SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Capital Suites is undergoing a massive renovation and no room is going to be left behind.

The 78-room Capital Suites hotel is currently undergoing extensive indoor renovations, including new business facilities. GM Douglas Horner said the awning will be the final change. - Karen K. Ho/NNSL photo

The Yellowknife location of the Northern hotel chain is currently in the process of completely refinishing all 78 of its rooms, redoing its front entrance, adding extra business facilities for corporate clients and switching to a new logo.

General manager Douglas Horner told Yellowknifer said the project with Arcan Construction was prompted by growing demand for hotel rooms with full kitchens. "Also, we thought that it was time that the hotel bring its furniture up to a new, higher standard."

Horner said it's been three years since the Northern Property REIT building was last renovated and felt it was the right time to make things "more contemporary." Planning and organizing of the "rebeautification" started soon after he arrived in Yellowknife just over a year ago.

Rooms are being stripped to the floors, with plans for new carpeting, floors, entertainment centres, lighting, stainless steel appliances, bathroom vanities as well as kitchen and living room furniture sets. There will also be outdoor barbecues, a new conference room and a business centre in the lobby. A food pantry is also being created on the ground floor, where guests can purchase items such as frozen pizza, milk, chips and wings. Horner said he's hoping to work with a local vendor to offer fresh sandwiches. The hotel has also purchased a Dodge Caravan for regularly scheduled and on-demand runs to the grocery store. "We'll even help put the groceries away," Horner added.

Nine employees from Arcan are currently working on the project, most of them on the third floor, which has been completely closed off due to construction work.

While the hotel is happy to have clients only in Yellowknife for one or two nights, Horner stressed that the renovations specifically targeted long-term stays of seven days or more, especially corporate travellers or professionals who are training or relocating to the city.

However, he said that the hotel is also looking to increase volume in the general tourism market, especially visitors interested in the Northern lights.

"I've created a housekeeping standard unique to this hotel for those guests," Horner said, "We won't come knocking on your door at 8 o'clock knowing that you're coming back at two or three in the morning."

He would not disclose the total budget for the renovation process, but estimated the process would be completely finished in approximately a year and a half.

While a premium, fee-based wi-fi service with a higher bandwith may be offered in the future, Horner was careful to stress that room rates will remain the same after the renovation, for both long and short-term stays, with services designed to help guests save money and want to stay inside.

"At the end of the day, who really wants to walk out of a building at minus 38 or minus 40 and go to the grocery store or walk to a restaurant and come back?" he said. "Wouldn't you just rather have all those comforts at the hotel?"

Full disclosure: This reporter stayed at the Capital Suites for 22 days while moving to Yellowknife.