'World's most popular 3-star hotel': Where Will and Kate stayed in Yukon

The Whitehorse hotel where Will and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, stayed on Tuesday may have taken some ribbing from the British press,but nobody's complaining.

"We're really happy," said Philip Fitzgerald with Northern Vision Development, the company that owns the Coast High Country Inn.

"I think right now we're the world's most popular three-star hotel," he said, in reference to a British news story last week that scoffed atthe royal couple's choice of "three-star lodgings" in Canada's "remote northwest."

The Daily Mail called the hotel "unremarkable," anda far cry from the royals' usual posh surroundings.

The royal couple stayed in room 414, which recentlyhad new carpet and furniture installed.

"We saw an opportunity to upgrade the room, both for [the royals],and for future guests in the suite," Fitzgerald said.

"It was a great opportunity to also celebrate some of the art that's in the Yukon, and so we borrowed some pieces from the permanent collection for the event."

As for giving the room aname like "The Royal Suite,"Fitzgerald is unsure. He says he believes there are some hoops to jump throughto give it any sort of official royal name.

"But the suite will be available for anyone to use, just like any other room in the hotel."

He says the room has already hadvisitorssince the Duke and Duchess.

The royal impact

The royal visit putthe Coast High Country Inn in the spotlight, and italso brought attention to some other local businesses and craftspeople in Whitehorse.

Yukon jewelry designer Shelly Macdonald has been flooded with orders, since Katewore a pair of earrings she designedduring a visit to Carcross.

Meanwhile, astore in Whitehorse that commissioned special, limited editionWill and Kate Yukon-themed tea towels has sold out of them, with customers calling from near and far.

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"We were contacted by a few people from out of Canada, including someone who either has a tea towel museum or their museum features tea towels in the U.K.," said Jen Williams, co-owner of the Collective Good."So yeah, all sorts of interesting requests."

She says there are already plans for a second run of the tea towels.

"It's kind offun just to be part of that story and the lore, I guess, that their visit will become. So it's nice that we're selling things but also nice to be part of that cultural experience."