$27 MILLION INVESTMENT PROVIDES AIR TRAVELERS WITH ONSITE BOUTIQUE-STYLE HOTEL
Early in 2013, travellers flying in and out of Halifax Stanfield International Airport (HSIA) will have the opportunity to stay in a new boutique-style hotel that will offer a type of accommodation not available anywhere else in the Maritimes. ALT Hotels, a banner of Groupe Germain Hospitality, feature a concept that offers chic design and atmosphere at an affordable price. Construction will get underway this fall, and the new Halifax ALT Hotel is scheduled to open early in 2013.
"We've been looking to make inroads into the dynamic Halifax market for some time now, and our agreement with Halifax International Airport Authority allows us to move ahead with this project," said Christiane Germain. "We're enthusiastic about the idea of opening an ALT Hotel in the Maritimes. This type of hotel meets a growing demand among travellers who seek quality accommodation, outstanding design and comfort at an accessible price," she added.
"As Atlantic Canada's gateway to the world, we are pleased to be partnering with Groupe Germain Hospitality, one of Canada's most innovative hoteliers, to add world-class accommodations to the list of service offerings at Halifax Stanfield International Airport," said Tom Ruth, president and CEO of Halifax International Airport Authority. "The addition of ALT Hotel is part of our ongoing investment in superior service to our passengers."
The hotel will be convenient for both business travellers and tourists, thanks to an enclosed pedestrian walkway connecting the airport to the hotel. Comprising 169 rooms and a restaurant, it represents a $27 million investment.
"The type of hotel we're building here in Halifax reflects a major trend in accommodation, especially in Europe and Asia, offering design, atmosphere and décor at the best possible price. It's a bold concept that makes a strong impression and is not hampered by gratuitous detail" explained Christiane Germain from Groupe Germain.
"Our research revealed clearly that this type of accommodation is lacking in Canada's hotel sector," said Christiane Germain. "The room rates are the same throughout the year. Guests will enjoy quick and easy check-in when they arrive, a unique atmosphere, an eclectic lounge that appeals to a hip clientele, and a comfortable room with desk area equipped with all the technologies sought after by today's traveller. They will also have a spa-style bathroom and products adapted to their needs, along with a restaurant on site. No other hotel in this category offers as much for the same price," she concluded.
In addition to families that take advantage of attractive weekend packages, ALT Hotels, which offer a non-smoking environment, also target business travellers and conventioneers. In order to meet the needs of this clientele, the Hotel has more than 10,000 square feet allocated for business meetings and gatherings.
Development of ALT Hotels
ALT Hotels are built near major highways, airports or in urban centres on smaller lots. This new banner, which serves as an alternative to Le Germain boutique hotels, offers more flexibility when it comes to the company's development.
The first ALT Hotel opened in Brossard's Quartier DIX30 district in 2007, followed the same year by a second in Quebec City. In addition to the project announced today for the Halifax market, three other projects are under construction or development: Pearson Airport in Toronto, which will open in spring 2012, downtown Winnipeg, which was announced this summer and will open in summer 2013, and downtown Montreal, scheduled to open in summer 2013. In all, Groupe Germain Hospitality plans to open 10 ALT Hotels in Canada's main markets over the next five years.
ALT : a green hotel
The new ALT hotel boasts a series of energy-saving features: geothermal heating and cooling, heat recovery from indoor air that is vented outside and from the water used in commercial washers, energy-efficient lighting throughout, main light switch to control all lights when entering and exiting a room, geothermal water heating, radiant floor heating in the lobby using geothermal heat pump, detection sensors in stairwells to reduce lighting by 50% when not in use, direct digital control system for ventilation, heating and cooling, as well as a white roof to minimize the creation of heat islands.
About Groupe Germain Hospitality
A family-run Quebec company, Groupe Germain Hospitality owns and operates five Le Germain boutique hotels – one each in Quebec City, Montreal and Calgary, and two in Toronto. Groupe Germain Hospitality also owns and operates two ALT Hotels, in Montreal (Quartier DIX30) and Quebec City. Three other ALT Hotels are currently under development: at Toronto's Pearson International Airport, in downtown Winnipeg and a second in the Montreal area. Groupe Germain Hospitality is recognized for the unrivalled hospitality and sophisticated style that characterizes its hotels.
Informations
Hugo Germain
Director of development, ALT Hotels Canada
418-266-1080