Dana Hotel & Spa, Chicago
Inspired by the Sanskrit expression "dana," which means "the pleasure of giving," this boutique hotel exemplifies the art of "giving back" to its guests, the local community, and our planet.
Maintenance-free lighted Mirrors: The Dana Hotel and Spa gives back to the environment.
In the heart of Chicago's River North neighborhood, steps away from the bustling Magnificent Mile, the Dana Hotel and Spa is a tranquil urban refuge. Inspired by the Sanskrit expression "dana," which means "the pleasure of giving," this boutique hotel exemplifies the art of "giving back" to its guests, the local community, and our planet.
Located on the corner of Erie and State, the Dana has been recently reconstructed (on the same site as the former Dana Hotel - originally named the Erie Hotel - built in 1891), through a joint venture of the Chicago-based Neighborhood Development Corporation, and Gold Coast Hotels, Inc.
The new Dana has been created with a combination of contemporary and natural, sustainable, Asian-inspired materials and designs, by Walker Eckenhoff, of Chicago's Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, and Andre Landon, with Houston-based EDI Architecture Inc. The 26-story building is sleek in design, each floor covering only 5,700 square feet. The exterior façade is a glass and aluminum window wall bordered by concrete.
The ground floor public area (the hotel's effort to "give back" to the neighborhood) features a 28-foot high glass window, "an undulating timber wall," a 2-story fireplace, as well as the Ajasteak Japanese steakhouse, and "floating" sushi bar. Guest registry and lobby is on the 2nd floor, reached by a glass stairwell with a black sand base. Guests may also choose to enjoy music and drinks at the rooftop Vertigo Lounge, or relax in Zen-like bliss in the hotel's signature spa, which includes bamboo bricks and recycled glass terrazzo flooring.
The Dana's 216 guest rooms, including 22 suites, have exposed concrete ceilings, warm-hued walnut wood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and large Asian spa-like bath and showers featuring imported, organic Italian marble.
To complete the hotel's serene style, the Neighborhood Development Corp. reached out to Everett, WA-based Electric Mirror, who also practices "dana" through their maintenance-free products, and their Beautiful World™ green initiatives. According to Patrick Dahlstrom, Regional Project Manager, focal points in both the guestroom baths as well as the public restrooms are Electric Mirror's Integrity™ lighted mirrors, with "our standard frosted patterned glass, and our maintenance-free low-mercury lamps." Company president Jim Mischel adds that "the lamps need only be changed once every 7 years." This saves a typical 300-room hotel an average of $42,000 in maintenance and lamp replacement costs, as well reducing the negative impact of mercury on our environment, and eliminating landfill waste.
NDC's Colleen Polizzi explains that they had been unhappy with the quality of other products on the market, until discovering Electric Mirror at a trade show. They were seeking guestroom fixtures that give off enough light, as well as being low-maintenance and environmentally friendly, and found that "Electric Mirror's products work for us. They are so easy to maintain, are a quality product, and are designed for easy use."
Dahlstrom communicated one on one with NDC, to ensure that the Dana's needs were met. Adds Polizzi, "It was great working with Patrick. He was very responsive, and worked well with our deadlines and budget."
If you are looking to add a little "dana" to your life, visit Chicago's Dana Hotel and Spa, and in turn, experience the "pleasure of giving back" with Electric Mirror's maintenance-free lighted mirrors.