Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia wilderness resort and small luxury hotel
"When the lodge was built 10 years ago, even its owners . . . thought of it as being 'in the middle of nowhere.' But they've slowly learned that they were wrong. Nowhere is somewhere after all – this is a destination, not a refuge. They've built a luxury lodge up to Relais & Chateaux standards, yes, but also a nature sanctuary, a centre for forest bathing, an exemplar of ecotourism, and the “nowhere” has been transformed into a place that really does detoxify the many ills of urban living – the sour city air with its smells of old dust and burned carbon, the absence of living things except the ant-like bustling of too many other humans, the stress hormones that take residence in city dwellers and never let them go. At Trout Point, you can “bathe” in the woods and read a good book and eat exquisite locally grown food (cooked for you by the owners) and your cellphone won't work no matter how hard you punch its buttons." Marq DeVilliers,
Globe & Mail
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Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia selected as worldwide finalist in tourism competition by National Geographic
July 18, 2009 Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia has received notification of its selection as one of 10 finalists from more than 660 entries in the second annual "Geotourism Challenge" sponsored by the National Geographic Society and Ashoka’s Changemakers. The competition, focusing on "Power of Place — Sustaining the Future of Destinations," reaches out to identify individuals and companies worldwide that have introduced the most innovative practices in geotourism: tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents. Entries were received from 81 countries and represented tour operators, guide companies, hoteliers, local businesses, conservation organizations, industry leaders and community organizers.
A distinguished panel of judges — Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement; Keith Bellows, editor of National Geographic Traveler magazine; Erika Harms, executive director of Sustainable Development, United Nations Foundation; Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet; Ben Keene, founder of Tribewanted; and Dr. Yang Yuming, vice president of Southwest Forestry University, China — reviewed the entries and selected Trout Point Lodge for revitalizing backwoods area of Acadian Forest through place-based immersion experiences and the Nova Scotia Seafood Cooking School.
"The entries really address community needs, teach, entertain and are accompanied by a lot of passion. I admire the finalists’ enthusiasm and wish them much success," said Nobel Laureate Maathai. In a press release, the National Geographic Society called the finalists "ten of the most innovative, sustainable travel programs around the world."
"We were truly surprised and extremely honoured by the selection," commented Trout Point Managing Director Vaughn Perret. The Lodge's competition entry, viewable online at geotourism.changemakers.com/en-us/node/21375, states: "Trout Point embodies sense of place and creates a destination experience for visitors in a way that supports and promotes the unrecognized natural, social, and cultural riches of the Tobeatic Wilderness Area and the Southern Nova Scotia Biosphere Reserve." Co-owner Charles Leary said: "Our entry and our efforts over the past decade have been to promote the fantastic local resources here—Acadian French culture, the world's best seafood, great people, and amazing natural resources—as a way to define not only Trout Point but also the entire Yarmouth & Acadian Shores area as a geotourism destination. We are very gratified that the judges recognized these values and offerings as truly world class."
The Geotourism Challenge is one of the key programs of National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations. For more information on geotourism and destination stewardship, visit www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable .
Trout Point Lodge opened in 2000 and offers rooms & cottages, dining, and a variety of outdoor recreation opportunties within the Southern Nova Scotia Biosphere Reserve. The Lodge has a 4.5 star rating from Canada Select and is anually inspected & recommended by Conde Nast Johansens.
Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia wilderness Lodge selected among Canada's 16 best independent hotels by London's Sunday Times travel magazine
"We've pinpointed Canada's best beds" says the magazine, which chose Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia among a handful of others across the country. |
Nova Scotia wilderness lodge recognized on top 10 list from Forbes |
April 15, 2009
- Forbes Traveler has selected a Nova Scotia accommodation for its list of the 10 best wilderness lodges & resorts in an article published yesterday. Forbestraveler.com is a production of the New York-based media company that also publishes Forbes magazine and the forbes.com web site.
