Archive for April, 2010

If the shoe fits …

April 15th, 2010

Guess which of these handsome devils is a doorman at Opus? Hint: look for a flash of pink.

Now even before you step through the doors of Opus Hotels you know you’re somewhere extraordinary. We’ve partnered with iconic shoe designer John Fluevog to outfit all male guest services employees in Vancouver and Montreal in the Porter Shoe, designed exclusively for Opus Hotels.

Says Fluevog, whose footwear fashions have been spotted everywhere from Madonna’s feet to high-fashion runways, “The Porter Shoe lets guests know that their stay and the service will be of the highest quality, but that it’s still alright to relax and have a wink of fun here and there.”

Put yourself in our shoes by ordering a pair via the in-room mini-bar menu at Opus Hotels or by entering to win a trip for two to Montreal or Vancouver complete with two pairs of Porter Shoes. A limited supply is coming soon to one of Fluevog Shoes’ ten stores in North America.

For more information visit Opus Hotels on Facebook.

Summer in Montreal: moi, j’adore

April 5th, 2010

Montreal’s summer festival season is fast approaching, a time of year when the locals take their joie de vivre to the streets. The city’s enthusiasm for arts, music and spectacle makes for a spirited and enriching summer, with back-to-back events featuring live music, street performers, comedy, sports and cinema.

I experienced festival season in 2008, after I relocated from Vancouver as Opus Montreal’s temporary resident manager. It didn’t take long to realize that my tight-assed anglophone persona needed some adjustment. Shortly after arriving, I was entertaining a group of locals on the terrace of Koko Restaurant + Bar. It was a Tuesday night, and I was hoping for an early-morning workout before work the next day. Around midnight, our waiter swung by to offer more wine, and I declined, assuming my guests would agree it was the sensible thing to do. Pas du tout. I was unanimously overruled, and the party continued until the wee hours of the morning. (more…)