WARM WELCOMES TO HOSPITALITY SCENE, FROM COAST TO COAST
Waterfronts are well represented among 2021's new properties across the country
This is the winter of our discontent, but there is travel on the horizon. Please respect government guidelines.
The hotel scene across Canada is persevering in spite of tough times, and will see new establishments and upgrades in 2021. Hotel Intel covered a number of those properties in December; here is a look at more. Waterfronts are especially popular, both in the countryside and in cities.
Quebec:
We already covered Montreal's biggest projects for 2021 — downtown's Humaniti Hotel Montreal, Autograph Collection and two Hiltons sharing the same tower on Décarie Blvd. near Jean-talon St. — but there is news in the countryside, as well.
On the shore of Lac Moore in Tremblant Village, Auberge Manitonga and Château Morritt will both upgrade this summer with additional condo-style lodging. Manitonga, a former hostel, has already renovated its existing interiors with a cool, woodsy look. Château Morritt jumped ahead with its restaurant, Chez David, which wowed locals with patio dining in summer and now is offering takeout.
In the Eastern Townships, Auberge Mcgowan, a fishing lodge on the shore of Lake Memphremagog in Georgeville, is gone. Long live the new Auberge Mcgowan, scheduled to open this summer. “Our new auberge will preserve the splendid lakefront location and Georgeville's historic spirit of hospitality,” said Hugh Scott, president of Heritage Georgeville, which is organizing the venture. The 2021 Auberge Mcgowan will include a Loyalist-inspired white clapboard guest house with seven rooms, a 70-seat waterfront restaurant, a terrasse for summer afternoons and Marina Mcgowan for boat rentals.
Further east along Highway 10, the Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham will be a budget-conscious hotel in downtown Lac-mégantic — a practical stop for families or business travellers, particularly those in the lumber industry. Expected to launch in March, Microtel will offer free breakfast, snowmobile facilities, children's amenities and extended-stay rooms, many with a view of the lake. Nearby attractions include Lac Mégantic Golf Club, Mont-mégantic National Park and its astronomy centre, as well as Frontenac National Park, known for spectacular scenery and wildlife.
The west:
Basecamp Resorts, which operates casual, adventure-inspired lodging in Canmore, Alta., has opened its first B.C. property. Surrounded by the epic peaks of Western Canada and overlooking the Columbia River, Basecamp Revelstoke has a range of accommodations, from micro-studios up to six-bedroom apartments. It's 15 minutes from Revelstoke Mountain Resort, which has the longest vertical drop of any downhill area in North America (1,713 metres) and a sensational snowfall.
Atlantic: Muir, an Autograph Collection Hotel by Marriott International, will open in summer, anchoring Queen's Marque, a new district of shops and entertainment on the picturesque Halifax waterfront. Muir (Scottish Gaelic for sea) will focus on Atlantic culture, with an art gallery and regionally inspired cuisine. Created by architect Brian Mackay-lyons of Nova Scotia, Muir will be a posh getaway, with a semi-private speakeasy, car-and-drive service, a wellness centre and a yacht for cruises along the Halifax Harbour.
The friendly, cosy Bumblebee Bight Inn & Brewery opened last summer in a 150-year-old building in Pilley's Island, N.L., offering what it calls “bunks, brews and bites.” That means five well-designed modern guest rooms, craft beer and a tap-house comfort menu featuring wings, pizza, soup and baked goods. Bumblebee's pandemic protection includes reduced capacity in the pub and distanced tables. It is off the beaten track, a five-hour drive west of St. John's in an area known for mussels, cod and squid.
Reflecting the purity and simplicity of Prince Edward Island, the Nature Space Resort and Retreat Centre will add a variety of glamping and rustic lodging this spring, eventually to be yearround: well-equipped Mongolian-style yurts, two campsites and a one-bedroom apartment, up in the trees atop a boathouse. Guests can use the new communal kitchen and bathrooms in the main lodge.
Nature Space organizes classic indoor and outdoor yoga, meditation experiences, culinary routes and kayak and paddleboard yoga (and yoga on snowshoes in winter), as well as kayak tours with tastings at Bogside Brewing and the Raspberry Point Oyster Co. It's in St. Peters Harbour, about 35 kilometres east of Charlottetown.
Ontario:
Ace Hotel — which operates worldwide, including in New York and Kyoto, Japan — will launch mid-year in Toronto. It's a young-at-heart urban brand inspired by music, art and technology, decorated with acoustic guitars and 33 rpm vinyl, complete with turntables. Ace will be a boutique biggie in Canada's largest metropolis, joining a glamorous 2021 duo of full-service getaways, 1 Hotel Toronto and W Toronto.
I'm a design fan, so am already enthralled by Wander the Resort, an appealing modern cabin retreat opening soon on the shore of West Lake in Prince Edward County. A contemporary take on Canadiana, Wander embraces 10 deluxe two-bedroom cottages with either lake or pool views, sophisticated rustic decor, fully equipped kitchens, organic linens, heated floors and quirky amusements such as outdoor showers for summer fun. Seasonal activities will include skating, snowshoeing, live music around a firepit, yoga at the beach, lawn games and scavenger hunts. Wander is a four-hour drive west of Montreal.
Opening in spring, the Pearle Hotel & Spa, part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, will harness the beauty of Lake Ontario's waterfront in Burlington. With modern design by Studio Munge, the Pearle will be both a picturesque venue for celebrations and a resort-style getaway. Burlington is about halfway between downtown Toronto and Niagara Falls, approximately 40 minutes each way.