'Its a thrill to reopen': Lord Elgin Hotel prepares to welcome guests on Friday
Staff at the Lord Elgin Hotel are busy putting the finishing touches on the rooms and public areas of the historic hotel, as they prepare to reopen this Friday.
"It’s a thrill to reopen the doors. Somebody called me the other day and they said, 'You must be really nervous.' I’m not nervous, I’m excited; I’ve been waiting for this for 18 months," says David Smythe, general manager of the Lord Elgin Hotel.
The hotel has been closed since March 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Smythe says the decision to stay closed for 18 months was financial.
"The financial analysis that we continued to work on throughout COVID clearly demonstrated that we would lose more money by being open than closing."
He says the demand for rooms is now up.
"We wouldn’t be opening if we didn’t think the signs were there; we’re very confident at this point," said Smythe.
Seventy of the hotel’s 355 rooms will be welcoming guests this upcoming weekend, according to Smythe. He says about a third of the hotel’s 160 employees are coming back at the reopening.
"As the demand increases, we will be ready to accept that increased demand."
When the doors open this Friday, a visit to the hotel may look a bit different; from Plexiglass at the check-in counter in the lobby, to COVID-19 protocols throughout the hotel.
Gone are the paper directories found in rooms, being replaced by QR codes, says Smythe.
"We intend to adhere to all the protocols that have been so well established, and are effective."
The Lord Elgin Hotel opened in 1941, and has seen many world dignitaries and famous faces staying there.
“Kings, Queens, prime ministers, many, many delegations, Dalai Lama, Richard Gere, and so on," says Smythe.
"We’re immediately across from the (National) Arts Centre, we have a great working relationship with them, and so we have many of the entertainers that you see headlined, staying with us.”
Now ready, to welcome even more.
"We’re happy to reopen again and carry on the tradition of the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.