Alt Hotel Saskatoon

Alt Hotel Saskatoon opened on 12 February 2019 as the 18th Canadian property of Germain Hôtels and its first in Saskatchewan. The build cost nearly C$35 million and holds 155 or 156 rooms, depending on the source, across 14 floors.

The place

The hotel stands at 480 2nd Avenue South, at Spadina Crescent and 2nd Avenue, in the River Landing area on the bank of the South Saskatchewan River. The Remai Modern art museum is next door, and the Meewasin Valley trails run along the water. Restaurants, shops and the Midtown mall are a short walk away.

The concept

Lemay Michaud Architecture Design drew the building, with a modern look and floor-to-ceiling windows. Most rooms face the river, and every room has a workstation with an ergonomic chair and a connectivity panel, free fast Wi-Fi and a Chromecast. Guests who book directly get no set checkout time.

There are four room types. The One King Bed Room is the base category, with a work area. The River View King adds views of the Meewasin Trail, the river and River Landing. The Queen Bed Room with Sofa Bed suits couples, families or friends, and the Two Queen Bed Room sleeps up to four, behind large windows over the city or the waterfront. Sizes are not published.

For Germain, Alt is the select-service, urban brand with a designer look at moderate prices. Saskatoon was its fourth property in the Prairies, after two in Calgary and one in Winnipeg. Hugo Germain, the director of development, said at the time that the river in the heart of downtown gave the Prairie city a European flair, which is the company's reading of the site.

An installation called AltExpo, 47 photographs by the local artist Herry Himanshu, pays tribute to the Prairies. The first general manager was Corinne Lund, with more than 25 years in hospitality and tourism.

Dining & wellness

Food is deliberately light. Altcetera, a lobby counter with ready-to-eat items, was the opening offer, with on-site breakfast planned shortly after. The hotel's current site lists Bokeh on the Plaza as its lounge bar.

The 24-hour gym is on site. Meeting space totals almost 4,500 square feet in five multipurpose rooms with natural light, a step up from the 4,000 square feet planned earlier. Dogs are welcome, and a pet page sits on the hotel's site.