OPENINGS, SALES AND RENOS Feb. 25, 2020

Inn at Laurel Point renewal complete

VICTORIA, B.C. — Inn at Laurel Point is celebrating their official reopening following a stunning transformation. The multimillion-dollar renewal project including lobby, Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio, meeting and event space, and gardens, celebrates both the history and natural beauty of this award-winning property, bringing it into a new era of modern luxury.

This renewal project completes the vision of Inn at Laurel Point’s founders, the late Paul and Artie Arsens. “It’s an absolute joy and honour to fulfill the Arsens’ dream and realize the vision of renowned architect Arthur Erickson, and designer Robert Ledingham, from over 30 years ago,” says Ian Powell, managing director of Inn at Laurel Point. “We’ve taken an architecturally stunning waterfront building and completed the vision with classic modern touches and we’re ready for the world to see it.”

Architect John Graham, who was part of the original Arthur Erickson project oversaw the Inn at Laurel Point’s renewal. Doubling in size, the new lobby features floor to ceiling windows and contemporary fireplace. The lobby also features a new ‘grab & go’ that will be stocked with treats prepared by the Inn’s award-winning culinary team.

The entire transformation infuses a modern, warm, relaxed and serene design inspired by the area’s natural beauty. “We can’t wait to see the look on people’s faces when they arrive at the new lobby and feel as though they’re on the prow of a ship right in the inner harbour,” says Graham.

Recently unveiled to guests, the renewal’s first phase, Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio, has received rave reviews. With a revitalized interior and an innovative menu unique to Victoria’s hotel restaurant scene, this iconic waterfront restaurant boasts stunning panoramic views of Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

Award-winning executive chef Takashi Ito, restaurant chef Austin Lu and their talented culinary team created a globally inspired small plates menu that offers guests a variety of bold flavours. “Offering our guests, a unique culinary experience that combines farm-direct ingredients with international flavours that inspire them is what it is all about,” says Lu. “Small plates are perfect, since it means they can try many dishes, which is always a fun way to dine with friends.”

Knights Inn comes to Prince George and North Bay

DENVER — RLH Corporation has announced the opening of two new Canadian hotel franchises under the Knights Inn flag, further enhancing its roster to 21 Knights Inn branded hotels in Canada and 230 locations worldwide.

Hotel openings include a 44-room Knights Inn Prince George, B. C., and a 36-room Knights Inn North Bay, Ont. Both properties offer free guest Wi-Fi, complimentary hot breakfast, pet-friendly accommodations and open parking with proximity to guestrooms.

“As new members of the Canadian Franchise Association and with focused development efforts in these regions, we are thrilled to give Canadian travellers more lodging opportunities at our ever-reliable Knights Inn brand,” says Harry Sladich, executive vice-president of franchise development. “Both properties will provide travelers with necessities and service they can rely on.”

Knights Inn offers reliable essentials and friendly staff giving hotel guests more of what they want and less of what they don’t need. From the booking process to on-site assistance, Knights Inn aims to be as efficient as possible providing travellers with a clean room, comfortable bed, and essentials that make people feel at home. This brand is the smart choice for business, commuting and leisure travellers alike.

Nita Lake opens champagne nail bar

WHISTLER — A one-of-a-kind spa experience is now available at Whistler’s leading boutique hotel. The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge has revealed a striking, newly renovated space, with a glamorous Champagne Nail Bar at its heart.

Complementing the newly licensed spa space, Nita Lake Lodge has developed a property-wide partnership with Moët et Chandon. Guests can choose from a selection of exclusive Champagne treatments starting from $120 or simply add a chilled Moët et Chandon Impérial Brut Mini to any treatment for $40.

Guests are welcomed to The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge in the spacious reception and retail area, accessed via the new ground level entrance (previously the location of Loka Yoga). Here the focus is on esthetic treatments with space for four guests at the focal Champagne Nail Bar, as well as pedicure stations and two treatment rooms for aesthetic treatments including Verjú Laser and Hydrafacials. Upstairs, the space is dedicated to a spacious relaxation lounge alongside the main treatment rooms, changing spaces, revitalizing eucalyptus steam room and outdoor rooftop hot tubs with unmatched views of Whistler Mountain.

In keeping with the elegant design of the entire property, The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge features contemporary, clean lines and touches of mid-century modern with statement, handcrafted furniture and a palette of white, black and natural wood tones. The space has been taken from concept to reality by Massuger Design + Build, Bradbury Architecture, alongside Interior Designer Kate Carlson from Bowerman’s Handcrafted Furniture and Cabinetry. Working closely with the interior design team were Carolyn Scholz, co-owner of Nita Lake Lodge and Hannah Edwards, Spa Manager, ensuring that all details were taken care of and in keeping with the existing brand, design of The Spa and its vision for the future. All cabinetry and live edge wood slabs were crafted by Bowerman’s renowned artisans.

