Boutique hotel for wine lovers
John Bermingham
Province
Alex Limongelli, of the Executive Hotel Vintage Park on Howe Street in Vancouver, says the focus is to educated guests about B.C. wineries. Photograph by : Wayne Leidenfrost, The Province
The glasses runneth over at the Executive Hotel Vintage Park in Vancouver.
B.C.’s first wine-themed hotel has launched a unique partnership with 43 B.C. wineries, offering a boutique hotel setting for wine lovers.
At the hotel, 40 of the wineries have wine-designated rooms, with their own brass plaque and artwork.
B.C. wines are promoted at hotel wine-tasting events every evening, with the noble grapes being paired with meals at the hotel restaurant.
“Our focus at the hotel is to educate people about the different wineries in B.C.,” said Alex Limongelli, the hotel’s general manager, during a tour of the hotel yesterday.
Executive Hotel Vintage Park is also finalizing packages for wine tourists who want a quick tour of B.C. wineries.
The hotel will offer guests a rental car, map and picnic basket (with a suitable wine selection) for those who want to visit B.C. wineries in the Okanagan.
“It’s more like an individual journey through the B.C. wineries,” said Limongelli. “There’s a lot of smaller B.C. wineries that go un-noticed. So we want to educate people.”
Farida Sayani, owner of the B.C.-owned Executive Hotel chain, said the program follows on the success of its wine-themed hotel in San Francisco, which has partnered with Napa Valley wineries for years.
“B.C. wine is getting so popular throughout the world,” said Sayani.
“Making this a wine-themed hotel and working with the wineries so closely, we are able to actually promote B.C. wines to tourists and our customers.”
Sayani said Mission Hill winery is the latest to come on-board.
Angela Lively of Vincor International Inc., which owns numerous wineries including Jackson-Triggs, Sumac Ridge and Hawthorn Mountain, called it a ‘win-win’ partnership.
“It’s exposure for our brands,” said Lively. “We have a partnership with the hotel where they sell a lot of our wines. It’s to support them in their concept as well.
“We’re helping them support their theme and they’re helping us support our brands.”
Jeff McDonald of the B.C. Wine Institute in Kelowna, said wineries are keen to get into wine tourism.
“The industry thinks it’s great that partnerships are emerging like this,” he said .
Sales of B.C. wine grew from $100 million in 2004 to $131 million last year, and have an annual growth rate of 20 per cent.
“The growth in the wine industry has been explosive,” he said. “Hotels and restaurants that want to offer quality experiences want to feature B.C. VQA wines as part of the experience they offer.”
McDonald said B.C.’s wineries are currently developing a strategic plan for wine tourism.
© The Vancouver Province 2006