Trout Point Lodge has offered backwoods vacations and outdoor recreation since opening next to the Tobeatic Wilderness Area of southern Nova Scotia in 2000. Award-winning travel writer Crai Bower chose 10 North American resorts that best provide “an experience that blends luxury with the wilds” as well as “some education about the complexity and stewardship of the land.” The top 10 list also included such wilderness destinations as Clayoquot Wilderness Resort and Nimmo Bay Heli-Resort, both of British Columbia, Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado, and The Sequoia High Sierra Camp, California.
Trout Point's Great Lodge and Dining Room restaurant open for the summer season May 15. This year, the Lodge offers guests numerous guided wilderness experiences, with 2 on-staff naturalists, including a 2-night packages that involves a combined kayak & hiking excursion with a stay at the historic and rustic Birchdale Camps followed by a night in the luxurious Trout Point Great Lodge. Birchdale was one of Yarmouth County's original lakeside hunting lodges from the Golden Age of Nova Scotia outdoor tourism in the early 20th century, founded by Omar Roberts in 1910.
According to the web site, ForbesTraveler.com is designed exclusively for the affluent, discerning traveler. With the active participation of the world's leading experts on luxury travel, it is the premier online source for inspiring, planning, and booking the world's most distinctive travel experiences.
Trout Point's cooking school was also listed among the world's best culinary trips by Forbes Traveler last year. The Lodge is located in Kemptville, YarmouthCounty, on the Tusket River.
Nova Scotia eco-lodge lands on two top Canadian travel lists
TripAtlas has named Trout Point Lodge among the top 10 amazing weekend getaways in the country, while Boutique Hotels puts its among the top 5 Canadian wilderness lodges.
Click the 1888 Press Release link above for more information.
November 19, 2008 Trout Point Lodge announces that TripAtlas (
www.tripatlas.com
), a major travel-related web site, has named its Food Learning Vacations among the "10 most amazing dream weekend getaways" in Canada. The article selects "weekend getaways and long weekends to appease the restless and wandering traveler," and includes selections from across the country.
A Diamond Group company, TripAtlas.com is the world's largest online travel resource. TripAtlas.com leverages Wikipedia data, hundreds of thousands of international travel agents, travel photos from Flickr, daily travel articles & travel news, hundreds of travel deals and interactive maps.
The Lodge as also just named among the top 5 nature lodges in Canada by Boutique Lodges (
www.boutique-lodges.com
). The selection included properties from across Canada with "a limited number of rooms and superb natural setting combined with recongized excellence in guest service and cuisine."
Boutique Lodges is a publication of Pacific Avenue, S.A., which also owns the Costa Rica Travel Review. The selection highlighted that the top 5, which included other properties such as King Pacific Lodge in British Columbia, possess "the ability to give guests a true sense of wilderness escape" and "a sense of architectural and aesthetic place within pristine natural surroundings."
Trout Point Lodge selected for forthcoming book
EcoChic
September 28, 2008
Along with Clayquot Wilderness Resort in B.C., the Lodge counts among only two properties in Canada selected for the new collection of eco-friendly & stylish destinations by Editions Didier Millet, also publisher of the web site
www.thechiccollection.com
.
Read more . . .
Condé Nast Johansens Luxury Hotel Guides select Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia a “Recommended Property”
London, July 2008 -- Condé Nast Johansens, the international luxury hotel guide publisher, today endorsed Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia as a “Recommended Property” in Recommended Hotels, Inns, Resorts & Spas - The Americas, Atlantic, Caribbean & Pacific.
The Condé Nast Johansens Guides are published for discerning travelers who seek top-quality facilities and services. They are the most comprehensive illustrated reference guides to independently owned hotels, inns, resorts, spas and conference facilities throughout the Americas, Great Britain and Europe, and the only guide books to carry the prestigious and widely-recognized Condé Nast seal of approval.
“We are excited to include Trout Point Lodge in our 2008/9 portfolio,” said Lesley O’Malley-Keyes, Condé Nast Johansens Vice President and Publishing Director for the Americas. “Our inspectors visit numerous high-end and unique properties and select only those that meet the rigorous criteria of the Guides. Trout Point Lodge represents a level of escape, rustic authenticity and eco friendly activity supported and sought after by many of our readers and will be a popular vacation choice”.
