Their star is rising
The Lighthouse and Beach Motel undergoes extensive renovations
The Lighthouse and Beach Motel in Souris West has a new look.
The motel, on six acres of land overlooking Sheep Pond Beach, has undergone extensive renovations after new owners took over the aging motel in Dec. 2015.
Anne and Grant Galbraith, of Galbraith P.E.I. Holdings, ran the motel for one season with some minor upgrades before taking the plunge to demolish and rebuild the main part of the building this past year.
Souris contractor, William Ford, led the renovation process, working under a tight deadline to complete the new construction by June 23.
The motel went from being 16 rooms to 12 and includes a wheelchair accessible unit.
“We had to increase the size and they had to be modernized,” said Anne Galbraith, a Souris native, in a recent interview with The Guardian. “We lost rooms, but we are offering a much better product.”
The main office, which is connected to the renovated section of the motel, also carries some history, as it was the scale house office in Wood Islands for many years.
The motel was previously a two star accommodation, but since the renovations is now rated a 3.5 star after an inspection by Tourism P.E.I.
“We had a family from Switzerland (in July) and they said this is one of the nicest spots that they stayed in,” said Galbraith.
The motel carries a view of Sheep Pond Beach and a cow farm and is within walking distance of the picturesque beach.
It is also pet friendly, has a continental breakfast and offers bilingual services.
Galbraith said becoming owners of a motel has had its challenges, but that it’s been fun getting to meet the people staying at the motel.
“I’ve never folded so many sheets, done so much laundry and made so many beds and so there is that side of it but meeting the people side is definitely worth it.”
The motel will be open until Oct. 1 since the Galbraith family will be returning to their home to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
Galbraith said eastern P.E.I. is a great place to do business and hired all local people to help with renovations including Souris artist Karen MacKinnon, Roger Mahar of Mahar’s Plumbing and Heating and Foster Campbell of Campbell Foster Electric Ltd.
Galbraith said they also plan to renovate the lighthouse suite and the two “rustic” housekeeping suites in the fall.
Galbraith said they plan to work again with Ford to complete those renovations.