417, on the northwest corner of Terry Fox and Palladium drives. The hotel, which
will cater to the high-tech market, is expected to be ready next spring.
The facility will have 98 rooms, which will be wired for Internet access, and rates
will run between $99 and $130 per night.
Northampton president Vinod Patel says the facility will target business people
visiting Ottawa on short-term stays, and says he's not concerned with the high-tech
slowdown ruining his plans.
"We're pretty excited about this project. Kanata's always had a good demand for
hotel rooms, and we're not looking at the short term, we're looking at the long
term," he says. "We still think there's sufficient demand. Still, we hope that the
business climate picks up in the next year or so."
Within kilometres of Northampton's project, work is also underway on high-tech
tycoon Terry Matthews' luxury hotel and golf course, and Marriott Canada expects to
begin construction on a Residence Inn in the spring.
Patel believes there's room for everyone in the market, including his 3-and-a-half
star hotel.
Corporate Research Group president Brian Card agrees.
"Hotel vacancies are very low, sometimes it's very hard to get a room. All of
Kanata's (five) hotels are doing very well," he says.
He says Northampton, which is negotiating with a franchise chain to put its banner
on the hotel, will utilize a 1-800 reservation system, ideal for high-tech clients from
far flung locations. The location is prime, he adds.
Other amenities at the hotel will include two 50-person meeting rooms,
complimentary breakfast, a business centre, a pool and a workout facility. Fifty per
cent of rooms will be suites equipped to serve longer-term clients, Patel says.
The development marks Northampton's first project here, and Patel says the
Toronto-based company is investigating more opportunities.
"We're looking for sites in Ottawa," he says.
Northampton is developing the hotel on a joint venture basis and will operate it on
contract. Through a subsidiary company, Northampton obtained $4.26 million from
HSBC Bank of Canada for the project. It is building, or owns and manages, 1,613
rooms in 13 hotels across Canada.
