By Katherine Ellis

Photography by Maximilian Engel

Ottawa’s fashion elite rubbed shoulders and danced the night away at ARC The.Hotel on Jan.20, as Ottawa’s first luxury boutique hotel unveiled a new website, which launched at 9 p.m.

Models from CoverModels Management Inc. (some also featured in the website), clad in gold leggings and small gold bras, gracefully circulated among guests (including Max Keeping and David McCaffrey). They also displayed the new sleek website on iPads.

ARC The.Hotel party.

“We wanted something that would reflect the [feel of the] hotel,” said Dean Lake, director of sales at the ARC. In contrast to other hotel websites, the photo gallery features models in major hotel areas, including the lounge, restaurant and more. Sporting nearly $2 million worth of merchandise, clothes and jewelry were provided by Holt Renfrew and boutique Cantas.

Coinciding with the launch of the website, Colin Morrison, general manager, informed guests that the day before the hotel had been ranked as number 12 out of the 59 hotels in the Ottawa area on Trip Advisor. “The party is for this,” said Lake, laughing. BODE Spa also recently became a new partner with the ARC; this spa service provides all in-room sessions for hotel guests.

Event attendees mingled in the lobby, which was lit up with blue lights: they enjoyed Steam Whistle beer, blue raspberry martinis, or chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon wine provided by Lifford Wine Company.

Guests were also welcomed in the ARC Lounge, equipped with lounging sofas and red mood lighting; the music was so inviting some party-goers even busted a move on the dance floor.

Food served at the event included canapés (miniature bison burgers and duck confit with celery-rave remoulade), cheese (pistachios-crusted goat cheese and smoked Balderson, among others), as well as charcuterie (wild boar and apricot terrine and beet apple compote).

“What we do is offer an experience,” said Morrison. “When people first pull up, they are greeted by a valet and given a glass of champagne, so that when they arrive at the check-in [desk], they already have a champagne glass.”

The ARC is the host venue of the Ottawa Jazz Festival, the official hotel of the Ottawa International Writer’s Festival and also the host hotel for the 31st annual Genie Awards.

Photo gallery