Top Hotel Deals in Chicago

●Excellent location near the world-famous Chicago Art Institute, Millennium Park, the Museum Campus and lakefront.

● Enjoy local favorites like Chicago-style hot dogs. You can hit the gym or pool later.

● Extra in-room benefits include Keurig coffeemakers, 49" flat-screens with HBO, Netflix and Apple TV streaming—plus free WiFi.

● Style in this hotel is popular in a laid-back way. And it’s perfectly placed in a gallery-dotted neighborhood.

● Award-winning (Best Hotel Bar) Broken Shaker offers hand-made drinks and street-food inspired treats.

● Hit Café Integral for light bites and hand-made drinks of both the wine and caffeine.

● Head to the rooftop bar for drinks and views (especially if it’s a Navy Pier fireworks night!).

● Get great views from floor-to-ceiling windows.

● Rooftop terrace (露台) serves outdoor bites, wine, drinks and a celebration of all-things in summer.

● Modern interiors (内部) within a cool old building, ideally situated in the heart of the city, steps from the Magnificent Mile.

● Fast and free WiFi so you can keep up with all the quality programming you get to watch when you’re at home. 

● Pet-friendly hotel with no extra charge for your furry friends.

By the time the British adventurer Ash Dykes reached Chongqing 178 days after starting to trek (长途跋涉) along the Yangtze River from its source to the sea, the most difficult part of the journey was over. Dykes had completed about 2,430 miles, and all he needed to do was cover the next 1,550 miles in 187 days or less to complete the whole journey.

On August 26 last year, a three-man team, including two guides and a horse, hit the road at the starting point, the source of the Yangtze River in the south of Qinghai Province. Then at different times for the next two months, different people had come to join them.

In order to cross the plateau (高原) and mountains in good weather, the journey was planned to start in summer. However, because of the problems in preparations, Dykes arrived in Qinghai in late August as the days were becoming shorter and colder. Not wanting to wait for another year, he decided to continue.

Within a few days three of the adventurers experienced serious high altitude sickness (高原反应). In the mountains, the team had to light fire to scare off bears, and once they had been followed by a group of wolves for two days. They were forced to quit the journey. In fact, Dykes has been walking alone since late October.

“The rest of the trip would be much easier,” Dykes said. He started from Chongqing on the second half of the journey on March 11. At the same time,he called on more people to join him in some parts of the trek as a way to encourage environmental protection.

“Travelling along the Yangtze River is not only a great act, it’s also a chance to enjoy the true beauty and wonders of China, and attract people’s attention to the environment and good work to protect it,” he wrote on his Weibo. “However, the kindness and warmth of the local people have struck me so much that it is they that make the journey unforgettable.”

Sometimes, we need a little help and get back to a state of mindfulness when it comes to taking care of our physical and mental health. Wellness vacations are on the rise.