Feature: Inn-Side The Wakefield Mill Inn

Nestled in the Gatineau Hills just north of Ottawa, lies the village of Wakefield, which is my destination today.  I’m on a mission to find a popular, local inn, but to my chagrin, I’ve learned that I have the added stress of trying to beat the forecasted snowstorm just announced on the car radio: a whopping 20-25 centimetres beginning any minute. I try not to panic and keep my eyes peeled on the traffic signs, as I lament that I’m probably the only person alive without the modern driving convenience of a GPS.

Wakefield's Hidden Treasure

Then I breathe a sigh of relief as the next approaching sign reads, Bienvenue a Wakefield, and I’m momentarily distracted by the picturesque scenery: the village is built alongside a river, and has a backdrop of the Gatineau Mountains. I turn off Wakefield’s main road and drive down a winding dirt road, making my way uphill. Suddenly, I catch a glimpse of the imposing structure in the clearing: a tall, majestic, three storey building standing stoically by a waterfall, which instantly evokes images of a colonial past to me. What’s immediately striking about the patchwork façade of this hidden treasure is that half of it is made of wood, the other half of grey stone. This was once a mill.

 As I get out of my car, the only sound I hear is the thunderous waterfall. Sheltered by pine trees, and surrounded by hills, I’m struck by the serenity of this remote location. The locale couldn’t be better. It gives the illusion of being hundreds of miles away, in the middle of nature; therapeutic for city dwellers wanting to escape the rush of urban life. Inside, I am greeted by the front desk clerk who cheerfully directs me towards the main reception room. Upon entering, a full service bar immediately catches my attention, but I begrudgingly decline any alcohol today. This is to be a working interview. Instead, I order a cola. As I wait for it to be poured, I look around the room, painted in warm colours of burgundy and blue. The opposite side has a tv in the corner, a pool table, and a set of sofas. Then I notice the lit, stone fireplace in the middle of the room. I immediately gravitate towards it, as it beckons to me. I sink into the sleek, black, leather sofa and listen to the crackle of the fire as soft music plays in the background, lulling me to sleep. I struggle to stay awake as I wait for Francois, the manager, to sit down with me for a one-on-one interview.

Hospitality and Charm

I notice the shiny, polished, hardwood floor, scratched and blemished, yet full of character, while by the bar are some large, heavy wooden beams overhead, that I suspect are part of the original structure. The fireplace, flanked on either side with wooden shelves offers up well-used, tattered games of Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, while the other shelf has a mish-mash of books and magazines for visitors to leaf through. An original, thick, stone wall divides the lobby from the solarium where some guests sit, chatting happily while sipping drinks. The huge, bay windows emanate plenty of sunlight, flooding the reception room.

After several minutes, Francois Letourneau, the manager appears. Polite, soft-spoken and gracious, he eagerly shakes my hand and apologizes about the delay. Clad in black slacks and shirt, he looks very chic, business-like and polished. I am immediately struck by his youthfulness. He’s only around thirty years of age, but balding with a goatee. It stands in direct contrast to my stereotypical perception of an innkeeper:  an elderly gentleman dressed in a colourful cardigan. After introducing ourselves, we sit down for our half-hour hour interview. I start by asking him if he likes his job. "Love it!" he replies enthusiastically. "I live in Montreal so I really love my job here!" he laughs. I marvel at that statement; someone who would drive an hour and a half daily to get his workplace must love his job. He points out that he especially enjoys the "leisurely feel" he gets from the inn and its surroundings, and it’s easy to see why: no office cubicles or fax machines here; with the pine trees and hills, this feels more like the Swiss Alps.

We get to talking about the clientele that frequents the inn. He explains that weekdays usually sees corporate guests who book the inn for company retreats. “What about skiers and outdoors people?” I ask. "Yes, I’d say we get about 40 percent of the clientele who are cross-country and alpine skiers during the winter," he replies. He goes on to explain that monthly, only one percent of the clientele are foreigners, mainly Americans; the rest of the market is predominantly from Ontario and Quebec. I jokingly ask if he books any couples for a romantic weekend. He laughs and replies, "Yes! Lots, every weekend!" he says, then adds, "We were booked solid for Valentine’s Day; actually, we were booked solid that week!"

