Event industry Night at ALT Hotel in Halifax

Bright colours, modern spaces, great food, throwing paper airplanes in the Halifax International airport…  What’s not to love?

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending #ALTExpo,  an Event Industry Night at the ALT Hotel in Halifax, NS, Canada.  The evening was hosted by the hotel along with their exclusive catering partner, Kitchen Door Catering.  Happily, both the Sales Director of the ALT Hotel, Patricia Pardy,  and the Sales and Marketing Director of Kitchen Door catering, Avril Mullholland, are both WPIC Certified 😉

Events Industry guests were welcomed to the modern Rose Fuchsia Ballroom by a stilt walker from Atlantic Cirque – Halifax holding coloured cards on ribbons.  The card you chose determined the site tour group you would be in later.  At this welcome cocktail there was an open bar and an interactive chef’s kitchen where the food was prepared on-site.

The offerings were an Asian Fusion (Vietnamese Pho) and Chicken ‘n Waffles with a Jack & Coke, there were plenty of passed hors d’oeuvres as well.

We were called by group to go on an experiential site tour of the hotel.  Our group started with a Top Chef Taste Challenge in one of the “Creative Rooms,” a casual lounge-style meeting room.

Next we played Hangman in the Ginger Conference room, where jars of brightly coloured jellybeans are set out at every meeting.

We headed to the colourful, high-ceilinged gym and then poolside for Jell-O Shots.

We were all a little leery when we were brought upstairs to visit the Laundry Room.  It turned out to be the highlight of the tour for many people, we got to try out their huge sheet drying/folding machine while learning about all of the hotel’s fabulous eco-initiatives.

Next we headed to the ALTcetera café where we were given coloured-paper and instructions on how to fold a paper airplane.  We were led up to the Airport Pedway where we had a Paper Airplane Contest in the Halifax Airport in order to show how close and accessible the hotel was for air travellers.  Brilliant!

Our last stop was upstairs for fresh-baked cookies and a view of one of the fabulous loft-style guest rooms.

After the innovative and highly entertaining tour of the hotel, everyone reconvened on the main floor for a night-cap.  There was again an open bar, an Atlantic Station of Fish ‘n Chips and Seafood Chowder, a Sandwich station with gourmet sandwiches grilled on the spot, and a S’mores station complete with homemade marshmallow fluff which was torched before your eyes.  Guests also got the chance to get silly and commemorate the night in the photo booth.

On a personal note, it was wonderful for me to get the chance to see some of our successful Halifax WPIC Alumni.

Attendees of the event were all treated to a night stay and breakfast the next day.  Part FAM trip, part party, this event was fantastic.

I can honestly say, I think this was the best site visit I have ever been to.  The organizers managed to get everyone to attentively listen to all the features they wanted to point out by engaging them in activities and games.  Well Done!