229 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

Harbour Towers sold to hotel trust
CHIP expands Victoria presence a second time this year, and adds another in Montreal
Article Tools
Printer friendly
E-mail
Font: * * * * Andrew A. Duffy, Times Colonist
Published: Saturday, September 30, 2006
Vancouver-based CHIP REIT has snapped up the 32 year-old Harbour Towers Hotel for $18.5 million this week as the trust expanded its Victoria presence for the second time this year.

The purchase was one of two deals Canadian Hotel Income Properties Real Estate Investment Trust pulled off this week.

It also picked up the Hilton Bonaventure Hotel in Montreal for $37.5 million.

"These hotels significantly enhance and strengthen our business," said Ed Pitoniak, president and CEO of CHIP REIT in a release.

"In addition to increasing our guest room total by eight per cent, these acquisitions are complementary to our existing properties and provide opportunities for improved performance.

"We are excited about having another hotel in Montreal, the city forecast to have the highest [revenue per available room] in Canada in 2007, and we're delighted to expand our portfolio in Victoria, a destination with strong demographic and economic tailwinds behind it."

The four-star Hilton Bonaventure will undergo a $10-million renovation and is expected to be complementary to CHIP REIT's Delta Montreal.

The Harbour Towers represents the second foray into Victoria for CHIP REIT. In April, the company spent $34 million to buy the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort from Japanese firm Aplus Canada (formerly Daishinpan Canada), which also owned the Harbour Towers.

Interviewed at the time of the Ocean Pointe sale, Pitoniak said the company was betting the tourism industry would be able to weather the storm created by a drop in tourism from the U.S.

It appears CHIP REIT paid over market price for the hotel, as the Harbour Towers, opened in 1974 by Clive Piercy and Rob MacAdam, was recently assessed at $16.8 million.

The Harbour Towers is described as a full-service, three-star property with 196 rooms.

It has 13 meeting rooms with more than 14,000 square feet of meeting space, a health club, indoor pool, day spa, lounge and restaurant.

CHIP Hospitality, a subsidiary of CHIP REIT, will be taking over management of the Ocean Pointe from Delta on Oct. 1, though maintaining the Delta flag, and will assume management of the Harbour Towers immediately.

According to a spokesperson, no staff changes are expected.

"This is a good thing for Victoria, and now that they have a couple of properties here they can sell different levels of rooms, they now have critical mass," said tourism industry consultant Frank Bourree, noting CHIP will be able to synergize its Victoria sales force.

"CHIP are under-represented in B.C. but they have 32 hotels across Canada, they are one of the best management companies in the business."

CHIP REIT has been highly successful over the last few years, reporting revenues of $299 million last year, up from $275 million in 2004.

[Holden West]

Sunset Magazine

THE TOP 10
Our favorite city hotels
Rest your head in some of the West's best boutique lodgings. See our picks from Hawaii to Las Vegas

9. Victoria, B.C.

FAIRHOLME MANOR BED AND BREAKFAST INN

Hidden down a lane behind ornate Victorians in the quiet Rockland district, Fairholme is an 1885 Italianate mansion that's just a 15-minute walk from the tourist shuffle of Victoria Harbour. Owner Sylvia Main relocated from Austria and eventually opened the inn in 1999, and her gracious, sophisticated style translates into features like big guest rooms with unfussy furnishings and plenty of nooks for taking tea. The property's 1-acre garden and surrounding neighborhood also offer opportunities for strolling in grand style. In fact, you can't get more regal than Fairholme's neighbor: Government House, home to the Queen of England's representative in British Columbia, hosts visiting royalty from around the world. INFO: 5 rooms from $137 U.S., including breakfast; 877/511-3322. –Lisa Taggart

http://www.fairholmemanor.com/

Address
638 Rockland Place
Victoria, BC
Canada

"Fairholme Manor Bed and Breakfast is in downtown Victoria."

[Baro]

Wow, apparently I pretty much live downtown! Can me and Caramia get free membership in the DRA or something ??

[VicHockeyFan]

15 minutes? Thats like the long haul from Abigail's across town. Tripadvisor comment:

Who wrote all of these great reviews on TripAdvisor. Let our experience be a warning. The location is a hike from the Inner Harbor. The staff could benefit from additional training. Our room was next to the main road and obviously noisy. We met a couple who were staying at the Fairmont Empress and they laughed when we mentioned Abigail's. The hype must be a Victoria joke? Abigail's is expensive, over-rated and not in the same league as the Marriot and proper hotels.

I remember Astra already posted that, but it bears repeating. cRAP i TRIED TO edit BUT LOST VS. DAMNED CAPS LOCK. i LOST VS. FAIRHOLme.

[Rob Randall]

The DRA welcomes all Rockland residents with an interest in Downtown to become non-resident (non-voting) members. Despite what that website infers there is little chance Downtown will take over Rockland!

