97 replies to this topic

[aastra]

Closed for many months? So they're going to do a complete overhaul of the interior? How about the exterior? No changes?

[victoriaguy]

I heard Doubletree by Hilton

[VicHockeyFan]

Management not returning my calls, staff says no comment. Actually they said "we are not commenting on that right now". Lol.

[D.L.]

What about the bars and restaurants on the lower floors, are they closing?

[VicHockeyFan]

What about the bars and restaurants on the lower floors, are they closing?

A manager called me back tonight but could not confirm questions such as that. Or dates, or existence of layoff notices.

[G-Man]

It would be good to have some big brands investing in Victoria but if Doubles is closing I will be sad.

[VicHockeyFan]

It would be good to have some big brands investing in Victoria but if Doubles is closing I will be sad.

Me too. I mean, honestly, has anybody local ever hung out at the lobby bar or restaurant at the Marriott? I've been in the bar once, maybe twice I think.

[Holden West]

^The exterior looks good but I'm sure the interior is on its last legs. The elevators, kitchens etc., must be decades old. It would be great if the ugly parkade exterior was camouflaged.

The Executive's bars and restaurants are dated but they have a lot of honest charm. Barts is one of the last of its kind. You know that after the renovation it will be your standard cookie-cutter hotel food-service restaurant. Decent food, stylish decor, high-ish prices but indistinguishable from the ones in Houston, Phoenix, Burnaby etc.

[D.L.]

yeah I've noticed everything's looks the same nowadays

[sdwright.vic]

Someone needs to check... but I think I remember the Executive House sign missing from the top of the building on Symphony Splash Day????

[Mike K.]

Executive House tells us that the Hyatt rumour is just that, rumour, but concedes that the hotel has "other plans in the works" that will be revealed soon.

John Vickers today said via Twitter that the Executive House will become a Hyatt.

Quite the runaround here. I've contact the hotel to see if they can now label the rumour brought up on VV on July 16th as fact or whether it is still just a rumour. Certainly something major is happening with the recent announcement of staff being laid off come October.

[VicHockeyFan]

John Vickers today said via Twitter that the Executive House will become a Hyatt.

Quite the runaround here. I've contact the hotel to see if they can now label the rumour brought up on VV on July 16th as fact or whether it is still just a rumour. Certainly something major is happening with the recent announcement of staff being laid off come October.

Ya, I've called a few times and no proper answer.

Although it took them 17/48 days to respond to this guest, they do not deny Hilton rumour:

[jonny]

It's funny ther's so much negativity out there around this hotel undergoing a major renovation and rebranding...frankly, the addition of another 4 or 5 star hotel in downtown Victoria sounds exciting to me!

[Mike K.]

The cats out of the bag. Victoriaguy had it right.

Executive House Hotel to rebrand as DoubleTree by Hilton
By Mike Kozakowski, VibrantVictoria.ca
http://vibrantvictor...tree-by-hilton/

The Executive House Hotel at the nexus of Douglas Street, Humboldt Street and Fairfield Road in downtown Victoria will rebrand as a DoubleTree by Hilton according to a source familiar with the plans.

At least two attempts to bring the Hilton brand to Victoria have been made in recent years. John Asfar, the ex-owner of the Traveller’s Inn chain of motels, nearly a decade ago proposed a casino development on Douglas Street near Bay Street that was to include a Hilton hotel. More recently a failed nine storey redevelopment proposal for the site of the Days Inn on Belleville Street was planned as a Hilton Garden Inn.

Earlier this month a hotel employee stated via Facebook that at least 40 staff were expecting layoffs come October during which time the hotel would stop receiving guests. The closure, likely to accommodate a renovation for the DoubleTree rebranding, will reportedly take several months. [Read more]

[gumgum]

The name "DoubleTree" conjures up images nothing close to a 4-5 star hotel. Sounds like it's a class similar to "Chili's" or "Apple Tree" or "Red Robin".

[jonny]

^ Yeah, I was thinking more along the lines of the Hilton and Hyatt names. Can't say I know anything about Doubletree other than obviously it's a cheaper subsidiary of Hilton.

[Mike K.]

It's one notch below the "Hilton" branding. Above "Hilton" are Conrad's and Waldorf Astoria's. Below DoubleTree are Embassy Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites.

[VicHockeyFan]

Insider information indicates that when Bart's closes in a couple weeks, that'll be it. No plans to re-open. Also Bellmiro's has declined its own Christmas party reservations, not sure what that means.

[gumgum]

^That's a real shame. One of favourite things to do at the end of a night is to grab a drink at the bar at Bart's and enjoy the live band and the dancing by likely our most colourful locals.

[G-Man]

I will miss Doubles...