Green Hotel Indianapolis

Ways to participate in Super Bowl XLVI without a ticket, ideas 5-1:

5. Check out the new Chase Near East side Legacy Center and Indianapolis Youth Education Town

The NFL supports the development of a Youth Education Town in each city.  This leaves a lasting legacy for the youth and families in the area.  Indy's Super Bowl will focus on Arsenal Tech High School.  You can see the webcam of the center's pr ogres here.

4. Stay Connected with Super Bowl XLVI

Sign up for newsletters and updates leading up to the Big Game.  Keep in touch with 1st & Green, Super Service and more!  Keep in touch with our hotel as well!  Find the Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown on Facebook and Twitter!

3. Encourage kids to be active with the NFL Play 60 Challenge

You've probably seen the commercials.  This program is geared toward schools, but you can certainly apply its principles to your neighborhood, after-school care, kids, etc.  The challenge to to get kids outside and playing actively for 60 minutes a day at school and home.  Let's help prevent childhood obesity!  Our Indianapolis meeting hotel staff is considering starting up a workout program a couple evenings a week.  The cookies at the Front Desk continue to put pounds on all of us!  Ha!

2. Celebrate "all things football" in Super Bowl Village

Georgia Street is under construction to turn into a great pedestrian-only boulevard in the heart of downtown Indianapolis.  It will lead directly to the NFL Fan Experience in the convention center.  We are one of many hotels near the Indianapolis Convention Center even at six blocks away.  NFL will be represented with all 32 franchises surrounded by bars, nightlife, great dining and live music!

1. Be your own pro-football star at the NFL Experience

An interactive theme park dedicated to football?  Yes, please!  Memorabilia.  Kids' football clinics.  Autograph sessions.  More.  More! MORE!!  The most exciting thing?  TICKETS ARE AFFORDABLE FOR THE NORMAL PERSON!

As you might have guessed, hotels are sold out, restaurants will be packed and to get to Super Bowl XLVI the normal person may have to sell an organ or their soul.  I'm sure to be on call 24/7 and sleeping in the office that weekend.  Luckily, we just ordered new, comfortable (I hope) chairs.  Ha!

There are plenty of other ways to get involved with the Super Bowl in downtown Indianapolis starting right now!  A list created by the Super Bowl Host Committee gives us the top ten things we can do to be involved in the BIG GAME without a ticket!

10. Fight breast cancer with Indy's Super Cure

Indy has partnered with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Tissue Bank at IU Simon Cancer Center.  You can contribute financially, become a tissue donor to increase the diversity of breast tissue samples received to help fight cancer and/or volunteer at the Komen Tissue Bank.  Tissue donation events will be taking place up to and including the week of Super Bowl XLVI.

• Outdoor Concerts on the Canal
• Indianapolis Museum of Art admission
• Sit outside of the fence at The Lawn at White River State Park to hear the music, but not see it.
• IDADA's First Fridays on Mass Ave
• Bike ride along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail

• Indianapolis Indians baseball game at Victory Field
• Take a salsa class at IntoSalsa Latin Dance Studio
• McCormick & Schmick's happy hour
• Biergarten at The Rathskeller
• Guided tour of Garfield Park Conservatory

• Beer or wine taste at SunKing, Easley Winery and Rock Bottom
• See a play at Indiana Repertory Theatre
• Burlesque show at White Rabbit Cabaret
• Get classical at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
• Use IDI's Farm to Table Guide to buy some local produce and then cook together

It's May.  The weather hasn't been the best so far this spring.  It's been cold, rainy, stormy, rainy, cloudy, rainy, wet and rainy.  With the nicer (hopefully) weather coming up this weekend, I'm really looking forward to getting on my bicycle and riding around town.  I just moved downtown about two miles away from work and love to ride around downtown and to my downtown Indy hotel.

Downtown Indianapolis is such a bike-able area!  We have the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, the Central Canal Towpath and hookup to the Monon Trail.  See my post from last April about Indy being named a top 10 bike-friendly city!  There is so much to see and do in downtown Indy and traveling by bicycle is a quick, healthy and environmentally friendly way to get around.

May 20th this year celebrates the Indianapolis Bike To Work Day.  Residents from all over the city will leave their car at home and put on their helmets for a ride.  Even those who live outside of downtown and usually commute can put their bike on the bus and ride to a closer spot before pedaling.  As an employee of our green hotel Indianapolis, I'll definitely be participating on my new single-speed cruiser.  I've never been able to participate before, having lived 30 miles away from downtown.