What also makes the inn so alluring is that one can get spa treatments, such as pedicures, manicures, facials and massages.  Personnel are available on site to cater spa treatments to guests and business is booming; the inn is so popular, they are now expanding. They are building a new structure directly behind it called, The River Lodge which will add 13 additional rooms, is slated to open July 1^st 2011.

Next, I press him about malcontents. At first he emphatically denies that anybody has ever complained about the service, but after some prodding, he admits that it has happened on occasion. He adds that those individuals have usually arrived "disgruntled" but are easily taken care of, as the inn is small and everyone receives personalized service. Then he winks at me as he mentions spa treatments that would pacify even the crustiest of characters. What also makes the inn so alluring is that one can get spa treatments, such as pedicures, manicures, facials and massages, as there is personnel available on site to cater to the guests.

 Once Upon a Time…

Originally built in 1838 by William Fairbairn, the proprietor, the inn was used for the more practical purpose of providing flour to farming families in the local area, and the waterfall behind the mill supplied the energy source.  Known back then as "The Grist Mill", it changed ownership several times in the course of its history. Taken over by the Maclaren family in 1844, the mill stayed in the family for almost a hundred years, until 1939 when it closed its operations. Bought by the NCC in 1962, it remained vacant until 2000, when a husband-and-wife team, Robert Milling and Lynn Berthiaume, bought the property and converted it into an inn.

Tragically, the mill has seen its fair share of fires. The first one in 1877 destroyed the building housing the mill operations. A second fire in 1907 destroyed the saw mill, while a third fire in 1910 destroyed the entire complex, leaving only a few stone walls intact, from which the Maclaren family rebuilt.

A  Modern Transformation

Today, the building has been transformed into a modern inn that offers guests a choice of 26 rooms, either a Waterfall Room, (a view of the waterfall) or a Parkside Room (a view of the hill). The inn is staffed year round with approximately 70 people who work as front-desk clerks, chambermaids, kitchen staff, and groundskeepers. The most popular rooms, says Letourneau, are The Waterfall Upgraded Rooms (of which there are six). They face the waterfall and give guests that "spa" feeling with a view of the waterfall, along with its relaxing, rumbling sounds that can be heard through the walls. Before I can continue, he interrupts me, "Why don’t I show you one of our rooms so you can see for yourself?" I agree and he disappears for several minutes to get a key, then motions from across the room to  me, and I join him by the wooden staircase, at the inn’s entrance. We climb the the creaky steps and make our way to the third floor.

Not surprisingly, most of the rooms are booked, but he is able to show me an unoccupied Parkside Room; the original wood paneling gives the room the distinct cabin-feel. Small, but comfortable, it offers all the amenities of a hotel room including a phone, cable tv, coffee machine, internet connection, bathrobes, full bathroom and a comfortable queen-sized bed. I ask him which room he recommends for students. "A Parkside Room", (no waterfall) he says without hesitation. "Students are on a budget so those rooms would be more affordable." (Known as The Bed and Breakfast Package, it costs $115 a night including brunch).  

As we conclude our tour with a walk through the lower-level dining room, I ask him if the chef gets any compliments on his cooking. "Oh yes!" he eagerly replies. "Our chef takes pride in his work.  We have one head chef and he has a team of 10 kitchen staff." He explains that the menu is mostly French cuisine, but when I ask if crêpes are available, he laughs and says, "No, unfortunately not, but we do have chocolate ravioli!" he offers.

 As the interview ends, I ask him what he would say to convince someone to book a reservation here, and he replies, arms outstretched, "Well you just have to look at the place to fall in love with it! I mean, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then this place is it!"

 References:

 "Wakefield Grist Mill- Wakefield QC."07 July, 2010, http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM9WX8_Wakefield_Grist_Mill_Wakefield_QC

"Wakefield Mill Inn and Spa." http://www.wakefieldmill.com/attractions_activities/index_e.html