Illinois hotel backs out of hosting Muslim group conference

by Melanie Nayer on

A Muslim group canceled its annual U.S. conference after the Marriott hotel in Oak Brook, a suburb of Chicago, backed out of hosting the event.

American members of Hizb ut-Tahrir planned to hold their annual conference on Sunday, but according to the Chicago Tribune, the hotel sent a cancellation notice and refund to the group organizers about two weeks ago. The one-day event has drawn protesters in the past.

Conference organizer Ayman Hamed says about 1,000 people were expected. He said to the Tribune:

“We’re purely an intellectual political group,” said Hamed, who declined to discuss why he thought the hotel canceled. “We were very open when we approached the Marriott.”

According to Hamed, the group signed a contract with Marriott in May which stated that the hotel wouldn’t cancel unless there was a “catastrophic event or that conference participates were to engage in illegal activity.”

Hizb ut-Tahrir declares itself a political organization and advocates the establishment of an Islamic jurisdiction. While not on the terrorist group list in the U.S., the group is banned in Turkey and several Muslim countries.

Last year, the group held its U.S. conference at a hotel in Oak Lawn, another Chicago suburb. According to the Times, about 800 people attended the open-to-the-public event, titled “Fall of Capitalism and Rise of Islam”, but it was also heavily guarded by police and drew a handful of protesters who alleged the group was tied to terrorism.

Readers: What do you think? Was the hotel right to cancel the conference at the last minute?

Travel + Leisure names the world’s best hotels

by Melanie Nayer on

You deserve the very best. You’ve worked hard, probably played a little hard, and you’re ready to reward yourself by splurging on a much-needed gateway. So, where do the best of the best go when they want to escape?

With the help of their readers, Travel + Leisure editors released the 2010 World’s Best awards. The lists include everything from airlines to islands, and hotels to cruise ships. Here’s a look at the number one hotel rated in each region. For the entire list, click here.

US/Canada
Resort: San Ysidro Ranch, A Rosewood Resort, Santa Barbara, California
Large city hotel: Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago (pictured right)
Small city hotel: Hotel Bel-Air (reopening in 2011), Los Angeles
Inns: Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, Montana

Caribbean
Resort: Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Nevis

Hawaii
Resort: Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Hawaii Europe
Resort: Palazzo Sasso
Large city hotel: Olissippo Lapa Palance, Lisbon
Small city hotel: The Lanesborough, London
Inns & Small Country hotel: Domaine des Hauts de Loire, Onzain, France

Asia
Resort: Oberoi Vanyavilas, Rajasthan, India
City hotel: The Peninsula, Bangkok

Africa/Middle East
Lodges/Resort: Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Masai Mara, Kenya (pictured below)
City hotel: Four Seasons Hotel, Cairo at the First Residence

Mexico
Resort: Esperanza, an Auberge Resort, Los Cabos
City hotel: Four Seasons Hotel, México D.F., Mexico City

Latin America
Resort: Blancaneaux Lodge, San Ignacio, Belize
City hotels: Alvear Palace Hotel, Buenos Aires

Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific
Lodges/resort: Huka Lodge, Taupo, New Zealand City: The Langham, Melbourne

A tale of two brunches: Two of Chicago’s finest brunches

by Grant Martin on

Here in Chicago we take our brunches seriously — perhaps because our winter nights are long and we need something to shake the cobwebs of sleep from our weekends, or perhaps because we just need a good hangover cure. From Lincoln Park to Bucktown to Pilsen each neighborhood has its favorite haunt, Midwest sized stacks of French toast heaped on top of hashbrowns and bacon in a mountain of carbohydrate bliss.

The downtown hotel scene has done well at tapping into and emulating the thriving city brunch scene. Two of our favorites are only a stone’s throw away from the Magnificent Mile, making them well-accessible to locals, visitors and tourists alike.

Mercat a la Planxa (638 S. Michigan Ave), part of Marriott’s Blackstone Hotel, hosts an excellent Spanish-inspired brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings featuring a dazzling array of paella, tapas and sangria. Rolled across a sprawling, high ceilinged ballroom (pictured above,) the mood at Mercat is hip, laid back and inexpensive; one can get in and out of the restaurant for between $20 and $30 per person.

Just up the street in the Park Hyatt (800 N. Michigan Ave), NoMi‘s brunch is more of a high minded affair. With a main dining room that gazes over the Watertower square, the selection, service and dress code are nothing short of opulent. Custom ordered sushi or garden rolls from the in-house Japanese chefs? No problem. Hand cut roast from the carving station? They’ve got that too.

