A different kind of wow
The city’s newest and most anticipated hotel — Hard Rock Hotel London — is bringing a whole new level of luxury to town
Photo: Hard Rock Hotel London general manager Brendon Ainscow
BELIEVE IT OR not, it’s been four years since it was first announced that London was getting a Hard Rock Hotel at 100 Kellogg Lane. And today, with the four-plus-star property now taking June bookings for its first-phase, 163-room opening (an additional 190 rooms are planned for a second phase), the anticipation — and actuality — is reaching a heightened state.
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“When I talk to the OGs of London, the people that really grew up here, to this day some of them still think it’s a myth,” laughs director of sales and marketing for the hotel, Lina Merchant.
With nightly rack rates ranging from $396 for a Classic room with two queen beds to $711 for the Diamond Suite King to $1,350 for the Rock Royalty Suite King (there’s also the ultimate luxe Rock Star Suite at $4,500 nightly), the property features a fully equipped fitness centre, indoor-outdoor pool with underwater sound system and an array of culinary options, including the GMT-5 bar, Sessions Restaurant & Bar and a speakeasy named after the year the Kellogg’s Factory opened — 1913.
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Indeed, from the moment guests hand off their keys to the valet and enter the grand lobby, what will be very apparent is this is new territory for a London hotel property, both in terms of level of luxury and amenities. Which is the point.
“Having a brand like this is something that’s going to actually make us more of a destination for people that might be coming from somewhere else,” says general manager Brendon Ainscow, adding that the Hard Rock serves as a stamp of approval from a “recognizable, luxury lifestyle brand that is very selective, typically, on where they want to allow their brands to be built.”
Hard Rock Hotel London director of sales and marketing Lina Merchant and general manager Brendon Ainscow
That Hard Rock decided to build in London has not gone unnoticed on the national tourism stage, says Merchant. “I talk to other cities like Winnipeg, Halifax, Vancouver, and they’re following our story,” she says. “The question does arise — why London? — and our answer is the fact that 100 Kellogg has over one million square feet of entertainment, including a hotel, all under one roof. We don’t have the CN Tower, we don’t have Niagara Falls, but what we do have is a completely unique and family-oriented facility where every type of guest can go.”
“We are an entertainment brand, and our target market is people who love an immersive experience” —Brendan Ainscow
That’s an interesting admission of a departure, however slight, from the conventional brand image of the Hard Rock brand — guitars, glitz, rock stars and so on.
“I think often that the Hard Rock brand can be misconstrued as a brand that’s for music lovers only,” notes Ainscow. “Hard Rock has really pushed to try to make sure to get the message across that we’re not just a rock-‘n-roll brand — we are an entertainment brand, and our target market is people who love an immersive experience. The Hard Rock brand has something for everybody — for families, for people travelling with pets, for local travelers and business travel.”
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Adds Merchant: “It could be for couples, it could be for families, it could be for a woman’s retreat, a men’s golfing getaway. We’ve got it all.” And in the new trade-war era, a focus on keeping tourism dollars in Canada should help boost the draw too, she says.
Business clientele will feature prominently in the property’s marketing equation. Merchant says companies are showing a willingness to pay upscale rates for the kind of experience on offer — providing not only a completely unique lodging experience, but also one that offers a complete ecosystem in which you can facilitate client or team meetings, dine, entertain or simply grab a beer at the end of the day, all under one expansive roof.
In addition, as the nearby Gateway Casino London’s five-phase $50-million reconstruction draws closer to completion at Western Fair District, the two facilities are in talks to partner on programming initiatives.
“I certainly believe that this property is going to make a lot of waves in London,” says Ainscow. “I think it’s not only going to become a property that is going to help put London on the map because it is a recognizable international brand, but I believe it’s also going to help with amplifying overall what London can offer to people that come and visit.” 
Kieran Delamont