[D.L.]

home to the Queen of England's representative in British Columbia

lol, there hasn't been a Queen of England in how many centuries???

[G-Man]

I stayed at the Fairholme after my wedding it was the single nicest place I have ever stayed. I mean our suite was over a thousand square feet and soooooo luxurious. THe breakfast was one of the best meals ever! So nice. Of course pretty pricey but hey you only get married once.

[victorian fan]

Rebirth for English Inn
ANDREW A. DUFFY TC APRIL 17, 2010
http://www.timescolo...9539/story.html

Determined staff invigorated new owners

The Lanyard Group, which bought the beleaguered hotel out of receivership last November, is hoping to recapture some of the old-world charm and character of the 101-year-old building as it reintroduces it to the community and the boutique hotel market.

[Holden West]

Oyster is a hotel review site that is so new, there are no local hotels on it. But by the look of their photo fake outs, Victoria hotels should be nervous about Oyster uncovering their Photoshopped luxury.

[VicHockeyFan]

Oyster is a hotel review site that is so new, there are no local hotels on it. But by the look of their photo fake outs, Victoria hotels should be nervous about Oyster uncovering their Photoshopped luxury.

Ah, yes, like the Super 8 suddenly without a huge liquor store sign in this photo:



http://www.super8.co...ropertyId=13540

Street view reveals the true sign:

http://maps.google.c...,53.81,,0,-2.36

[jklymak]

Three large liquor signs, or a sign for Floyds, or their rooftop sign...

[aastra]

That Hawaii beach photo thing is pretty funny. One highrise hotel complex = peaceful tranquility. But another large complex nearby will ruin everything.

[VicHockeyFan]

When Saskatchewan tourists Martin and Monica Castle visited Victoria last month, they checked into a condominium -- not a hotel.

In fact, there were so many condos and websites promoting vacation rentals in the city "we got a bit choosy," said the Regina couple.

They found a high-rise unit with views and close to attractions -- not to mention the comforts of home like laundry, kitchen, parking -- for $120 a night, which is on par or better than some of the hotels in the downtown core.

Condo vacation rentals are nothing new, but the recent building boom has brought hundreds of new units to the market and an increasing alternative to hotels for tourists.

Read more: http://www.timescolo...l#ixzz0nFWMlHSE

[AnonAnnie2]

Tofino has the corner on this stuff and Victoria Hotels should pray it gets nothing like it is there.

[Sparky]

When we travel we always use www.VRBO.com

You deal direct with an owner in most cases, and after using the service to connect with everything from complete houses to condos and apartments we will only use a hotel for an overnight stay.

Priceless

[Bob Fugger]

When we travel we always use www.VRBO.com

You deal direct with an owner in most cases, and after using the service to connect with everything from complete houses to condos and apartments we will only use a hotel for an overnight stay.

Priceless

I've used similar services with some success. I also found craigslist very useful; especially when booking in the US. I booked my cosuin and his fiancée (from Europe, they don't speak English) 7 nights in a bachelor suite right in Times Square for $49 per night - at New Year's.

I too rarely book into hotels now, unless someone else is paying for it.

[AllseeingEye]

Agree unless we are doing the all inclusive thing in the Caribbean; otherwise another great site for those looking to Whistler or other mountain & ski accomodations is http://www.alluradirect.com/.

ASE and The Boyz have done an annual retreat to Whistler for about 11 years now, usually every September/October, and have almost always used A-D.com. World class chalet and townhouse accomodations, often within a 5 minute walk (stumble) to the village, are almost always available for peanut$, especially when the cost is split out 7-8 ways. You deal with the owners directly, who are usually offshore, i.e., American, no fuss, no muss. Done.

[piltdownman]

I have to agree with alot the hotels have to say. Its not fair that they have to pay commercial tax and room tax, whilst vacation rentals get away with just paying residential tax. That is compounded when the STVR isn't even reporting the income to the CRA.

My parents have a summer home on Pender Islands and STVR are a big issue. There you have people on rural residential lots with five or six little cabins that they are renting out all summer. That and there are B&B that claim to only have four rooms, but have ten bedrooms each with private bathrooms. STVR's are also creating problems in the neighborhoods there. Where my parents have their place there is a community water system. In the summer the water always run low, and the dozen STVRs on the 150 house system use half the water. There also is problems with noise, parking, and idiots that take their garbage to the curb (the island doesn't have pickup).

I guess my observation and opinion is that hotels pay more tax, are required extra parking, and oversight for a reason. They shouldn't have to compete with people that don't.

[AnonAnnie2]

exactly what is happening/happened in Tuff City piltdownman

[Sparky]

^^ Local bylaws need to be followed or changed. CRA needs to be paid.

Having said that, the internet is changing the way the world does business.

I recently bought a jacket online where I thought I was dealing with a Canadian supplier. The product came from direct from India.

Hotels may need to adapt to survive. I think your points are valid. I have the same reservations about food carts.