OAK BAY BEACH HOTEL
Developer: Walker Hospitality
Price: Starting at $1,000,000
Size: 857 sq. ft. to 2,285 sq. ft.
Sales centre: 1111 Warf Street, Victoria
Contact: Phone 1-800-668-7758 or visit http://www.oakbaybeachhotel.com
In 2010 Vancouver will host the Winter Olympics and Victoria will celebrate another memorable event - the reopening of the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.
Walker Hospitality last week opened registration to buyers interested in the 20 full-ownership suites that will be part of the 100-room hotel, which will open in the fall of 2010.
At that time, the Oak Bay Beach Hotel will become Victoria's first combined luxury hotel and private residence.
Owners Kevin and Shawna Walker, who shared duties as hoteliers at the original Oak Bay Beach Hotel for three decades, aim to satisfy both nostalgia and modern expectations.
"Recreating the hotel gives us the opportunity to combine the charm from the past with the amenities and upscale interior design available to us today," Mr. Walker says.
The Walkers plan to restore the hotel's 80-year-old legacy by recreating original elements such as the lobby fireplace, Tudor facade and even the original Snug Pub beer mug, while introducing modern interior updates and aiming for a LEED Gold certification.
Brad Neufeld, director of sales for the project, anticipates a lot of local interest because of the history involved.
"People who grew up in Victoria and Oak Bay with the original Oak Bay Beach Hotel understand its significant role in the community as an iconic property," he says. "To be able to invest in a home here, and live in the hotel full-time with all the amenities and luxuries that offers, is a dream come true for many people."
Buyers will have full access to the hotel's spa, mineral pools, restaurant and seaside pub to go along with their private home on the development's coveted oceanfront location.
All the residential suites are penthouse and sub-penthouse units with views of the Pacific and the San Juan Islands.
"People are thrilled to see the Oak Bay Beach Hotel being rebuilt and brought back into their community," says Shayne Jessop, director of sales and marketing. "The location has such a rich history and is undoubtedly one of the nicest and rarest pieces of waterfront property in Western Canada," he says.
"I am not going to be surprised if we sell some homes to people who grew up with the original Oak Bay Beach Hotel as a part of their lives, and who want to recapture a piece of history that is being rebuilt to a level that positions it as one of the finest buildings in the area."
The hotel aims to continue its original philosophy of providing highly attentive personal service. Homeowners will have use of the hotel's round-the-clock butler and room service, on-site adventure programs, in-room chef, and fitness facility.
"You can have it any way your want," Mr. Walker says. "You can be left completely alone or you can feel like a pampered hotel guest every day of the year."
