Saved from the wrecker’s ball and transformed into Kitchener-Waterloo’s only four-star boutique hotel, the Walper Hotel is set to resume the pivotal role it played in the city’s social and cultural scene for many years after opening in 1893.

In recent times, its dated accommodations were unable to meet the demands of modern business travelers and locavore millennials. A $10-million renovation preserved the hotel’s charming heritage façade while gutting the interior.

In ground-floor public spaces, conventional crown mouldings, wainscoting and trim complement playful contemporary light fixtures, seating and, in the lobby, a mosaic tile floor with a custom pixelated pattern inspired by the downtown street grid.

Each of the 92 new guest rooms is unique and contains custom millwork and furnishings, with warm walnut and ash predominant. Full-height monochrome graphics on feature walls and high-gloss, brightly coloured doors will please connoisseurs of upmarket hotels.

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