Alt Hotel on Portage opens today

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This article was published 30/04/2015 (4085 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Germain family was out in force for the official opening of the Alt Hotel Winnipeg this morning, the first Western Canadian location of the growing chain of chic hotels.

Christiane Germain, the co-president of the company, with her brother Jean-Yves, said the five years of work leading up to the opening was worth it.

“Winnipeg has great appeal for us on many levels,” she said, “The city is literally blossoming on a cultural, architectural and gastronomic standpoint.”

The 160-room hotel that features stylish design and room fixtures as well as free WiFi and a year-round fixed room rate of $149 was the catalyst and anchor for the $100-million mixed-use Centrepoint development on the northwest corner of Donald Street and Portage Avenue directly across the street from the MTS Centre.

Scott Stephanson, president of Longboat Development Corp., the developers of the project along with Artis REIT, said Centrepoint would not have been possible without the Alt Hotel.

Several members of the Germain family — owners of the chain of six hotels with two more under construction — were in attendance at this morning’s official opening of the hotel.

Addressing them, Stephenson said, “Thanks for having the courage to come to downtown Winnipeg and coming along this journey together.”

The guest rooms occupy the ninth to 19th floors of the mixed-use facility, which will have office space for Stantec and iQmetrix on the first few floors.

One restaurant — the Merchant Bar and Kitchen featuring Latin and Asian street food — is set to open soon on the street level north of the lobby. Another restaurant is also expected on the property.