There will be plenty of bicycle parking on Monument Circle, just 1/2 block from the Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown.  The festivities kick off at 6:30am with group bike trains from various points throughout Indy.  Monument Circle opens to bikers at 7am, a speech by the mayor and others will take place just before 8am and there will be food and vendors on the Circle all day.  Lunch rides on the Cultural Trail will happen at noon.  Finally, at 3:30pm, the Tomlinson Tap Room will begin their happy hour and will be serving fresh, local beer.  Tomlinson Tap Room is located just one block from our three star hotel downtown Indianapolis inside the City Market.

• Kindred Hospital-Indianapolis
• Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health'
• IU Health University
• IU Simon Cancer Center
• IU Health Methodist
• St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital
• St. Francis Indianapolis Hospital
• Community Hospital-East
• Larue D Carter Memorial Hospital
• St. Vincent Women's Hospital

Gone are the days of the 75 cents an hour parking in downtown, Broad Ripple and Mass Ave.  Though we've been quite lucky considering the price to park at a metered spot in these areas hasn't changed in three decades, it still puts a little sting at the thought of yet another price increase.  ParkIndy has begun installation of the new parking meter caps.

No more parking for 75 cents an hour. No more free parking after 6pm. And no more free parking on Saturdays. On one hand it will be more convenient for those of us who don't carry cash to pay the meter with a debit or credit card. The deal is supposed to bring jobs to Indy. The city is supposed to benefit from this.

On the other hand, there is this article. I'll leave it up to you to decide.

Having worked at the Front Desk of our fine Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown, I know what it's like to search for affordable parking downtown. I used to drive 30 miles to work before searching for a meter for 15 minutes. Then, working 3pm until 11pm, I would only have to pay $2.25 to park. For the same team members on the same shift today, it will cost them $6. Day shift will be $8.

Forget the garages near our downtown Indy hotel! If you want a monthly parking option! $90 to $160 for a non-reserved spot plus gas and food. It adds up. I understand the city's attraction to this deal...but I'm still waiting on someone to lower prices or offer personal value instead of increasing cost and decreasing value.

Stay tuned while I try to help keep the change in your pocket by offering our Indianapolis hotel packages, tips on free things to do downtown and offers of contests on our Facebook page for free stays and food. It's not much, but it's something. And guess what? When you stay with our green hotel Indianapolis, you can park for $14 a night...unlimited in and out privileges. No waking up at 7am after a night on the town to feed the meter.

In any organization, a centennaial year is of grand importance.  This year Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. celebrates 100 years of achievement and is having their 80th Grand Chapter Meeting in Indy from July 5-10, 2011.

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity was founded on January 5, 1911 on the campus of Indiana University.  Since then the organization has grown tremendously "uniting college men of culture, patriotism and honor in a bond of fraternity."

No doubt if you are a Kappa Alpha Psi brother, you are planning on company to Indy to celebrate 100 years of Kappa.  If you are looking for hotels near Indianapolis where you can stay during the meeting, then you want to check out our green hotel Indianapolis as an option.

The Official Centennial Celebration Kick-off Events are held from Jan. 4th-9th, 2011.  Here is a quick list of the events that are planned for this exciting occassion:

• Fireside Chats and Historical perspectives from Kappa IU Icons
• Welcome Dinner hosted by Bloomington (IN) Alumni Chapter
• Wine and Cheese Social
• Kappa Centennial Kick-off Ceremony
• Official Pilgrimage/Kappa Trail
• Centennial Luncheon hosted by Alpha Chapter
• Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Founders Graves
• Centennial Founders’ Day Banquet & Celebration

Please feel to reach out to us if you are looking for a hotel deal Indianapolis while you bond with and enjoy the company of your Kappa brothers.

Although originally an Irish holiday, Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many cities in the United States.  In Indianapolis, just like in other cities in the US, the parade on March 17 is the highlight of the St. Patty’s Day celebration.

But 6 days before the parade, the Indy Sports Foundation has also lined up several Shamrock and green events in the city.  The 20th Annual Shamrock Run and Walk will take place at 9am on March 12 at Monument Circle.  This race is open to people of all ages and the participants are encouraged to wear green or Irish-inspired costumes.

Be on Ohio Street early on March 17 for the Greening of the Canal.  At 6 am, city officials and guests pour green dye into the canal.  This is followed by the Tent Party on Vermont Street at 10am.  Aside from featuring an Irish band and Irish foods, the tent party also includes the traditional awarding of the Irish Citizen of the Year.

The 31st Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be at 11:30 am, so you may just drop by the Tent Party before or after the parade.

To be able to participate in all the St. Patty’s Day events, be sure to be in downtown Indy early on March 17.  You may book a room for March 16 at our Newly Renovated Hotel Indianapolis so that you can easily come to the event venues the following day.  Monument Circle is just half a block away from our discount hotel Indianapolis.

Looking for great Indianapolis hotel packages?  Check out our website or call 317-955-9700 for more information.

