New boutique hotel banks on resilient Calgary
`We feel like bears coming out of our caves in the spring,' says GM Jones
A new hotel opening in downtown Calgary is looking to the future while paying homage to the city's past.
Management of The Westley, a 104-room, boutique hotel that's part of the Hilton Tapestry Collection, is putting its faith in the resilience of the city, believing Calgary will overcome not only the lingering effects of the current pandemic but also the long economic downturn set in motion by slumping energy prices.
“We feel like bears coming out of our caves in the spring,” said general manager Ian Jones.
“This is an incredible opportunity for us to open our doors and welcome people.”
The hotel, on 4th Avenue SW between 5th and 6th streets, has its formal opening on Tuesday and is wagering the location will soon become a magnet for both locals and tourists.
“The early bookings are mostly local but already about 20 to 25 per cent are American travellers, which is likely because of the power of Hilton's 110 million Honors members, who trust the brand,” said Jones.
“We want to look at the month of July to see how people will react. Are we coming out and are we comfortable to mingle again?
“We are waiting with bated breath to see if the numbers increase once some restrictions are dropped. Are the borders going to open? Are planes in the air again? We are all looking to when we're happy again and can breathe a sigh of relief that we got through this by supporting each other.”
Though the hotel is part of the worldwide Hilton brand, it features a lot of local input.
The Westley's interior was designed by Frank Architecture and Interiors of Calgary.
Meanwhile, its signature Mexican-themed restaurant, Fonda Fora, comes courtesy of the successful Thank You Hospitality brand, also headquartered in the city.
Both the design and location also owe a tip of the Smithbilt to Calgary's emergence in the 1970s as a major player on the world's energy stage.
The refurbished building was once the head office of a local energy company — the exterior's curtain wall of glass, which will still mark the hotel, being known as the flashcube to many older Calgarians — while interior detailing of brass, fringe and velvet harks back to design touches from almost half a century ago.
“We are in a former energy building and we are bringing a whole new form of energy to that building. It is an exciting time for us,” said Jones, who has returned to Calgary for the third time to oversee the hotel's opening and future development. While the Canadian oil and gas industry has been the butt of criticism in some parts of the country, The Westley is proud of the association.
“Hindsight is 20/20 and people try to criticize the past, but the past is what got us to where we are today. One hundred per cent we will celebrate it and the heyday that Calgary had in those '70s, when it was just booming and it was the place to be with buildings flying up faster than you can think,” said the GM.
Jones, who was born just outside of Toronto and has travelled the world during his long career with the hotel business, is pleased to be back once again in Calgary.
He believes there is something unique with the people living here.
“The interesting thing about Calgary is that, of all the cities in Canada, it is probably the most resilient because it continually has to deal with booms and busts.
“People here can deal with the downturns, whereas the Vancouvers, Montreals and Torontos of the world do not have that severe boom and bust culture. So Calgarians have the ability to dig deep and support each other, so we can pull ourselves out of that bust time and grow back.”
Certainly, The Westley is counting on just such a rebound.
“Yes, I think we are all looking forward to more feet on the sidewalk, more traffic at the airport and a smile on the faces of all those Calgarians,” added Jones.
Though it's far from boom time today, the city's reopening as the pandemic slowly recedes, the recent rebound in oil and gas prices and new businesses once more taking a chance on the city suggest such resiliency might yet again pay off.