B8 Saturday, March 2, 2019 Montreal Gazette travel

hotel intel

Owl’s Head revamped, but yOu’ll find if you go familiar faces amid tHe renOvatiOns Owl’s Head sur-le-Lac & Hôtel MTN Haus: 800- 363-3342, 450-292-3342, owlshead.com; 40 Mont Owl’s Head Rd., Mansonville. Lodging prices: Tues.-Wed., $144 p.p., double occupancy, with breakfast, a three-course dinner and lifts. Room only, for two people, $160 on Sun.- rochelle lash Thurs.; or $240 on Fri.-Sat.; additional adults, $25; chil- Owl’s Head, the vintage resort dren 13 and under stay free. area in the Eastern Townships, is Packages available with lift having an uplifting second debut. tickets and Le Spa des Chutes The top-drawer 2018-2019 de Bolton, a Nordic spa with transformation represents the massages (spabolton.com). first phase of a new life for this Eastern Townships tourism: vintage ski and golf getaway that 800-355-5755, easterntown- dates to the 1960s. ships.org. To start, it now is named the more posh Owl’s Head sur-le-Lac. And it has launched stylish new has been rebuilt and the trendy cuisine, updated mountain facil- new après-ski bar has eight TV ities and all-suite lodging in the screens, fireplace lounges and reimagined MTN Haus ski lodge. dining tables. “We’re ecstatic over the Classy pub fare includes truffle changes, especially the accom- potato chips, tuna tartare with modations,” said Jeff Williams micro-cilantro, Cornish hen, of Chatham, Ont., who has been seared salmon and beef on the visiting Owl’s Head for nearly 40 grill, plus upgraded burgers, years with his wife, Susan, and pasta, , nachos, wings and daughter, April. ribs. The onion soup is spiked Long known for its dramatic with from Shawinigan and setting overlooking Lake Mem- the fondue cheese comes from phremagog, Owl’s Head is pictur- Fromagerie Abbaye St-Benoît. esque and pastoral, surrounded The ski-in-ski-out lodging on the second floor of MTN Haus has been completely overhauled and features 10 “We’re bringing ski-chalet by dairy farms and country suites, which are modern, compact and functional. Photos: EmiliE hébErt-laruE food and beverage into 2019,” estates. This area has been low- said de la Bruère, who stocked key, even a little clubby, but that’s the bar with artisan spirits such about to change. as Romeo’s Gin from Montreal, The news: A consortium of Farnham beer and privately Montreal businesspeople who imported wines. are passionate weekend habitués In the cafeteria, burgers, hot- have bought Owl’s Head and plan dogs, poutine and chili still rule, to expand the year-round des- but check out the new Swiss cap- tination with a 50-room hotel, puccino machine, the vegetarian condos and houses that will be specials, gluten-free foods and on both slopeside and lakefront. weekends, the sharing platters of An initial $18-million invest- roast chicken or pork loin. There ment, supplemented by $26 are unusual beverages, too, like million from the govern- hibiscus kombucha from Fous ment, has resulted in improve- de l’Île of Montreal, and Bull’s ments on and off the mountain. Head ginger- beer from The base chalet, now called Richmond. MTN Haus, has been redeco- On mountain: Some trails rated and modernized, with a have been reconfigured, some renewed cafeteria, bistro-bar, lifts have been refurbished and boutique/rental shop, ventilated grooming and snow-making are lockers and the Little Owls day- Owl’s Head-sur-le-Lac’s 10 modern suites sport whitewashed walls, -trunk tables and white-tiled bathrooms. significantly improved. care centre. Now everything is Owl’s Head boasts both beauty fresh and open, with marvellous his eye on real estate and resort New suites: The ski-in-ski-out coffee machines, mini-fridges and moderate prices. Echo day views of the trails and contem- services. lodging on the second floor of and microwaves, and the king tickets are reloadable online with porary country decor. There still is lots of original MTN Haus has been totally over- lounge configurations each have a 10-per-cent discount, coming The company’s new president, charm in the old stone fireplaces hauled. The 10 modern suites, two balconies. to between $31 and $52, depend- Pierre Bourdage, an expert and wooden lunch tables carved compact and functional, sport New cuisine: The cuisine scene ing on your age. On Tuesdays and in ski and golf management, with generations of names. And whitewashed walls, tree-trunk also has changed dramatical- Wednesdays, adults pay $25, with visits all the chairlift operators there are lots of familiar fac- tables, nubby fabrics and pure ly under restaurant director discounts for juniors and seniors. every morning to make certain es, such as food and beverage white-tiled bathrooms. Jean-Luc de la Bruère, who Children five and under ski free. everything is running smoothly. supervisor Diane Blanchard, ski You can choose between a mez- supervised the gourmet temple The Carte Blanche also offers a And resort development man- instructor Patrick Baillie and zanine suite for up to six people, Bistro à Champlain at Ésterel deal with Mont Sutton. ager Yannick Beaupertuis has bartender Shannon Wilkin. or a king lounge for four. All have in the Laurentians. The kitchen [email protected]

VERMONT

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