Ugly Rumors Have It That Mars Hotel Lounge To Open Next Month

The latest phase of the ambitious, high-budget Mars Hotel project, a phase that’s taken many months to finish, nears completion. So far, the only part of the Mars Hotel, 312 W. Sprague, that’s in operation is the dainty restaurant, Two Moon Cafe.

Ugly Rumors, a two-level cocktail lounge, will be unveiled sometime in October.

Once it’s open, Ugly Rumors, the name of which, like the Mars Hotel, comes from the Grateful Dead album “Mars Hotel,” will no doubt be one of the choicest evening spots in the Inland Northwest.

Nightwatch recently took a tour of the new lounge, so here’s a sneak preview.

The subterranean cocktail lounge has two levels, with a terrace overlooking the main floor.

Just like the restaurant above, Ugly Rumors is adorned with sprucy, towering, junglelike trees, sculpted rock formations and a streaming waterfall. All of which were constructed by a company in L.A. that does similar work for museums, zoos and theme parks.

The scenery will not only provide a cool, relaxed atmosphere but also will make patrons feel like they’re having a cocktail in some remote paradise.

Under the trees, the main floor will be covered with tables and a dance floor.

The tables will come with state-of-the-art smoke-eating ashtrays built in. This means smoke from a burning cigarette won’t waft into the air. Instead, it’ll be sucked down through a pipe attached to the table’s post and expelled outside the building. A special ventilation system will consume the rest of the smoke.

In other words, lounge-goers won’t leave smelling like an ashtray. And the lounge environment will always be smoke-free.

A long bar takes up the north end of the lounge. There’s also a walk-up bar for those mingling in the club.

Above the bar area there is the terrace level. Tables will be installed at each end. A stage will be located in the middle.

Entertainment will play a major role at Ugly Rumors. Owner Robert Saucier plans to have something going on in the club every night of the week. Entertainment will range from live music (blues, rock, country, etc.) to comedy.

Further, TVs will be posted throughout the lounge for those looking to catch the latest sports scores.

Once construction is complete, the black wood paneling at the back of the Two Moon Cafe will be removed, and patrons in some parts of the restaurant will be able to watch the entertainment in the lounge below. That’s why many of the booths in the restaurant have been elevated.

Next to Ugly Rumors will be a courtyard from which people will be able to view lounge entertaiment.

Saucier will explore several ways to draw people to Ugly Rumors during off hours. A TV studio is one possibility. In fact, microwave dishes have been hoisted onto the roof for just that purpose.

“We’ve gotten together with the local TV stations … we can do shows out of our lounge here and broadcast them live,” said Saucier. “It could be a talk show, it could be a game show. There’s been several different ideas suggested to us.”

People will be able to access the club two ways. First, you can enter through the Two Moon Cafe entrance and take either the elevator or stairs down to the lounge. To bypass the restaurant and go straight to the club, there will be a sidewalk stairway on Bernard.