Radisson Sudbury sold by Colliers

SUDBURY, Ont. — Colliers International Hotels is pleased to announce the sale of the 148-key Radisson Hotel Sudbury on behalf of Vista Sudbury Hotel Inc. to Royal Empire Group Inc.

The property occupies a central location in downtown Sudbury and is part of a larger 12-acre complex anchored by Rainbow Centre Mall with approximately 300,000 square feet of retail, 350,000 square feet of office space and approximately 950 parking spots. The transaction closed in February 2020.

Temple approved to go private

MISSISSAUGA — Temple Hotels Inc. announced recently that it has received a final order by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) approving the previously announced statutory plan of arrangement under section 192 of the Canada Business Corporations Act, pursuant to which Morguard Corporation will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Temple not currently owned by Morguard.

The arrangement is subject to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the satisfaction or waiver of other customary closing conditions.

It is expected that the arrangement will be completed on or around February 18, 2020.

Temple is a hotel investment company with hotel properties located across Canada. Temple is listed on the TSX under the symbol TPH. The primary long-term investment objectives of Temple are to yield stable and growing cash flows and to maximize its long-term share value through the active management of its assets, accretive acquisitions, and the performance of value-added capital improvement programs on selected properties, as deemed appropriate.

TownePlace Suites Edmonton opens

SHERWOOD PARK, Alta. — Marriott International’s TownePlace Suites by Marriott Edmonton Sherwood Park is now open for business. The new 105-suite hotel is built for travellers looking for a simple and friendly place where they can settle-in, keep their routine, and easily connect to the Sherwood Park area. Located at 1001 Provincial Avenue, it will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by PHI Hotel Group of Surrey, British Columbia.

PHI Hotel Group has opened numerous hotels in Alberta within the past year, including the Westin Calgary Airport and Conference Centre and the dual-branded Element and Four Points Edmonton West. They also recently purchased the Pacific Gateway Hotel at Vancouver Airport in Richmond, British Columbia

“We are excited to introduce the TownePlace Suites brand to the Sherwood Park area,” said Diane Mayer, vice-president and global brand manager, TownePlace Suites at Marriott International. “At TownePlace Suites, we get it. We want to go above and beyond to do everything we can to make our guests feel comfortable. We encourage our guests to be real, and help them to do so by providing a seamless residential atmosphere with a friendly staff who genuinely care about our guests. That is what our brand is all about, and this property is a great example of that.”

All service team members are thoroughly trained on local knowledge and look forward to connecting guests to the local area. The hotel brand’s signature floor-to-ceiling TowneMap also helps guests instantly acclimate themselves to Sherwood Park by featuring great places to eat, play and live. The TownePlace Suites Edmonton Sherwood Park offers guests convenient access to downtown Edmonton, Alberta’s Industrial Heartland, Refinery Row, Millennium Place and Festival Place.

Ideal for travellers who need accommodations for longer stays, this new property offers studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens, as well as separate living/working and sleeping areas. Most rooms also feature the Home Office Suite, designed to provide guests with plenty of storage and flexible space to spread out and make it their own. All suites feature a large flat screen television providing over 40 high-definition channels, interactive guide, and streaming of Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and HBO Go.

While on property, guests can create their own complimentary hot breakfast every morning in the lobby area and can fire up their stay by grilling up dinner on the outdoor patio with our Weber grills. The 24-hour In a Pinch market and On Us coffee service offer guests the chance to get their snack and caffeine on whenever they feel the need.

Sparrow Hotels on Winnipeg Art Gallery Eatery

WINNIPEG — The upcoming opening of the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s Inuit Art Centre this fall will also see the inception of a new restaurant, which the WAG promises will itself be “art-infused.”

Sparrow Hotels will operate the upcoming café, which has not yet been named. It will have indoor and outdoor seating spaces and will be licensed, in addition to featuring a full menu for catering, the WAG announced recently.

Gallery director and CEO Stephen Borys said bridging the new food services with the city’s cultural institutions is unavoidable. “For me, it’s a basic need,” he said.

“Food brings people together, art brings people together, and when you have both at a high level, high quality, in the same building, it’s a very good dynamic.”

Between the indoor space and the summer and fall patio, Borys said it will provide a year-round place for the community to gather.

“The consumption of art is physically, emotionally, intellectually exciting, sometimes demanding, invigorating, and it’s wonderful when you can also have, in an art museum, a great place for food, for drink and for relaxation,” Borys said.

The new food establishment will be on the main level of the Inuit Art Centre, which is currently under construction at the corner of St. Mary Avenue and Memorial Boulevard and is expected to house the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world.