Woah. Just hacked into this blog. Now what? Well … first, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Vinnie. Couple weeks ago, I broke into the restaurant formerly known as Elixir at OPUS Vancouver. See, they shut down for renos, but renos don’t start ‘til January, so guess what? I’m squatting. Hundred days of free rent. [...]
Smile (or scowl), you’re on camera
A recent story on CBC Television about the public restrooms at OPUS has ignited a firestorm of controversy that could only take place in the age of social media. Last week, Elisabeth Everett reported that while celebrating her sister’s birthday in OPUS Bar she was shocked to discover that men could observe her via video [...]
Is the role of the hotel concierge going obsolete?
I can see dignified concierges everywhere clutching their golden keys and gasping in indignation at the title of this post. But hear me out. Technology has placed a world of resources at the fingertips of travelers. Mobile applications allow us to walk out of our hotel, point our phone into the street, and find local [...]
Arabian Nights: OPUS Bar’s 8th Annual Street Party
On Friday, July 30 OPUS kicked off a very festive long weekend in Vancouver with the 8th Annual OPUS Bar Street Party, themed “Arabian Nights”. In addition to following through with the hotel’s annual commitment to getting VIPs and regulars liquored up with sponsored cocktails, OPUS continued its five-year, $50,000 commitment to UNICEF when owner John deC. [...]
The Yin and Yang of Yaletown
Having lived and worked in Yaletown for over a decade, I’ve grown so attached to the lifestyle here that whenever I’m obliged to leave, I feel a nosebleed coming on. Fortunately, my neighbourhood has it all, and rarely do I have to venture beyond. For guests of OPUS, I thought I’d share a few of [...]
About that item you left in your room
A recent story about a hotel housekeeper in Miami who found in $6,000 in cash in a guestroom got me to thinking about items guests leave behind. As travelers, we’ve all experienced that sensation upon arriving at the airport that our luggage feels pleasantly lighter – only to realize we left half our belongings in [...]
The Pros and Cons of a Hotel Blog: A Retrospective
In a recent article about social media for hotels, I argued that it doesn’t make sense for most hotels to start a blog. Blogs are time-consuming and challenging to maintain, often starting in a flurry of enthusiasm and then fading over time. An abandoned blog is like frayed carpet in a hotel lobby: it speaks [...]
An Olympian Brings Inspiration
This weekend the sales teams of Opus Hotels in Montreal and Vancouver convened in Vancouver for the first national sales meeting, which I had the privilege of facilitating. It was a formidable group, ranging from grizzled veterans like Vancouver-based sales manager Phil Renaud and general manager Nicholas Gandossi to fresh-faced newbies like Montreal-based sales managers [...]
If the shoe fits …
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 [...]
Summer in Montreal: moi, j’adore
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, [...]
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