Edmonton’s set to get its first Renaissance Hotel this summer (the first in Alberta, as it turns out). The new 213-room hotel will open at the recently-expanded Edmonton International Airport. As the only hotel attached to the airport terminal, this is good news for those of you who find a bed more comfortable than your airport chair.

The hotel was originally scheduled to be a Courtyard by Marriot property before that was kyboshed and it was decided to make the property the more boutique-like upscale Renaissance. The owners felt that the new airport terminal was so modern that the Renaissance was a better fit with the airport re-do. ]]> Janice Tober 2013-01-02T16:40:41-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/7/11/22589/0414 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/99248/RawBar400x600.jpg" class="top"><p> <p><i>This is not so much a bar hop as a bar marathon that runs (get it?) the entire length of Canada. If you have the stamina, so do we.</i><p> <p>Calgary, Alberta is Canada&#146;s version of the wild west, where people wear cowboy boots without a hint of irony. However, this city that&#146;s affectionately known as &#147;cow town&#148; has more than just beer bars scattered throughout the city.<p> <p>Case in point: <b>Raw Bar</b>, located in the stylish <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Hotel+Arts/local/5052"><b>Hotel Arts</b></a> (formerly a <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/9/26/103357/312/hotels/Even_Calgary_is_on_the_Boutique_Hotel_Bandwagon">Holiday Inn</a>.) This is a moody, intimate bar with plenty of private areas for private moments. It&#146;s warm, inviting, and has single-handedly brought a nouveau brand of cocktail culture to the city. The local clientele Janice Tober 2012-07-12T16:29:22-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/5/9/23836/52614 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/99248/Palliser_Gold_600x400.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>We finally had a chance to get a peek inside <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Fairmont+Palliser/local/5008"><b>The Fairmont Palliser&#146;s</b></a> (in Calgary) complete redo of its Gold Floor rooms and lounge and it&#146;s left us feeling all aglow.<p> <p>This luxury brand, often found in historic buildings &#150; The Plaza in New York, The Savoy in London, for instance &#150; most often has decor reflective of these heritage properties: classically elegant. But the Palliser&#146;s new Gold Floor look leans more towards contemporary sophistication &#150; still elegant but with cool, soothing tones and soft cosy textures. <p>It&#146;s a comfortable nod to the past with an inviting look to the future. There&#146;s brand new furniture, new lighting &#150; new everything really. And with Fairmont making its Janice Tober 2012-05-10T11:49:00-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/