OTTAWA,Ont. — Ottawa’s south end is feeling a little more Christmasy.  The Southway Hotel at Bank and Hunt Club kicked off their holiday season as they flipped the switch on their annual Christmas light display Wednesday night.

General Manager Stephen Zlepnig said this year’s display includes more than 150,000 thousand lights, adding that the Southway has been proud to light up the night in the south end for close to 50 years.

“A lot of families call us and let us know how they look forward to it,” he told 1310News. “Even in the rural areas, Bank and Hunt Club is one of the exit points to Ottawa.  People call to tell us how beautiful it is and how they look forward to it every year.”

The display continues inside the hotel, with a 16-foot tree and a Christmas Village.  Zlepnig calls it a labour of love that takes about a week to set up and close to a month of planning.

“The base is the same, but we always add to it. It’s about being a child again, and I think the staff get involved too.  My family gets involved, my children are here helping out.  It’s about putting smiles on people’s faces.”