Vacant Ready

Interesting angle for business travelers to Vancouver at Times Square Suites

2008-10-27T20:58:14-08:00

I read an article today on Times Square Suites in Vancouver. They are promoting their suites with full kitchen and washer/dryer as an effective alternative to traditiona hotels. Guests can do their shopping at the local grocery store and save on meal expenses and save on laundry fees. Do you think that business travelers would consider making this change or just cut travel completely?

Coast Plaza Stanley Park Going Condo?

2007-07-27T15:07:10-08:00

Is the Coast Plaza converting to condos when their new Coal Harbour property opens?

Sofitel Coming to Vancouver?

2007-11-08T09:08:11-08:00

I heard that Accor is planning a Sofitel for Vancouver, projected opening date 2010-2012. Know anything about this?

Fairmont sells Delta

2007-10-04T14:38:30-08:00

Wow, the hospitality scene really is like some big, extended, semi-incestuous family. I used to work for Delta in Saint John, NB, and the Residence Inn in Vancouver. Now I hear since leaving Delta, they were sold to some BC Income Trust or something, and I read that this company also just bought CHIP REIT, which owned the RIBM I worked at. Now I work for Wyndham worldwide, although I was looking at Hampton Inn as a potential employer as well. Hampton Inn is part of the Hilton Chain, which was purchased by Blackstone this summer. Blackstone used to own the Wyndham brand, but sold the chain to Cendant a year or two ago, keeping some properties which were rebranded as LXR resorts on the high end and LaQuinta inns on the lower end. Now all it would need to complete the circle is for Blackstone to buy the BCIT or Fairmont to buy Wyndham and it would get even more complex.
Big companies seem to buy and sell chains, names or actual properties like people trade sports cards.

Ritz-Carlton Coming to Vancouver?

2007-07-27T15:04:16-08:00

On the topic of future and rumoured openings, do you have any insider info on Ritz-Carlton managing the hotel in the mixed-use development on Georgia across from the Shangri-la?

Umberto Menghi Hotel Project

2007-07-27T15:05:38-08:00

Any update on Umberto Menghi’s boutique hotel proposal for Hornby & Pacific?