The Blue Ridge Inn building, built in the 1960’s, was in need of a full-scale renovation after over 50 years of use. This gave the company’s CEO the opportunity she had been looking for: to create a hotel that breaks the mold – something truly different and something truly fun.
With styling influenced by 1960’s Doo-Wop hotels, Hotel Zed was born and has captured widespread media attention for its innovative, kitschy design.
The old building was ripped back to its structural components and updated with modern materials and a vibrant colour palette inside and out. Glass balconies let the colourful doors and walls shine through to busy Douglas Street, and an indoor-outdoor pool with waterslide was added along with new signage to reflect the hotel’s rebrand.
The building was repurposed, rather than torn down, to make use of the mid-century design and to save tonnes of waste from reaching the landfill. Other environmental initiatives include free bike rentals to encourage green transportation to nearby downtown.
