Spectacular waterfront property soon to take reservations from potential purchasers

Kevin and Shawna Walker of The Oak Bay Beach Hotel have set Saturday, July 5 2008 as the day when potential purchasers can indicate their interest for the only 20 full ownership residences within the much loved hotel.

Viewed in the past as the historic icon of Oak Bay, the new Oak Bay Beach Hotel will be completely rebuilt on the same spectacular oceanfront lot, and will reopen as a 100-room hotel with luxury residences for 20 homeowners in the fall of 2010.  Those interested in learning more about the full ownership possibilities can contact their offices now for more information on the hotel and to register, if interested, for the July 5, 2008 official opening for reservations.

Sotheby's International Realty Canada quickly saw the potential for this iconic property and stepped in to take on the sales and marketing of the residential real estate. All 20 residences are penthouses or sub-penthouses and range from 857 square feet to 2,285 square feet with prices starting from $1 million. The new Oak Bay Beach Hotel will be a prestige address and is designed to continue to be the showpiece of the neighbourhood. Not only is this Victoria's first combination luxury hotel and private residence, it is also the only commercial waterfront development in Oak Bay.

"Recreating the hotel gives us the opportunity to combine the charm from the past with the amenities and upscale interior design available to us today,” says owner Kevin Walker, who, with wife Shawna, shared duties as hoteliers at the original Oak Bay Beach Hotel for three decades. "To live in such a luxurious and opulent, yet secure, manner appeals to a lot of people. You can have it anyway you want. You can be left completely alone or you can feel like a pampered hotel guest everyday of the year with housekeeping and other 24-hour concierge services.”

Set in this prime location, The Oak Bay Beach Hotel is near sought-after amenities including the Victoria Golf Club across the street, the Oak Bay Marina and the vibrant shopping district of the Village of Oak Bay.

Hotel and residential amenities will include a seaside therapeutic mineral pool, a fitness centre, spa and a fine-dining restaurant.  And, recreated due to popular demand will be the Snug Pub, a local icon all to its own.

”We anticipate there will be a lot of interest from local buyers who understand how rare this location and lifestyle opportunity is,” says Brad Neufeld, sales director for the Oak Bay Beach Hotel residences. "People grew up in Victoria and Oak Bay with the original Oak Bay Hotel playing a significant role in the community as an iconic property. To be able to invest in a home here and live in the hotel full time with all the amenities and luxuries that offers, is a dream come true for many people.”

In keeping with the hotel's tradition, much of the brickwork from the original hotel will be used for fireplaces and more than 100 original plants will be replanted in the gardens surrounding the hotel. Even beer mugs from the Snug Pub will be returned to service. Along with these nods to the past, the rebuilt hotel is targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification.

"People are thrilled to see The Oak Bay Beach Hotel being rebuilt and brought back into their community,” says director of sales and marketing, Shayne Jessop. "The location has such a rich history and is undoubtedly one of the nicest and rarest pieces of waterfront property in Western Canada with its quiet location and spectacular views of the ocean and San Juan Islands. I am not going to be surprised if we sell some homes to people who grew up with the original Oak Bay Beach Hotel as a part of their lives, and who want to recapture a piece of history that is being rebuilt to a level that positions it as one of the finest buildings in the area.”

For more information on the hotel in general or how to make a reservation as a potential purchaser, people may call the Oak Bay Beach Hotel office at 250-598-4556 or visit www.oakbaybeachhotel.com