The best in the West

A Best Western Plus has opened in Revelstoke with 87 new rooms to accommodate increasing demand for more beds for tourists

The new Best Western Plus features 87 rooms, a fitness centre and hot pools to relax in after a day of activities. — photo courtesy Mike Hoffman

Revelstoke is known as a vacation destination, and with the completion of a new Best Western Plus, visitors now have another option for accommodations.

The project was headed up by Mike Hoffman and his relatives—through a family partnership that has owned and operated the Regent Hotel for generations in the downtown core of Revelstoke. Hoffman and his family owned the land that the new Best Western Plus currently sits on, and the group made a collective decision two years ago to pursue a new venture in the hotel industry.

Opening in February 2011, the new Best Western Plus is the first hotel built off the local ski hill in 10 years. It is 57,000 square feet in total, with 87 rooms.

“We think it’s a great looking building,” said Hoffman. "It’s functional and really comfortable for the user."

Revelstoke used to have a Best Western, but it was taken over and converted by a competitor—so things seemed to fit when the company approached Hoffman about building a new hotel.

Planning for the project took into account Hoffman’s 10 years of development experience in Vancouver and hotel management expertise from his uncle and son after being contacted by Best Western representatives.

“We felt like the market was ready for it,” Hoffman said. "We felt like our family had the expertise to deliver it."

CEI Architecture was tasked with creating a design that fit within the Best Western Plus prototype yet contained some uniqueness to reflect the vibe and feel of the community. Construction began mid-March last year and involved anywhere between 75 and 100 tradespeople working on the building at any given time.

“We used local trades as much as we could and they were all excellent,” said Hoffman. “There’s a lot of expertise in Revelstoke and it was a time when there wasn’t a lot of work for that local trade base.”

The new hotel is categorized as a Best Western Plus, as the company is looking to diversify its chain of hotels, which is the largest in the world.

“Best Western Plus is a new descriptor, a new brand that the company has created to differentiate their products that are of a little higher standard,” said Hoffman.

Skiers and snowmobilers are a major target market for the hotel, so features like hot tubs, an apres-ski lounge and an area for a hot breakfast were included to lure customers. Ensuring enough space for parking was an important planning factor for snowmobilers, as space and accommodations tend to get booked up quickly in the city.

“Revelstoke was getting a reputation as a place where it’s tough to get accommodation,” said Hoffman. “It fills up and the snowmobilers were starting to move to Sicamous and elsewhere.”

Ski lockers, a small lounge and a large fitness room are just a few more perks available to customers.

With ownership of the Regent Hotel in the family, it seemed like a no-brainer to network and promote amenities between the two accommodations. A pub, a lounge and a restaurant are all located at the Regent, and a shuttle service is available to take people directly to and from the Best Western Plus.

“We tie in really well to downtown,” Hoffman said, "with the shuttle service and our facilities at the Regent, which has conference facilities and meeting rooms."

Quick Facts

Best Western Plus
Construction costs: $6.8 million
Built: March 2010 - February 2011
Rooms: 87
Manager: Brady Beruschi
Address: 1925 Laforme Blvd.
Revelstoke, BC
V0E 2S0
Website