CANADA - BRITISH COLUMBIA - VICTORIA :

# 562 AT THE INN AT LAUREL POINT

by Kevin Retief



Sitting on the expansive, glass-fronted balcony of suite #562 at the Inn at Laurel Point, watching the tall ships glide into Victoria’s Inner Harbour at sunset, it strikes me that once word gets around of the hotel’s recent $5 million renovation, #562 may well become one of the most sought after hotel suites in Victoria.

This is my chance to enjoy it before the rush.

Time to sit back, savor the bottle of refreshing Damasco from the BC winery of Vigneti Zanatta, and decide on the options for the rest of day.

We could wallow for a while (again) in the huge marble bathroom with deep-soaker tub and glass walk-in showers, and lather ourselves with exclusive bath and body products by Molton Brown of London. (Molton Brown apparently choose the hotels that they want to showcase their products - not the other way around.) A seamoss stress-relieving hydrosoak finishing off with a relaxing yaun zhi body cream perhaps - but doing that twice in two hours may be a little self-indulgent.

Alternatively, we could just lounge about the separate living room, decorated in contemporary but comfortable finishings, in our soft bathrobes with an extra lining of fleece, and enjoy one of the two 32” flat screen televisions, call someone locally for free, or access the wireless high-speed internet - but neither of us want the outside world to intrude.

Finally we decide to head for the main attraction for the evening, the hotel’s new Aura, a 142-seat, waterfront restaurant and patio that overlooks the Inner Harbour.

The contemporary Pacific Rim cuisine menu at Aura, brainchild of Brad Horen, acclaimed as National Chef of the Year by The Canadian Culinary Federation (2007), offers a compact range of diverse dishes with an emphasis on fresh, local produce - from Salt Spring Island goat cheese as an appetizer to the “catch of the Day” served with an unusual tomato eggplant and fava bean ragout, baby potatoes and yellow pepper butter sauce.

Desserts offer an original lemon-grass coconut panna cotta and a chocolate trio of flour-less chocolate torte, marscapone white chocolate sorbet and soy milk chocolate.

Complementing the menu is a selection of interesting wines, including those from the local wineries - and yes, we stayed with the light refreshing Damasco from the BC winery of Vigneti Zanatta. Not a sparkling wine, but it feels like one when it hits your palate.

And after dinner?

Apart from the obvious choice of wanting to get back to #562?



Having watched the cruise ship passengers parade past us on the walkway beyond Aura in search of the midsummer fun of the music and craft stalls lining the Inner Harbour, we opt for a stroll in the opposite direction by the waterfront properties of Laurel Point.

This is one of the huge advantages of the Inn at Laurel Point. Located just far enough from the bustle of Government and Douglas Streets of the downtown core, but still overlooking the Inner Harbour and practically next door to all the major attractions of the British Columbia capital, the hotel has the feel of being just apart from the main rush.

But there is something else about the Inn at Laurel Point too - something inherent about its appeal - and it has to do with the history of the hotel.

Current owner, Mrs Paul Arsens, widdow of the Victoria trendsetter in the hotel and restaurant industry, who opened his first restaurant in Victoria in 1938, seems determined to avoid the trappings of the hotel chain feel and to keep the Inn at Laurel Point a place with an independent feel.

It is exactly what her husband strove to achieve when he bought the hotel from the Delta chain in 1981 and commissioned the architect Arthur Erikson to design a new south wing. It was to put the Inn at Laurel Point on the map.

He chose well - to date, Arhur Erikson’s works include The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, the Provincial Law Courts in Downtown Vancouver, and the San Diego Convention Center.

Today, the new renovations of the hotel, overseen by Vancouver designer Robert Ledingham of Ledingham Design Consultants, who was Arsens's chief designer 20 years ago, have echoed that brave move nearly two decades ago and has resulted in a product that remains true to that original vision - clean minimalist lines and modern architectural accents.

Just like suite #562, all the suites are now furnished with maple furniture, soft finishes of various textures from coarse to smooth, colours from chocolate brown to rust: a contrast of contemporary and comfort.

The corridors are lined with showcases of the Arsen family collection - mostly Asian artifacts that accentuate the sense of peace and tranquility of the Erickson Wing.

Hotel Managing Director, Ian Powell, tells us that the challenge with the $5 million refurbishment was to honour the “legacy” of the original owner.

The challenge is surely met.

No wonder that the Inn at Laurel Point was rated as 2007 Condé Nast Traveler’s "One of Canada's Top 25 Hotels".

Wait ‘til they hear about Suite #562.




For more information visit the Inn at Laurel Point web site at : http://www.laurelpoint.com





Photos: From top - Inn at Laurel Point, Kevin Retief
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