The Westley Hotel

The Westley Hotel is a full-service boutique hotel located in downtown Calgary, Canada. Formerly a corporate head office, the five-storey building has been transformed into a beautiful vintage-meets modern destination that delights guests with unexpected elements and distinctive style. The design celebrates Calgary’s split personality: a sophisticated corporate culture with an undertone of a ‘wild west’ pioneering mentality. The exterior of the building has a monolithic quality and embodies the proper, while the bespoke signage and highly considered brick detailing introduces the unexpected wild side.

Upon entry, the lobby’s sweeping archways, abundant natural light, eclectic furniture groupings and bold contemporary artwork create an impactful first impression that sets the stage for the guest experience. The strategic use of colour creates a cinematic quality, enhanced by the custom light installation by New York artist Danielle Trofe featuring biofabricated lampshades grown from mushrooms on the lobby ceiling. The blurred boundaries between hotel and food and beverage spaces on the main floor dissolve the traditional notion of the hotel experience.  The multifaceted lobby acts as a social hub and features an open transition from casual social spaces to relax, lounge, dine or grab a drink at the bar. A large cooking island and open kitchen concept activates the dining space and provides a bustling energy. The show-stopping central bar encourages travellers to rub shoulders with discerning locals. The extended patio seating with large operable windows from the restaurant allows guests to dine within a garden oasis during the warmer months.

The guest rooms feature subtle references to the building’s previous incarnation as a corporate headquarters with tweed carpet and pinstripe detailing, while the quirky patterned tiles, velvet accents and tassled lighting speak to Calgary’s western heritage. The bed is a focal point of each room, paired with playful lighting and bespoke furniture to create a bold statement.