Sunday brunch at Nomi will run up to $55 per person with Saturday brunch an a la carte affair. For a real treat try NoMi on Mother’s Day, when a multi-course, no-holds-barred brunch will set you back over $100 each.

Chicago solution to budget problems: get passengers liquored up at O’Hare

by Scott Carmichael on

Chicago’s Mayor Daley has come up with a creative way to deal with his constant budget issues – introduce alcohol carts at Chicago O’Hare. The plan would allow current liquor license holders to sell booze at spots where there are no nearby restaurants or bars.

Thankfully, the idea isn’t as controversial as plans to sell booze at the baggage claim area, like McCarran in Las Vegas, but in a day and age where planes are quite regularly diverted because of drunk passengers, I’m not sure providing easier access to booze is such a good idea.

Worse yet, chances are that none of the cash generated for the city would go back to the airport – an airport that really needs all the help it can get. Anyone that has passed through O’Hare knows that it isn’t exactly a very welcoming airport. In the Daley plan, you’ll soon have an easier time finding someone selling cocktails than finding a quiet place to sit and relax.

The idea is still in its early stages, but chances are that restaurant operators will soon have even more places at O’Hare selling alcohol to needy passengers.

[Image from Flickr: pfala]

Five fantastic Chicagoland kid-friendly trips for the holiday weekend

by Scott Carmichael on

Stuck in Chicagoland in need of some inspiration for the upcoming holiday weekend? With so much to do in the city, it isn’t hard to find a way to entertain your family, but if you’d rather escape the traffic, heat and crowds, consider one of these five tips.

All locations are very kid friendly, and won’t break the bank. Got your own favorite you’d like to share? Leave it in the comments section!
Legoland Discovery Center



The Legoland Discovery center is located in Schaumburg – it is an all-indoor location, so you’ll want to pick this if you need a way to escape the heat or the rain. Despite the impressive name, the center isn’t really entertaining enough to occupy you all day, so be sure to plan some other activities in the area (Woodfield Mall, Gameworks, Pirates Cove theme park)

Attractions at the Discovery Center include the Dragon Quest ride, the Technicycle carousel and various model building stations. Tickets are $19 per person, but you’ll find a pack of discounted season passes at Chicagoland Costco stores – $25 for two “platinum” season passes.

Admission: $19 (adults) and $15 (kids)
Address: 601 N. Martingale Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Web site: legolanddiscoverycenter.com

Illinois Railway Museum

Located about an hour from Downtown Chicago is the Illinois Railway museum. This museum is home to the largest collection of rolling stock in the country, and operates its own five mile track offering rides on antique trains.

On the way to the Railway Museum, you’ll pass the outlet mall at Huntley, which is a great place for the grown ups to stock up on cheap apparel.

Admission: $11
Addres: 7000 Olson Road, Union, Illinois, 60180.
Web site: irm.org

Jelly Belly factory tour

This is another trip that won’t take up all day, but can easily be combined with other local attractions. This facility does not actually make Jelly Belly products, but it does store the inventory for the entire Midwest and eastern side of the country.

The factory tour lasts about 20 minutes, and all riders get a free bag of assorted Jelly Belly’s. The factory store has a massive selection of Jelly Belly products, as well as large bins of “belly flops,” misformed Jelly Belly’s that are sold at a huge discount.

Admission: free
Address:10100 Jelly Belly Lane, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin 53158
Web site: www.jellybelly.com

Donley’s Wild West Town

Donley’s is one of the few remaining wild west towns in the country. At the town, you’ll find everything you’d expect from a cowboy village – live shows, horse rides, a working jail, stores and more. The whole place is rather cheesy, but surprisingly entertaining, and all the staff are extremely dedicated at keeping things as realistic as possible.

Admission: $15 (kids under two are free)
Address: Route 20 & South Union Road, Union, Illinois 60180
Web site: www.wildwesttown.com

Morton Arboretum

The Morton Arboretum is not where you take your kids when you want rollercoasters and fairground food, but their 1700 acre gardens are a fantastic place to unwind and take in nature. The complex is home to a large variety of gardens, garden mazes, water features and more. A discovery center and restaurant are available at the end (or beginning) of your long walk.

Admission: $11 Adults (18–64) / $10 Seniors (65+) / $8 Youth (2–17)
Address: 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, IL 60532
Web site: mortonarb.org

[Image from Flickr user Willowbrookhotels]