The Templar Hotel finally has a new owner, new management and staff and changes are already apparent.
The hotel changed hands last month after being under a power of sale. Since then The Templar finally has a website,
www.templarhotel.com which you could now book directly with the hotel!
Building repairs have already been started -- the gym, spa and pool was never completed, but knowing the sketchy construction I wouldn't even trust filling that glass bottom pool hovering above the open stairs to the bar and restaurant. The glass bottom pool has served as a glorified frosted skylight this entire time.
The room rates have been cut in half to a more realistic price with rooms starting at $189. This should definitely help the previously dismal vacancy rate.
Chef Roberto Fracchioni and his sous chef left Monk Kitchen last year for good reason. Cooking in a half empty secret restaurant in the basement of a mostly empty secret hotel wasn’t helping his profession. He is now the chef of Flor de Sal which he is quickly gaining a name for himself. The Monk Kitchen has been closed and being reworked.
The Templar Hotel will finally lose its bizarre pretentious nonchalant and disinterested business model which became the death to Rhed, and hopefully will reborn into a cool and polished place to hang out in the ED. This poor little hotel should get the love it deserves.
Meanwhile, Rhed’s other development, Citizen House which has stood as a rusting skeleton for more than 3 years next door to the huge Carnaby Development has been put on the market:
http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?PropertyId=15505406
Templar Hotel taken today: