Sandman Signature Hotel ‘Now Open’ but bar, restaurant, pool, front stairs not ready yet

NEWS — Several parts of the $25-million Sandman Signature Hotel are still a construction zone, but it’s open for business in time for the Victoria Day weekend.

Large “Now Open” signs went up on the roofline Thursday and the hotel has already had some overnight guests, who got a special “hardhat” rate due to all the building activity.

Construction workers moved about inside the building today while landscapers were putting in bushes outside. There are several off-limits construction zones, and guests must enter through the back entrance off the parking lot until the front stairway off Lorne Street gets clearance from City building inspectors.

They were on site this afternoon checking out the stairs, which ran into problems with building code rise-and-run violations.

Front office manager Tyson Andrykew referred The Armchair Mayor News to the hotel’s head office for further comment but said the swimming pool, Shark Club sports bar and restaurant aren’t ready yet.

He said there’s no specific opening date for the Shark Club but the hope is it will open by the end of this month.

“It’s a soft opening, so the entire hotel’s not open,” said Kayla Joffe, a spokeswoman for the hotel chain. The chain always holds soft openings of its properties, she added.

“We’re really excited to be in Kamloops; excited to be open and excited over our first summer,” Joffe said.

Joffe monitors social media as part of her job and has seen strong interest in the hotel’s opening over the past six months. She expects there will be lots of bookings for special events, such as weddings.

Joey Beltrano, the director of special projects for the hotel, said an official opening probably won’t be held until late summer.

The land for the six-storey, 202-room hotel was purchased by Northland Properties for $2.4 million in 2008. Construction was originally targeted for completion in late 2011 but has been delayed several times.