Aimbridge and Interstate complete merger; new openings in Calgary, Montreal, Wainwright and Windsor; IHG returns to Halifax-Dartmouth; Terre Restaurant & Cafe opens at Alt St. John's; Rimap plans AC Hotels by Marriott for Ottawa.
PLANO, Tex. – Aimbridge Hospitality
completed its merger with Interstate Hotels & Resorts on October 25.
The new company will operate under the
Aimbridge Hospitality name in the Americas from its headquarters in Plano,
Texas. It will have nine additional corporate offices across North American,
including locations in Calgary and Toronto.
“Aimbridge is excited to have finalized this
transformative merger,” said Aimsbridge co-founder Dave Johnson, who will serve
as CEO of the new company. “The combination of our two robust companies will
allow us to leverage our expanded scale to bring unparalleled opportunities to
our team members and even greater value to our owners.”
The merged company will have the resources
and global reach to deliver superior hotel-management services to its hotel
partners and positive experiences for guests.
Michael Deitemeyer, former president and CEO
of Interstate, is global president, overseeing corporate disciplines and global
operations.
The combined business has a portfolio of
more than 1,400 branded and independent properties in 49 states and 20
countries. The Interstate brand will be used in international markets.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
TORONTO – Realstar Hospitality opened its newest
Days Inn by Wyndham franchise hotel at 1814 14th Avenue in Wainwright, Alberta
on October 23.
The 48-room hotel was
completely renovated prior to opening, including extensive upgrades to bedding,
flooring and brand new hotel artwork. All guest rooms feature flat-screen TVs,
free Wi-Fi and plush bedding as well as a mini-fridge and microwave.
“This property is a great
addition to the brand, helping to broaden our distribution of Days Inns across
Alberta,” said Irwin Prince, president and COO of Realstar Hospitality.
“Development across the country is important in expanding our Days Inn customer
base. With another few hotels on the books and numerous other projects on the
horizon, the brand continues to be well-positioned for robust growth.”
Hotel general manager
Shannon Bailey said the modern guest rooms and refreshed public spaces promise
a relaxing and enjoyable stay for guests. The property is 100 per cent smoke-free.
CALGARY – Best Western Hotels & Resorts opened the Executive Residency by Best
Western Calgary City View North on November 7. Owned by Rani Dubra and located
at 9665 Aurora Park Link NE in Calgary, the hotel features 117 guest rooms,
including 10 suites.
The newly built hotel features an indoor pool and hot tub, 24-hour
fitness center, free parking, complimentary hot breakfast daily, two
event/meeting rooms and free wireless Internet. All rooms have a flat-screen
television and full kitchenette. Business travelers can take advantage of a
full-service business centre with complimentary printing, faxing and scanning.
Shahid Hanif Khan is general manager of the new property, which offers
easy access to Calgary International Airport, tourist attractions including
Calgary Zoo, and the CrossIron Mills outlet mall.
“We are thrilled to be a part of the Executive Residency brand, which is
respected for its high standards, quality and the kind of hospitality that
makes you feel at home,” he said.
WINDSOR, Ont. – Sunray Group
celebrated the grand opening of its new Four Points by Sheraton Windsor
Downtown property on October 23.
Guests included folks from
Sunray Group and Marriott, Mayor Drew Dilkens, local corporate and organization
representatives, and a few hotel and restaurant guests too.
“We are excited to
formally introduce Four Points by Sheraton Windsor Downtown to the Windsor
community. As the owner operators of 45 hotels in Ontario, Quebec and
Newfoundland, we continue to invest in our hotel assets and provide guests with
the best possible hotel stay experience,” said Kenny Gibson, president of
Sunray Group.
The 147-room hotel also
features the first Fionn MacCool restaurant pub in Windsor. The pub will
participate in the brand’s iconic Best Brews and BBQ program, which features
local beers and seasonal appetizers. A customized Four Points Pale Ale from
Frank Brewing Co. in Windsor leads the offerings.
The hotel also boasts 1,900-square-feet
of meeting and event space, a 24-hour fitness centre, business centre and other
amenities.
Sunray Group is a
privately owned company specializing in hospitality, development, and
retirement living. It operates properties in partnership with Marriott, Best
Western, Starwood, IHG, Hilton, Choice Hotels and Recipe Unlimited in Ontario,
Quebec and Newfoundland.
DARTMOUTH, N.S. – Advanced
Hotels announces the opening of the 125-room Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Halifax-Dartmouth in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Located at 355 John Savage Avenue
in the heart of the Burnside Industrial Park, the newly build hotel offers
quick access to nearly 3,000 businesses and across the street from Dartmouth’s
newest sports facility, the RBC Centre.
