News

As soon Avril Lavigne snarls off the stage at the closing ceremonies of the Turin Winter Olympics on Feb. 26, the countdown to Vancouver 2010 will officially begin. Only 1,447 days to go. Are you excited yet?

Meanwhile, here in Whistler, we're up to our waists in powder and far too absorbed in perfecting our new weighting techniques to worry about all that hoopla in Europe. Honestly, these are the best snow conditions in 25 years.

Yes, we've been coming to Whistler/Blackcomb for ages, long before the couch-potato masses started hearing about our mountain-side playground on Boston Legal. Though we are concerned about the avalanche of press the Olympics will bring, we must admit the spotlight does have its benefits. Last year, Prada finally opened a local shop. And now we have the Adara Hotel — a chic boutique hotel, opened late last month, design-conscious enough for rock stars as precious as the newly primped Lavigne. !

Location!

The Adara is tucked on the edge of Whistler Village, next door to the Telus Conference Centre, above Buffalo Bills. You might be able to hear the dull shriek of cougars dancing into the night if you're booked into the wrong side of the hotel. But we suppose that's the price one must pay to stay at the centre of it all.!

Ambience!

Fresh and quirky. Trilogy Properties, owner of Vancouver's trendy Opus Hotel, have at long last brought a splash of urban sophistication to a resort town where the design-scheme is dominated by rustic lodge themes and Tyrolean kitsch. !

Design!

This is the old Timberline Lodge, completely gutted and chicly refitted by Vancouver's Box Design and Inform Interiors.

Step through the lobby's bright red doors and you'll feel the difference immediately. A huge stone fireplace roars behind a funky, bird-cage chair. Two curvy banquettes sit on a plush, round carpet that looks like it's been sliced from a log. Resin antlers hang above a wall of mirrors, flanked by Brent Comber's custom-designed communal table, where wine will be served during cocktail hour — as soon as the liquor license comes through.!

Clientele!

A-list and fashionable. The Adara is a full-service hotel, which means guests don't have to compete with territorial time-share owners. And much like the Opus, it will be heavily targeting well-heeled jet-setters and celebrities.

Who knows? You might even run into Sir Paul McCartney or Teri Hatcher now that they've received a gift certificate to stay as part of the goodie bag handed out last week to all of this year's Grammy Award presenters and performers.!

Rooms!

The 41 rooms range from the cozy queen studio with a view of the village to the expansive two-bedroom loft suite with private terraces that look out on the mountains.

All feel bright and modern, with abstract art, crisp white linens, faux-mink wraps tossed on the bed and slick designer furnishings that include Niels Bendtsen's Canyon sofas, sculptured Panton desk chair with sheepskin throws and fireplaces built into custom-designed cabinets that make it appear as if they're floating in mid air. Bathrooms feature a spacious five-foot shower and lemony-fresh SugarBath body products.

Amenities include high-speed Internet access, an iHome Clock Radio and stereo with an iPod docking station and a fully stocked bar fridge with San Pellegrino. We especially like that they've forsaken those nasty drip-coffee makers and supply instead a kettle and Lettieri French press. !

Food and drink!

The Adara doesn't have its own kitchen, but does even better — room service is delivered from the Bearfoot Bistro Champagne Bar across the street from 3 to 11 p.m. Caviar anyone?

Guests are also invited to partake in the Bearfoot's hot buffet breakfast. A cold buffet breakfast will eventually be served in the Adara lobby. For now, the hotel is delivering baskets with fruit, muffins and juice to each room in the morning.!

Service!

"Whatever you want, whenever you want it." Ian Schraeger coined the phrase to describe the highly personalized service at his W Hotels and now every boutique hotel worth its name must live up to those standards.

The Adara promises a commensurate experience with its 24-hour concierge service. Whatever your desire — be it a laptop computer, dog walker, snowboard repair or Gideon bible — it's only a phone call away. Pets, by the way, receive their own sheepskin bed.

In addition to exclusive restaurant reservations, babysitting, assistance with equipment rentals and ferry bookings, guests have access to a local full-service health club. The rooftop is open year-round. A full-size outdoor pool will open this summer.!

Bottom line!

Adara is a slick and funky alternative to many of the mid-priced accommodations available in Whistler Village, if you can find a special rate. But without a spa, fitness centre, bar or self-contained restaurant, it's hard to justify the hotel's five-star prices. During peak season, they're charging as much as the far more luxurious Four Seasons Resort. That just doesn't seem right.