At this Kelowna hotel, guests are loved and housekeeping is tops

Groovy décor, roller skates, ping pong and a very deliberate move to embrace diversity.

There’s a hotel in downtown Kelowna that is, by its own admission, ridiculously fun, unpretentious and looks damn good on Instagram.

Welcome to Hotel Zed, one of just three in total (the others are in Victoria and Tofino), where the look of the place and amenities on offer scream how unordinary they want things to be.

“We wanted something that is not the same as the others,” Matt Schmitt tells Kelowna10 while seated on some super-colourful retro furniture in the lobby. He calls himself the Adventure Captain - in regular management parlance that’s Sales & Marketing Coordinator.

“You walk in, you feel this vibe like you’re already family, you’re already best friends with the staff, like you belong here… and you do. It’s not like anywhere you’ve been before,” he explains.

There’s a garishly purple boxed record player with bright blue headphones nearby atop a pile of vinyl and there are shelves with roller skates, long boards and regular skateboards for rent.

“We also have the ping pong lounge where guests can hang out together. It’s great for all around family fun,” Schmitt says.

As for the accommodation it’s a further riot of colour, with names that reflect their size, like ‘Zed 2 Bed’, ‘The Sweetest Suite’ and ‘Rebel Room’. The décor includes retro phones and alarm clocks.

Top housekeeping

While style, atmosphere and funky amenities are big for Hotel Zed, that doesn’t mean they’ve taken their focus off some of the key elements you’d expect from a quality hospitality company. They were a finalist in the housekeeping category for the BC Hotel Association 2023 Awards of Excellence, presented in Kelowna Tuesday night. The were the only Kelowna hotel among over 20 nominees in various categories.

“When you go to a hotel you want to make sure you have a clean room; that’s everyone’s top of mind. Is it clean, is it safe?” Schmitt says, while crediting a dedicated and loyal staff who are happy at work.

“When you come here, you’ll find our rooms are spick and span, you’ll see the housekeeping teams in the hallways, you’ll pass them, you’ll see them smiling, having fun, and that’s what it’s really about.”

Inclusiveness

The focus on being different extends to Hotel Zed’s status on the Rainbow Registry, a national accreditation for 2SLGBTQI+ friendly businesses and organizations. And for Schmitt, he can relate personally to how important it is that his employer was the very first brand in Canada to have all their properties registered.

“As a queer person, having a safe place for people to travel is so important. I’ve had some nasty experiences at some other hotels. Our staff and guests know they’re coming to a place where they are seen, heard and loved,” he explains, noting transgender guests can book by the name they go by and will be greeted and acknowledged by the pronouns they use on arrival.