Last summer, Mike Campbell wrote about the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and how our Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown will be connected to it.  (You can read his blog here.) Downtown Indy was featured in an article on Project for Public Spaces, "a nonprofit planning, design and educational organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities."  Our city was featured in an article next to cities like Hong Kong, Melbourne, Zurich and Bogota who are all transforming, or have transformed, to become a greener, less auto-reliant cities.

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is a pedestrian and bicycle focused greenway which, when completed, will connect many cultural districts in the central city.  As our green hotel Indianapolis is 1/2 block away from Monument Circle, we are essentially connected.  I think the City of Indianapolis is doing great things with this project.  The Cultural Trail will connect hotels near Indianapolis Convention Center to the Murat, Conseco Fieldhouse, Fountain Square district and more.

I can't wait to move back downtown and ride my bike to work on this trail!

For more information on Project for Public Spaces and to read the article, visit their website.

Green Key Global is a international organization (US and Canada) that ranks hotels on 9 areas of sustainability (energy conservation, water conservation, solid waste management, hazardous waste management, indoor air quality, community outreach, building infrastructure, land use, and environmental management).  This encompasses all facets of our business from our hotel meetings to our hotel sleeping rooms.

A Four Green Keys designation is described by Green Key Global in this way:  “A hotel that has shown national industry leadership and commitment to protecting the environment through wide ranging policies and practices.  Mature programs that involve management, employees, guests, and the public have shown substantial and measurable results.

If travelling green is important to you, and you need hotel accommodations Indianapolis, then we invite you to stay with us or check out our environmental statement above. 
 

While perusing Twitter for interesting things around town, I came across this link.  Indianapolis was listed in the top 50 bike-friendly cities in the country! Although there are many trails in Indy to ride, the most well-known and probably the most popular is the Monon Trail.  It's beginning/end points are located in downtown, near 10th and Massachusetts, connects with the Monon Greenway at 96th Street and ends at 146th and Gray Road.

Mass Ave is a great place to start, too!  The avenue touts some great local restaurants, unique shopping, salons, theatres and music venues.  Our hotel is the closest of the downtown Indy hotels near Murat Centre, where touring bands, comedians and plays stop to entertain.  Another staple, and one of my personal favorites, The Rathskeller is on Mass Ave.  They have a great outdoor biergarten with concerts in the summer, a beautiful historic feel and a dizzying list of great German beers from which to choose!  Also, many of the weddings booked at The Rathskeller find accommodations for their guests at our Indianapolis wedding hotel.

The Monon is paved and has great scenery along the way.  From industrial warehouses to residential areas and a jaunt through Broad Ripple, the Monon has lots to see in its 15.5 miles.  The Monon begins just 1.5 walking/riding miles from the Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown.  So you can start here, ride up, check out Broad Ripple and Carmel or start up there and come visit our hotel Indianapolis green hotel just off the greenway!

Now that we are on the other side of the process of making us the most newly renovated hotel in downtown Indy, I can share the green processes we used to lessen the impact to the environment. While we were able to incorporate several practices and introduce several products that were eco friendly, we also ran into several challenges that kept us from implementing everything we wanted to do with regard to this topic. So any suggestions of what we can do moving forward would be greatly appreciated.

Any time you do a renovation you have to balance what you need to do and what you want to do.   Here’s our scorecard:

1.        We were able to donate about 16,000 square feet of carpet and padding to another business.

2.       That which we weren’t able to donate, due to condition or lack of interest, we sent to Kruse Carpet Recycling Center. This amounted to about 51,000 square feet of carpet and padding

3.       We refurbished and reupholstered out common area seating on the second floor landings rather than replace the entire furniture piece as the frame was still in very good shape

4.       We were able to utilize Sherwin Williams Harmony line of zero VOC paint for all accent painting done in the main lobby and in the elevator landings on each floor, and in the restaurant. 

5.       Much of our fabric in our new guestroom and lobby seating was made with 100% recycled fibers.

6.       Any plastic or cardboard packaging that came with the new furniture was recycled this amounted to a tremendous amount of cardboard and the single stream recycling option from Waste Management made this a easy process and they were very helpful in working with us to remove the tremendous amount of cardboard that came with the packaging of our new guestroom chairs, lobby furniture, and restaurant seating. 

7.       We introduced dimmable CFL fluorescent bulbs into our restaurant area, and have experimented with LED lighting solutions in our lobby. To date the LED lighting solution does not deliver on adequate illumination in the lobby and we are told in about 3-4 months a satisfactory LED lighting will be available to replace a 250w flood lamp, which is our primary lighting source for the lobby. We are anxious to seeing this work.

I guess most important of all we were able to demonstrate to our management design company that several low cost/no cost sustainable solutions are available with a project like this and hopefully we can prod other hotels to take some of these same steps.