“We look forward to
serving leisure and business travelers with a hassle-free stay that combines
comfort, convenience and value for an overall enhanced experience,” said Ron
Miller, the hotel’s general manager.
The opening marks the
return of InterContinental Hotels Group, the parent company of the Holiday Inn
Express brand, to the community.
One of more than 2,600 Holiday
Inn Express hotels worldwide, the Halifax-Dartmouth hotel features the brand’s
newest design solution. An appealing combination of fresh, energetic and
engaging elements, including an open, pod-style front desk area; flexible
seating in the Great Room, including community tables for collaboration with
colleagues and conversation with friends and family; and refreshingly
streamlined guestrooms.
Additional amenities
include an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre and 24-hour business centre as
well as 380 square feet of meeting space accommodating up to 18 people.
Guests also enjoy a
complimentary Express Start Breakfast featuring a full range of breakfast items
with an emphasis on fresh, healthy foods.
MONTREAL – Hotel
Place Dupuis, part of the Ascend Hotel Collection by Choice Hotels Canada,
opened in Montreal’s historic downtown on November 1.
“We are delighted
to have an Ascend property in downtown Montreal, steps away from many of the
top attractions and nightlife, and also direct access to the métro, making it
super convenient for those exploring the city,” says Brian Leon, president of Choice Hotels
Canada. “Offering a truly local experience is what makes a stay at an Ascend
Hotel Collection property special.”
Situated between the city’s Quartier Latin and vibrant gay village, the
four-star property boasts a diverse range of rooms, from twin bedrooms to luxurious executive
suites that offer sweeping city views and hot tubs.
On-site amenities catering to leisure and business travellers include a fitness centre, indoor pool
and dry saunas. There is also a range of business amenities including 15
meeting rooms.
The hotel is
well-suited for both corporate and social events, with a capacity of 350 for
conferences or banquets. Audiovisual equipment, catering and parking are also
available, in addition to an on-site restaurant, Le Vignoble.
ST. JOHN’S, Nfld. – Terre
Restaurant & Café recently opened its doors in the heart of St. John’s, Newfoundland adjacent to the Alt Hotel.
A venture of chef Matthew Swift and girlfriend
Clarah Germain, director of customer service at the Alt, Terre focuses on
serving the best that local producers, farmers and small brands have to offer.
General manager is Stelios Doussis, formerly of St. John’s Merchant Tavern and
Fogo Island Inn.
“I’m thrilled to be part of it and to work with
the best that Newfoundland has to offer,” Swift said in announcing the opening.
Germain added that St. John’s shares the values of
hospitality her family’s own business, Germain Hotels, cherishes.
“I am proud to contribute to this great hospitality
culture in my new adopted city,” she said.
Terre Restaurant & Café seats 90 people, and can accommodate smaller
groups in private settings. The restaurant also caters meetings, receptions and
other events at the Alt, and will work to devise a menu for any event.
St. John’s design firm Carvel and Helm was responsible for the interior
design, which uses a palate that mixes rose-gold pinks with contrasting earthy
tones that reflect Newfoundland’s woods and barren landscapes.
Germain Hotels opened the Alt two years ago, and
hopes to operate 20 hotels by 2020. It currently operates in 10 cities across
Canada.
TORONTO – Montreal-based
Rimap Hospitality Services Inc. has signed a contract with Marriott
International to launch
the second AC Hotels by Marriott property in Canada with a 208-room hotel in Ottawa.
The
new hotel will be located between Byward Market and the Rideau Centre, an area
home to a mix of offices, residences, theatres and restaurants. Opening is
expected in summer 2022. It will be one of more than 150 AC Hotels by Marriott
currently operating in more than 20 countries around the world.
“Following
the outstanding success of AC Hotel Montreal Downtown, we are thrilled to be
working with Marriott International again to bring yet another AC Hotel to
Canada,” said Marc Varadi, president of Rimap Hospitality. “With its
purposeful design, the lifestyle hotel will offer local residents and visitors
a refreshingly unique experience that is comfortable, sophisticated and
unobtrusive.”
The
property will provide a European-style breakfast in AC Kitchen and a 24-hour
wellness centre, among other amenities.
Rimap Hospitality currently
manages four internationally branded hotels in the Montreal area under the Marriott,
Hilton and Intercontinental Hotels Group banners.
The Ontario government has given the green light to Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) to redevelop the Toronto Power Generating Station (TPGS) into a five-star boutique hotel near the brink of Niagara Falls.
Mundi Hotel Enterprises Inc. has added a prominent property to its portfolio with the acquisition of the hotel component in Highline Metrotown, a mixed-use tower in Burnaby, British Columbia.
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