rooms and 7,000 square feet of meeting space.
Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago offers scheduled group fitness classes such as spinning, guided lakefront runs and sunrise yoga on the 16th floor terrace with river, lake and city views. The Trump Wellness Program brings together the food and beverage department, fitness center, Trump Attache concierge service and hip fitness brands Technogym and Under Armour. The program ensures that travelers will receive a customized nutrition and fitness regimen during their stay. There are 339 guest rooms and 26,000 square feet of meeting space.
Fabulous Fitness Outings
Health and wellness aren’t static labels to be earned, but ongoing experiences to seek out and enjoy. Chicago offers many opportunities for groups to break up the agenda with active outings that promote relaxation, connection and exertion.
Rooted Self Expression Center, located in Wicker Park, is dedicated to the cultivation of fitness for the soul. Rooted creates experiences designed to foster emotional wellness in individuals and groups.
“We go and we work out our bodies all the time, but emotions wind up having a huge impact on our decisions, our relationships, our physical health,” says Shruti Sekhr, founder and CEO of Rooted. “When it comes to groups that are meeting together, I’d highlight stress management. It’s the highest cost-driver. The other piece is really about fostering deeper connections. We do it experientially. It actually works really well with strangers.”
Corporate group programs (dubbed wellRooted) use various art forms–crayon drawing, dance movement, voice work, improv acting, expressive and creative writing–to help people connect to self-knowledge and each other. One of the facility’s pinnacle sessions is called “Self-Care in the City.” The intimate, 10- to 12-person session promotes mindfulness as an antidote to the complex demands of modern life.
Rooted, which offers two studios at its location, can customize the focus of a group session on teambuilding or other aspects. For planners interested in a unique physical experience, Rooted’s Techno Yoga is a popular option. Techno Yoga, which takes place in the dark, involves electronic dance music and glowsticks. Almost any space with a top-flight sound system and the potential for complete darkness can host a Techno Yoga session.
West Loop’s Spa Space specializes in group spa experiences. Groups as small as four or as large as 40 can indulge themselves with a relaxing and pampering spa party. Guests can receive manicures, pedicures, facials and massages.
Walking tours are a great way for groups to stretch their legs while enjoying Chicago’s world-famous architecture, cuisine and history from an intimate, pedestrian viewpoint. Chicago Loop Bridges takes groups of 10 to several of the city’s fascinating movable bridges, where they can see the bridge lifts in action and learn about their history and maintenance.
Bobby’s Bike Hike welcomes groups on guided bike tours of the lakefront neighborhoods, Southside gangster history, museums and parks at sunset, or even a nighttime city lights tour. Tours are suitable for groups as large as 250. Bobby’s Bike Hike also offers walking tours year-round.
