West end needs new hotel: director

Posted Feb 23, 2012 By John Curry

EMC News -There is a need for another hotel in the west end of Ottawa, said Alana Haining, director of sales and marketing for the Holiday Inn & Suites hotel in Kanata.

Speaking to members of the Rotary Club of Ottawa -Stittsville on Tuesday, Feb. 14, she said that there are now many nights when all of the hotels in the west end of the city are sold out.

As for the Holiday Inn & Suites, it serves corporate clients visiting local business parks during the week and then caters to visitors to Scotiabank Place, the Bell Sensplex and other similar venues on the weekend.

Big-name entertainment shows at Scotiabank Place also means more business for the Holiday Inn & Suites, she said. When there is a National Hockey League game or an event at Scotiabank Place, the Holiday Inn & Suites is full.

She said another factor in the hotel's current success is the new Convention Centre in downtown Ottawa, which has generated more visitors to the city, with some of the business being pushed out to the suburbs like Kanata.

While admitting that there is an absolute demand for another hotel in the city's west end, she said that she didn't know of any definite plans for such a new hotel being built. The only exception, is that she had been told there will be a new hotel built at Scotiabank Place within the next four years, she said. But there has been no announcement about such a plan.

The Holiday Inn & Suites in Kanata is now finishing up a major renovation that included upgrading all of the rooms with new decor, along with new TV's and mattresses, with every room now equipped with a microwave, mini-fridge and desk.

The renovation work has also included the hotel's pool, fitness centre and business centre, which now offers free internet access as well as printing and faxing facilities.

The only work left to be done is a facelift for Graffiti's Italian Eatery at the hotel, which will be done this July, with the restaurant to be closed while the work takes place.

"We're the best place to meet in Kanata, if I do say so myself," Haining said.

The Holiday Inn & Suites in Kanata has received awards from Ottawa Tourism for its customer service.

john.curry@metroland.com