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Originally Posted by thefourthtower
We forgot about the maybe new SGI tower , and a possible ATL hotel now that would be mighty fine.
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20 Jul 2012 Leader-Post Regina
ALT Hotels sets sights on downtown site ZoomBookmarkSharePrintListenTranslateALT Hotels, a Quebec-based hotel chain with a reputation for doing things differently, is looking for a space in downtown Regina to build one of its “no frills chic’’ hotels.
Hugo Germain, director of development for ALT Hotels, part of the familyowned Groupe Germain, which operates seven hotels across the country, says the Regina location is part of the company’s cross-Canada expansion plans.
“We’re following the markets that have the indicators that would sustain having a hotel like ours in the marketplace,” Germain said in a recent interview with the Leader-Post.
“Regina is one of the top five markets out west. It’s a market that’s been fairly stable. It’s a nice opportunity for us to find the proper site there.”
The Regina location would complement hotels in Eastern Canada and Western Canada. “We have three ALT Hotels, one in Quebec (City), the other in Montreal and one recently opened at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport,” he said. “We’ve put together a fund, a pool of equity, with various investors enabling us to expedite the growth of the (ALT brand) across the country.”
According to its website, ALT Hotels is “a new brand offering fashionable accommodation at bargain prices.” Germain said the concept behind ALT Hotels is “adapting to how people travel today. We’ve been in the boutique hotel segment since 1988 when we built our first hotel in Quebec City. We’ve always tried to step up and be different.”
Specifically, Germain said today’s travellers are looking for basic, no frills accommodation, but with some style and panache, preferably located in the downtown.
“They travel lighter. They’re expecting a simplified experience, they’re not expecting a valet at the door picking up their luggage. Most of the time, people just have one carry-on (bag). We try to streamline the hotel experience to five or six elements ... such as having a perfect bed, a quiet ventilation system, a lot of natural light, high ceilings, easyto-use, but state-of-the-art, technology, friendly staff and a good shower.’’
What you won’t find are bathrobes, room service and a restaurant, but you will find a convenient “compelling space,’’ where you can work, meet people and socialize a little bit, Germain said. “We try to locate our hotels so that there are options for dinner. We would rather have somebody who is good at restaurant service next to us. We’re trying to focus on what we do best.”
And ALT charges the same prices year-round. “We’re selling every room every night from January to December at $149 (at Pearson),’’ he said.
While it’s too early to talk about the size and configuration of the new hotel, Germain said ALT Hotels are generally 100 to 150 rooms. “I can tell you that the projects we’re building right now in Halifax, Montreal and Winnipeg are all around 150 rooms.’’
Besides a downtown location, Germain said ALT Hotels want to be close to amenities, like restaurants and bars, cultural and recreation facilities. “This is a very good downtown. We can certainly help bring something new and refreshing.”
Nor would Germain commit to a start-date for construction of the hotel project. “We have a clear objective that we want to be across the country. And Regina is on the path, so hopefully we won’t have to wait too long.’’
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