I recently had the pleasure and privilege of staying at one of St. John’s newest and most unique hotels: the Alt Hotel St. John’s. Located in the heart of downtown on Water Street, a few-minute walk from amazing restaurants, bars, and activities (Axe throwing anyone?!!?), the Alt Hotel property is the perfect HQ for your St. John’s adventure.
The Alt Hotel is an architectural novelty in our beautiful city as well. When it was built last summer, it was constructed using ‘Lego-like’ preconstructed rooms, hoisted onto a frame by cranes. I would drive by the construction site every day to get to work and I was always so intrigued; I knew I was going to have to check it out. Not only was the construction innovative, so is the tech that operates the rooms. Each room has a digital touchpad that controls the lights, blinds, ‘do not disturb’ sign, air conditioning, and more. My room was equipped with a Bluetooth speaker, mood lighting in the shower, and a high-def Samsung TV.
And there’s more! Can we talk about the view? When I walked into my room and saw a huge ship adjusting itself in the Harbour with Signal Hill and the Battery in the background– I was absolutely speechless. I lid down on the bed for about half-hour just staring out at the water and the commotion on the decks of the ships through a window that is the entire outer wall of the room. At this location, even if you had a city-view, you’d be lucky as it is so picturesque.
The rooms at this hotel are perfect for travellers and business people alike. I was able to sit up at the desk, make a coffee, and get some work done in comfort. The bed was super comfy; I slept like a rock. Waking up and opening the blinds to that amazing view was so unbelievably relaxing– I wish I could wake up like that every day. I also have to mention the standard of cleanliness here. Not a thing felt dirty or out of place– I was very impressed.
From the hotel, we walked about five minutes to George Street for a bite to eat and a drink. When we returned with some friends, we had a game of pool in the lobby and sat around on the comfortable chairs just chatting and catching up. The receptionists did not mind at all; the lobby is sort of like a social hub where people are encouraged to hang out and enjoy themselves. You can even borrow board games from the front desk! This was so refreshing and unlike any hotel I’d stayed at before.
Alt Hotel St. John’s also has a fully equipped gym (which I sadly didn’t get time to use), has yoga mats and on-demand yoga videos, is pet-friendly, and provides a free continental breakfast with delicious pastries from local Rocket Bakery. Doesn’t it sound like paradise?!
One amenity I liked most in this hotel is the fact that there is no checkout time. You check-in at 3:00 pm (or sometime after) and on your day of departure you can sleep in, grab a shower, some breakfast and a coffee, and not worry about having to be out by a certain time. To me, this represents the standard of hospitality set by this hotel. I felt welcome and on my own schedule the entire time I was there. I even had time to meet a great friend for brunch at Bernard Stanley Gastropub, which is directly across the street from the hotel and one of my favourite restaurants in town (a must if you stay at Alt).
The Alt Hotel group has been nothing but wonderful to us at twowildtides. When I got to my room, sitting on the table by the window was a box of mints with a lovely hand-decorated journal with an inspiring handwritten note from the staff. It brought tears to my eyes and I can never thank them enough for such a thoughtful gesture.
From the luxury accommodations in multiple cities, to the beautiful and incredibly thoughtful gifts, to the high standard of service and hospitality they provide; they are a fantastic group of people and I would recommend this hotel chain to everyone. Stay tuned for Linds’ article on her experience at Alt Hotel Halifax and let us know if you stay at any of the Alt hotels by commenting or reaching out to us on social media (@twowildtides)!! Book your stay now at https://www.althotels.com/en/stjohns/.
xoxo,
char
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