Recommendations are selected for their individual charm, character and superior service, and only properties that meet the exacting requirements are included in the Guide. Condé Nast Johansens inspects each recommendation annually to ensure that it maintains high standards, and awards each included property the “Condé Nast Johansens Mark of Excellence” wall plaque as a sign of approval. The plaque is a guarantee of exceptional accommodations and serves as a valued endorsement for more than 13 million of the world’s most discerning travelers.
The 2009 Americas Guide, to be published in October, will include approximately 350 recommendations laid out in an easy-to-use format that greatly simplifies the independent traveler’s task of selecting and booking accommodations by providing maps and detailed information about facilities, locations, rates and contact information. Additionally, the company web site,
www.johansens.com
, provides an extensive searchable database of Recommended properties, along with exclusive special offers and seasonal discounts.
Consumers can purchase Condé Nast Johansens Guides at leading bookstores and via the online bookstore at www.johansens.com. Condé Nast Johansens promotes its Guides with an extensive media advertising program in such publications as Condé Nast Traveler, Gourmet and Architectural Digest.
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Nova Scotia Seafood Cooking School placed on worldwide top 10 list by Forbes
April 10, 2008 Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia announces that Forbes Traveler has selected the Trout Point Cooking School for its list of the "World's Best Culinary Trips" in an article published recently.
Forbestraveler.com
is published by the New York-based media company that also publishes Forbes magazine and the forbes.com web site.
more
. . .
Nova Scotia small luxury hotel makes top National Geographic list
Traveler magazine names Trout Point Lodge amongst 150 properties on "The Stay List"
March 24, 2008 National Geographic Traveler magazine has selected Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia for "The Stay List: 150 hotels you will love," which appears in the April, 2008 issue. The list celebrates 150 hotels in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean region that are among the best at blending location-inspired architecture, ambiance and amenities, eco-stewardship and an ethic of giving back to the community.
According to editor Keith Bellows, the list's inspiration came from wanting to help readers avoid the letdown of staying in a hotel that isn't original and fails to exhibit any understanding of its cultural context. National Geographic created the list based on extensive research, including input from local experts and seasoned travelers, in-depth questionnaires to more than 600 nominated hotels and detailed follow-up by magazine staff. Regardless of price, all the featured hotels cherish a sense of place and offer a sweet night's sleep, according to the magazine.
Trout Point opened in 2000 as a backwoods lodge bordering the Tusket and Napier Rivers in the Tobeatic Wilderness Area. Built of massive white spruce logs and hand-cut granite & sandstone, the Great Lodge building blends almost seamlessly into its forest environment. With a total of 11 guest rooms and two cottages, Trout Point has recently re-doubled its longstanding efforts at promoting sustainable tourism, including replacing nearly all lighting with low-energy bulbs and using no air-conditioning, encouraging guest recycling, teaching about the boreal forest ecosystem, growing its own greens, vegetables, and herbs, and availing guests to high-end BVLGARI amenities in bulk dispensers. The Lodge won the Parks Canada Sustainable Tourism Award late last year.
"I remember being contacted to fill out a survey form last summer," commented co-proprietor Charles Leary, "but it's still quite an unexpected honor to be chosen for such a list that emphasizes precisely the kind of experience we strive to give our guests." The Great Lodge will open for the season on May 16, 2008.
Traveler has a total adult readership of 7,837,000 and is the "largest travel title" among U.S. magazines, according publisher the National Geographic Society. Trout Point Lodge has a 4.5 star rating from Canada Select, the national accommodation rating agency, and a 5 Green Key rating from the ECOmmodation program of the Hotel Association of Canada.
