Recommend Jan 2018 - 90

onsitereview

Calgary
Michelle Marie Arean

As someone who loves country music,
cowboys, and basically anything having to do
with the Western culture, I felt right at
home in Calgary, a cosmopolitan city in
Alberta, Canada.
And I made myself right at home at
the 185-room Hotel Arts, which offers
quite a few intriguing amenities including
an extensive art collection on display
throughout the property, as well as fab
dining options.
The hotel is such a cool spot and city
landmark that it's the first stop on Alberta
Food Tours Inc.'s Calgary Culinary Tour.
While touring the hotel, we learned
about some of the artwork's history and
meaning, and we sampled the brunch buffet
at the property's top-notch Yellow Door
Bistro restaurant.

We'll never stop celebrating
this province, this city, and
what we have to offer the world
so that more people come
enjoy it with us. This city is
known for a lot of things,
but predominantly
its Western hospitality.

"

DESTINATION CANADA

"

-- Karen Anderson, Founder,
Owner and President,
Alberta Food Tours, Inc.

Happy Trails
The Calgary Culinary Tour also had us
visiting local art galleries, where we had the
chance to meet the artists; Ten Foot Henry,
a popular dining venue among the locals; the
Calgary Public Library; and The Cooking
School, a venue where guests can take a
cooking class, sample local cheeses, as we
did, or browse for a best-selling cookbook on
regional dishes, among other kitchen knickknacks. The tour's grand finale is a sampling
of Rose de Syrah wine with a quick lesson at
the wine shop that neighbors The Cooking
School.
During my time exploring the city, I
borrowed one of Hotel Arts' complimentary
cruiser bikes for a ride down to the Bow
River. It's an enjoyable ride and a great way
to experience the local town in an afternoon.
When I returned to the hotel, I took
advantage of the property's happy hour special
and enjoyed a little refresh with a glass of
champagne and a few oysters at the Raw Bar.
I also took some time to relax in my
contemporary-style guestroom. The hotel
offers plenty of accommodations choices,
ranging from the 225-sq.-ft. Basic King to
the 756-sq. ft. Pool View Suite. The latter
overlooks the property's pool and patio,
and is a perfect choice for honeymooners or
those on a romantic getaway as it features
a 2-person spa rain and steam shower in an
Italian marble bathroom.

One of my afternoons was spent at the
Calgary Stampede, where I donned a
complimentary cowboy hat given to all
guests in attendance and took in a traditional
Western rodeo in a grand stadium. The rodeo
is a unique way to get a taste of the culture in
Calgary-think lots of flannel, cowboys, and
an overall Western vibe. Excitement exuded
from the crowd as we waited for the cowboys
and cowgirls to take center stage along with
their horse or bull. Then it was all about the
bull runs, bareback and saddle bronco riding,
and even a live country concert.
Another unique way to take in the
destination is with a stop at Studio Bell, home
of the National Music Centre. It features five
exhibition floors that tell the story of music
in Canada, including three Canadian music
halls of fame showcasing some of the country's
most notable bands and musicians. There are
also interactive exhibitions that allow music
aficionados to take a stab at creating their
own tunes as they play guitar, mix a track, or
sing-along to favorites in a recording booth.
While roaming the Studio Bell halls, guests
can see some of the artists' wardrobes and
instruments. Studio Bell offers specialized
custom tours, group rates, and venue rentals
for groups ranging from 20 to 2,000 guests, as
well as public tours.

Contact Information
Above: The Calgary Stampede is one
of the city's most unique experiences.
Left: Luxury suite accommodations at
Hotel Arts.
90 january 2018

Alberta Food Tours Inc.: albertafoodtours.ca
Calgary Stampede: calgarystampede.com
Destination Canada: destinationcanada.com
Hotel Arts: hotelarts.ca
Studio Bell: studiobell.ca
Tourism Calgary: visitcalgary.com
recommend.com
http://www.albertafoodtours.ca http://www.calgarystampede.com http://www.destinationcanada.com http://www.hotelarts.ca http://www.studiobell.ca http://www.visitcalgary.com http://www.recommend.com
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