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One on One with Oak Bay Beach Hotel Owner Kevin Walker

Before the eyes of an enthusiastic city, the historic Oak Bay Beach Hotel is evolving into a masterpiece.  The saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”  Nothing great ever is. Glimpses of the Hotel, now quickly taking shape, are like tastes of enough to satisfy any concern this Victoria, BC landmark will be anything less than a great amelioration of its predecessor.  CondosVictoriaBC.com was fortunate to catch up with owner Kevin Walker this summer to uncover a little more of just what our community can expect from the new Oak Bay Beach Hotel along Oak Bay’s pristine waterfront. Condos: Since early in its history, Oak Bay Beach Hotel has been known as a boutique-style, intimate hotel.  Will the new Oak Bay Beach Hotel & Residence hold true to the tradition or introduce a new experience? Walker: The new Oak Bay Beach Hotel is a careful blend of old and modern sophistication. Boutique is a style and is often referred to as featuring personalized service and personality. The new hotel will preserve the attributes people loved most about the old hotel. Guests will find traditions intact and enhanced with energy efficiency and a remarkably functional and diverse collection of hospitality services. Condos: What type of impact will the new Oak Bay Beach Hotel have on the community of Oak Bay? Walker: We will employ 165 great people dedicated to the values that have built our reputation - Intentional Hospitality! It will once again be the community living room, a place where generations will meet to celebrate all the significant moments of life. And, of course, our guests will enjoy all merchants in and around the Greater Victoria area. Condos: What amenities and services will be publicly available?  What will the community come to enjoy about the new Oak Bay Beach Hotel. Walker: Everything from Dinner Theatre programs, movies on weeknights, The Snug Pub, Kate's Café, the Seaside Spa and Baths (which are going to be an amazing experience), fine dining in the Dining Room, 100 spacious and luxurious hotel rooms, gardens, rooftop widows walk and more! Condos: What do you hope will inspire from the institution of the Oak Bay Beach Hotel Theatre? Walker: Rising stars from around the Vancouver Island region will continue to find their stride in the arts on our stage. And of course, David Foster himself has already signed our grand piano, staking out his claim to return to our stage when he visits the city! Condos: And, an inevitable question, how is construction progressing? Walker: We will be open to the world this fall. Our staff have already moved in. Things are progressing very nicely. As for plans around the much anticipated grand opening of the new Oak Bay Beach Hotel, Walker is playing coy and sharing only that it will be “the event of year, for sure.”  Well, we certainly can’t wait!  From the team at CondosVictoriaBC.com, congrats on the progress of Oak Bay Beach Hotel this summer and we look forward to seeing what’s in store. Learn more about this project
Do you have fond memories from the old Oak Bay Beach Hotel? Please share and comment below.