Meet Your Neighbour: 11 Rooms
Sandra Kahale, husband Peter Alfermann, and partners Amy and Trevor Bond have created a retreat and collaboration space for small groups with big goals. Uniquely flexible and cleverly outfitted, 11 Rooms is a work-friendly boutique hotel located at 128 St. Paul Street in downtown Collingwood, that’s specially designed for powerful, productive retreats and getaways. Ideal for groups of 6-9 people, 11 Rooms is a collaboration-ready venue for retreats of all kinds, team meetings, planning sessions, masterminds, and group getaways.
11 Rooms offers bright, flexible communal meeting spaces equipped with expandable tables, hideaway Murphy beds, white boards, flip charts, and TVs that help small teams and groups connect, co-work, collaborate, or create. When it’s time to rest, thoughtfully-outfitted private hotel rooms with ensuites await.
Sandra, a natural at communication, facilitation and community-building, has had a relationship with Collingwood over the past twelve years and was frequently in town for business with her company Onword Consulting onwordconsulting.com/. She originally came to Collingwood for love after reconnecting with her high school boyfriend now husband, Peter, through social media. Ironically, Sandra and Peter were on a holiday in Collingwood, New Zealand when Peter, who was very casually surfing the web looking at properties for sale, found the listing for 128 St. Paul Street. The couple, together with the Bonds, bought the property sight unseen in January of 2020.
“At some point, 128 St. Paul was a rooming house. Each room was a complete apartment, with a tiny kitchen and bathroom. According to former residents who’ve dropped by to say hello, it was a friendly place with a kind landlord and many long-term tenants who looked out for each other, and for the gardens,” recalls Sandra.
“Artist and co-owner, Amy Bond, set the tone early with bold flooring and tile choices. It was Amy who, painstakingly and by hand, created the exact pattern for the laying of all our signature tile floors. The tile layers worked off a massive drawing, reproducing Amy’s sketch tile by tile across all the hallways, entrances, and landings in the building as well as up a few walls. Exciting foundational elements later got layered with paint, wallpaper, and drapery by local designer, Jassy Sidhu who owns J.S. Design House. Jassy also brought in elements of sophistication and polish, most notably in the Lounge, which she infused with marble, velvet, and a softly French salon vibe,” Sandra further explains. “People often comment on how intentional everything seems at 11 Rooms. We love hearing it. We’ve put care and consideration into every detail. We’ve also embraced spontaneity and seized opportunity – especially when it comes to design and décor. The result is a place that’s unique, eclectic, and unexpected. A place that is both comfortable and exciting to be in.”
11 Rooms offers up to 9 hotel rooms, each with ensuite bath, workstation, and comfy seating, with flexibility to configure and change room uses easily. You can make all your own arrangements, or work with their in-house Planner to coordinate every perfect detail, from crowd-pleasing catering to local excursions and insider experiences. A bright communal meeting and workspace makes 11 Rooms the perfect venue for your next corporate retreat.
Find 11 Rooms at 128 St. Paul Street in Collingwood Downtown, visit their website at 11rooms.ca/, follow them on Facebook www.facebook.com/11RoomsCollingwood or Instagram www.instagram.com/11roomscollingwood/