Nova Scotia wilderness eco-lodge wins 1st annual sustainable tourism award
Trout Point Lodge joins just 3 other hotels in Canada with a 5 Green Key rating from the Hotel Association's ECOmmodation program
October 22, 2007 Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia announces that it has received a rating of 5 Green Keys from the Hotel Association of Canada's ECOmmodation program. This small nature retreat of 12 guest rooms and 2 cottages along the banks of the Tusket River in Yarmouth County is only the fourth hotel in Canada to have received such a high rating, and is the only property east of Toronto. Trout Point previously had a 4 Green Key rating. Other 5 Green Key rated hotels include the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta and the Monterey Inn in Ontario.
A property with Five Green Keys "exemplifies the highest standards of environmental and social responsibility throughout all areas of operations. The hotel employs cutting edge technologies, policies, and programs that set the international standard for sustainable hotel operations," according to the Hotel Association of Canada.
Trout Point also announces that it will keep some of its rooms as well as the cottages open year-round for the first time this winter, with the Great Lodge closing October 25. Breakfast and home-cooked dinner service will also be available. "We think many in Atlantic Canada will appreciate having a wintertime wilderness destination," commented co-owner Vaughn Perret.
During 2007, the Lodge implemented a number of improvements to its environmental management that allowed it to receive such high status from the Green Key program, including changing its in-room amenities to bulk dispensers, enhacing recycling programs and energy use monitoring, increasing green messages to guests, changing to nearly 100% all-natural cleaners, and converting practically all of its lighting to energy-efficient bulbs. "Without sacrificing excellent service and comfort for our guests," commented proprietor Charles Leary, "we were able to upgrade our ecological friendliness--something very important given our location next to Atlantic Canada largest protected wilderness." For instance, the Lodge now places high-end BVLGARI soap, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion in those bulk dispensers, which some might associate with lower-service hotels. Trout Point has also maintained its 4.5 star rating from Canada Select, despite recent changes that heightened the rating agency's standards, after an inspection on October 17, 2007. The Lodge lies immediately adjacent to the Tobeatic Wilderness Area, a UNESCO World Biosphere Preserve.
The Lodge's proprietors--Daniel Abel, Vaughn Perret, and Charles Leary--also own the Inn at Coyote Mountain in Costa Rica, which has been praised for its ecological consciousness. Trout Point opened in 2000 and has won accolades as both a nature retreat and culinary destination. The Great Lodge building was handcrafted to log and stone, and is furnished with locally-made twig furniture. The ECOmmodation program web site is
www.hacgreenhotels.com
.
Peter Greenberg chooses Trout Point among seven North America gourmet traveling destinations
September 21, 2007
See the article
here
.
Article on Trout Point chosen by Globe & Mail readers as "Reader's Choice"
September 8, 2007 The Travel section of the Globe & Mail newspaper has published an
article
on the culinary vacation programs offered by Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia. The article was chosen amongst four other options by an online readers poll.
N.S. resort ranked second in world by Condé Nast (From the Halifax Chronicle-Herald, May 19, 2007)
Trout Point Lodge in East Kemptville, Yarmouth County, has been named one of the Top 10 places in the world to take a cooking vacation.
Concierge.com, the website of Condé Nast Traveler magazine, has selected the Trout Point Cooking & Wine School No. 2 on its list, says a release from the lodge.
Trout Point is the only Canadian entry on the roundup of the world’s best cooking vacation destinations, a list that also includes Giuliano Hazan in Italy, the Thai Cooking School of the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, Engin Akin in Turkey and the Viking Cooking School in Mississippi.
Peter Frank, editor of the website, made the announcement in New York, and the list was posted to the site this week.
The article also highlighted Trout Point’s accommodations, describing the guest rooms as "rustic-luxe, with log walls, handmade furniture, and river views."
Trout Point Lodge has offered cooking vacation and cooking lessons since opening in 2000. This year, three-day cooking vacations are offered in June, July and September. More details are available at troutpoint.com.
Trout Point wins top 10 status from influential travel web site
April 25, 2007 The popular source of expert travel advice Gayot.com has named Trout Point Lodge as only Canadian entry among its annual list of top value hotels worldwide.
