Horizon worth a trip for nature and sports lovers
Pure and simple, Hôtel Horizon is a perfect match for the picturesque mountain region of Sutton, Quebec in the Eastern Townships.
Horizon is part of the Huttopia empire of glamping resorts, which operates in France, New Hampshire and Maine, and has plans for California and the Adirondacks.
Huttopia bought the 1960sera Hôtel Horizon, gutted it and created a modern, airy take on a mountain lodge, with a stone fireplace in the lobby, pinepanelled walls and coffee tables made of tree stumps. Minimalist look, maximum convenience and country ambience.
I was all set for a snowy sojourn, heading for two ski adventures: the glades and moguls of Mont Sutton, which has great ticket deals (an amazing Spring Pass, and options that bring one day down to approximately $55); and the glorious trails at Plein Air Sutton, an idyllic outdoor centre with snowshoeing and cross-country skiing through the woods.
The scene: I take my hat off to Horizon’s original builder. The hotel has a wonderful location, exactly halfway between Sutton village and the Mont Sutton ski area. (It’s two kilometres each way.) High up on a hill and surrounded by huge evergreen trees, Horizon overlooks Sutton’s mountains and valleys, and all the rooms have large windows with this pastoral view. The hotel also has an indoor pool and hot tub — an exceptional feature, and so popular with the kids.
Horizon is a three-star hotel (out of a possible five), so it’s comfortable and family-friendly, not luxurious. It doesn’t have an elevator or phones in the rooms, but in keeping with its outdoorsy vibe, it has a firepit blazing on the patio at night and a large terrasse off the dining room for spring and summer. The lobby multi-tasks as a fireplace lounge and après-ski bar, and Bistro Horizon cooks up creative fare.
Hôtel Horizon has 24 comfy rooms — seven of them for couples and 17 tailored for families of four, with bunk beds.
The decor is rustic-modern, with pine-panelled walls, white duvets and pristine, white-tiled bathrooms. It’s a no-frills look, but there are amenities such as hair dryers, flat-screen TVs, coffee machines and toiletries by Oneka of nearby Frelighsburg.
Dining: Bistro Horizon’s chef, Hugo Dupuy, is from France and has fashioned an unusual, global menu using Quebec’s rich agricultural bounty, with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Produce suppliers include Ferme Racine et Fils in Dunham and Ferme
Les Carottés in Brigham.
Dinner appetizers ($10-$15) include smoked herring from Gaspé, served Scandinavian style with potato salad; pâté of Quebec foie gras and Brome Lake duck, in pastry; black pudding (boudin noir); and a mildly spicy bowl of rice, tempeh and vegetables. Main courses ($16-$32) include seared cod with potato purée and garlic cream; grilled steak with Cognac sauce and fries; pork from nearby Selby Farm, braised with cabbage; spicy Indian vegetable balls with masala and curry; and linguine in lobster bisque.
Mont Sutton: Sutton has invested $1.3 million in snowmaking and grooming for the 2019-2020 season (and a total of $3.5 million since new ownership in 2016 ), so runs including Alouette, Cascade, Cendrillon, Youppe-Youppe and Miracle will have a longer season.
Sutton’s newest snow sport is cardio-busting alpine touring — a steady uphill climb through a birch forest and down through mountain glades.
Off the slopes, Sutton has upped its food game with new soups at the cosy summit chalet Alt. 680 m. Le Petit Tucker is a handy grab-and-go counter for pastries, sandwiches, coffee and beer. Serious après-skiers hang out at Bar Le Tucker, which presents singers and musicians on Thursdays and Fridays. Watch for Sutton’s cool new outdoor bistro for sunny springtime beverages and bites.