Explorers Society Hotel owners Rebekah and Stephen Jenkins. Photo: Eliisa Tennant
The Explorers Society Hotel brings boutique trend to Revelstoke
Historic McKinnon Building remodeled into nine-room boutique hotel that blends contemporary design with historic themes. By Eliisa Tennant 12 minutes. That’s how long it took Rebekah and Stephen Jenkins to make one of the biggest decisions of their life. While drinking a beer one evening they received a call from their real estate agent that the primary offer on a building they held a back up offer on fell through. 12 minutes was sufficient time for them to fall in love with Revelstoke’s historic McKinnon Building. To some it might seem impulsive for an American couple from Seattle, Washington to walk into an old building, spend a few short minutes inside to dream up possibilities, create a vision for a boutique hotel and restaurant then purchase it on the spot. But for a couple who has been invested in the idea of making a life here since 2007, it was really about time to take the next step. In 2007 Revelstoke started down the path to becoming a resort community with the opening of Revelstoke Mountain Resort. This sleepy little mountain town popped up on the international radar and caught Stephen Jenkins’ attention. He came to Revelstoke
looking for the start-up skiing experience that had eluded him in the States. Initially he stayed in various hotels, but after falling in love with the community he and Rebekah decided to build a home in Arrow Heights. The couple had remodeled homes in Seattle but never built from the ground up. It was this build that gave them the taste for design and architecture. Creating this home from scratch then opening its doors as a rental to other ski and snowboard enthusiasts set the wheels in motion for vision behind The Explorers Society and adjoining restaurant Quartermaster Eatery. “It was meant to be a haven for us, but also a place that skiers and boarders could share. We started to get this really nice payback from it … these people that walk into your home they are all from cool places, they have cool stories they’re all here for a reason and they would stay at our home.” Opening their home and hosting people from all walks of life, but driven by the same passion, paved the way for Revelstoke’s newest boutique hotel. The nine beautifully appointed rooms play to the Jenkins’ desire to deliver a unique and intimate experience for their guests — expanding on their initial enjoyment of having people
The Quartermaster Eatery. Photo: Eliisa Tennant
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stay in their rental and welcoming people into this stunningly remodeled building. Rebekah did have some design mentoring from Brian Paquette of Brian Paquette Interiors in Seattle, but the building showcases Rebekah’s impeccable taste. Highlights include the contrast between softly white-washed wood and concrete walls, the elegant tin roof panels, the boldly tiled floor, and the industrial chandelier. These features are all individually unique but together compliment each other in an exquisitely modern way, while still paying tribute to the buildings rich history. It’s obvious that Stephen is both proud of the building remodel and with his wife’s vision and execution of the project. “Rebekah did all of this — the colour of the cushions, the finish on the table, what we did with the lighting, the three colours of green on the chairs — it’s all her. Rebekah comes from a very creative family. Their family is a combination of artists and engineers. She has both the analytical power and the creative power to pull off a massive project like this.” (continued on page 24)