A ribbon cutting was held Friday as Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas West Hartford officially reopened.

By Ronni Newton and Hunter Marotto. Photos by Hunter Marotto

Movies often get a remake, but in West Hartford, the movie theater got a remake as well.

After being closed since early March for its multi-million dollar makeover, the newly-renovated Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas West Hartford had its official reopening Friday, a festive ribbon cutting hosted by the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce and attended by representatives of Cinépolis and town officials as well as eager movie-goers.

The theater had been in a soft re-opening phase for several days in advance of Friday’s event with discounted tickets – and 36 children who were part of a Children’s Museum program had a viewing of “Dora the Explorer” in the new theater. Over the weekend guests enjoyed a free small popcorn with each ticket as well as other special offers.

“The most important thing when a guest comes in is to make them feel welcome,” Cinépolis Regional Manager Jon Cisco told We-Ha.com. “It’s going to be an experience of luxury they haven’t seen yet, in movie theaters or in the Hartford area or quite frankly in Connecticut.”

West Hartford Manager Adam Lanoue said that the community involvement has been incredible and expressed his thanks to the Chamber of Commerce and Blue Back Square for their assistance. Cisco noted that he appreciated the community support as well.

According to Cinépolis USA, the completely transformed theater features six screens and 21,462 square-feet as well as the company’s first dine-in theater in the Northeast.

There are a total of 359 luxurious new leather reclining seats spread among the six auditoriums – all of which feature cutting-edge sound and high-definition production technology.

Guests can order from a gourmet menu that offers snacks, beverages, a full meal, or dessert. The chef-inspired menu items include hummus plates, edamame, charcuterie, quesadillas, flatbreads, salads, and burgers. There is an emphasis on fresh ingredients, and gluten free and vegan options are available.

Orders can be placed either in advance of the show at the concession area or via a push-button on each seat that summons waiter service for a complete dine-in experience.

The servers are “stealthy” and “ninja-like” in order to avoid disrupting the movie-going experience, Cinépolis representatives said.

Guests can also relax before or after a movie in the upscale lounge/lobby area.

A full bar that includes craft beer, wine, and speciality cocktails will open as soon as the liquor license has been finalized, which will be in about two more weeks according to Cinépolis representatives.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to improve the guest experience, and this upgraded Luxury Cinema with enhanced dining and programming exemplifies our commitment to offering an elevated and affordable approach to entertainment,” Luis Olloqui, Chief Executive Officer of Cinépolis USA said in a statement. He told We-Ha.com that with the renovate theater, West Hartford now has “the product this city deserves.”

An app is also available for reserving seats and ordering, and management encourages movie-goers to download the app and become rewards members.

Discounted $7 tickets will be available on Tuesdays in accordance with the theater’s signature Cinépolis Handpicked weekly movie-viewing program. “Cinépolis Handpicked is a carefully curated alternative programming series that features a wide variety of digitally remastered specialty content, including favorite cult classic films, nostalgic oldies, special concert events, documentaries, seasonal favorites, and more,” the company announced in a news release.

Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas West Hartford is open seven days a week, with ticket prices ranging from $7-12 for adults and $7-9 for children. Ticket prices are the same as they were before the renovation, Olloqui said.

“We want to be the place where people can plan events, the go-to,” said Lanoue.

Click here for West Hartford’s movie schedule. For more information, visit www.cinepolisusa.com. 

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