Trout Point Lodge, located adjacent to the Tobeatic Wilderness Area in southwestern Nova Scotia, was selected using a methodology focused on overall comfort, variety in location and base price of standard accommodations used by the popular publisher of web sites, travel letters, and guide books.
The Gayot concept was founded by André Gayot, who with his friends Henri Gault and Christian Millau coined and promoted the term "Nouvelle Cuisine" in the early ’70s. Gayot and his son have been directing sophisticated travelers to the world’s best restaurants, hotels, shops, sightseeing and cultural attractions for more than 45 years. His expertise provided a foundation for Gayot guides in the United States beginning in 1981.The GAYOT.com website serves as a serious, honest and professional resource on dining and travel for an international readership in search of the best. The web site’s motto is: « In search of the good life. »
Trout Point appeared on the 2007 list along with hotels from the United States, Mexico, Italy, and Australia. The Lodge opened in 2000 and offers luxury-level accommodation in the style of the Great Camps. Trout Point also offers culinary vacations, guided fishing, and other outdoor activities. Gayot.com called the Lodge « a luxurious and intimate retreat » in its independant review.
« We are very pleased that both Trout Point and southwestern Nova Scotia have been recognized as destinations offering both high quality and value, » said Vaughn Perret, one of the Lodge’s Managing Directors. « Trout Point Lodge truly offers an unsurpassed vacation experience for travelers seeking something unique. »
Trout Point lies near the Town of Yarmouth, which has the international ferry terminal receiving daily service from Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine. The hotel is about 300 kilometer south of the Halifax airport.
The Lodge Joins Five Star Alliance
March, 2007
Five Star Alliance, a unique grouping of luxury hotels worldwide, has accepted Trout Point Lodge as a member, joining the ranks of the Keltic Lodge in Cape Breton and the Kingsbrae Arms in New Brunswick.
Prestigious British magazine names Trout Point among top worldwide cooking vacation programs
April 10, 2007 Food and Travel magazine of England has named Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia and its seafood cooking school in a list of the world's best culinary courses published in the April, 2007 issue. Trout Point was the only Canadian property included.
The Inn at Coyote Mountain , like Trout Point owned & managed by Daniel Abel, Charles Leary, and Vaughn Perret, was also featured.
Food and Travel has a readership of 70,000. The glossy, full colour magazine was launched in December, 1997.
Trout Point Lodge opened in 2000 and has always hosted the Nova Scotia Seafood Cooking School during the summer and fall. More information on the cookery vacation programs can be found at
www.acadianfarm.com
.
London
Guardian
names Tusket River and Trout Point in top 10 world fishing spots
December, 2006 Travel editor Andy Pietrasik writes: "I had long dreamed of staying in a log cabin in the backwoods of North America, Jack London-style, idling my days away flicking out a fly in search of brook trout. The Tusket River lies in the Tobeatic wilderness: deep, deep forest and home to black bear as well as moose. Take a guide - you do not want to get lost here. Accommodation is modelled on the great hunting lodges of the turn of the century - huge spruce logs and chiselled granite."
The Lodge among just 3 Canadian hotels featured in book by German publisher Taschen
April, 2006 Trout Point Lodge of Kemptville, Nova Scotia announces its inclusion in German publisher Taschen’s new (April, 2006) hardbound photo travel book The Hotel Book: Great Escapes North America. Trout Point is one of only three Canadian properties selected by the editors for inclusion, and is the only one in Atlantic Canada.
Trout Point is kept in prestigious company along with top luxury hotels and inns like The Point in New York and Post Ranch in California.
The book features 14 pages on Trout Point and provides numerous photos alongside text in three languages. Two editions of the book were published worldwide, one in English, German, and French, the other in Italian, Spanish, and Portugese.
Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia Relais & Chateaux
small luxury & boutique hottel
+1 (902) 482-8360
189 Trout Point Road
East Kemptville, Nova Scotia B0W 1Y0
www.troutpoint.com
troutpoint@foodvacation.com