Independent Trout Point Lodge Reviews

Unbiased, third-party reviews and ratings of Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia include:

• annually inspected and recommended for the independent traveler by Conde Nast Johansen’s guide, “the first name in travel”
• Fodor’s Choice in the 2012-13 Fodor’s Guide to Nova Scotia & Atlantic Canada
• 4 1/2 star rating from Canada Select, the national accommodation rating agency
• Inspected & recommended, “Award of Excellence,” by AAA/CAA
• Member, Relais & Chateaux Association
• Member, the Diamond Collection of BedandBreakfast.com: An exclusive group of professionally inspected and guest-reviewed luxury inns with extensive modern amenities
• 2012 London Telegraph Hotel Review: 8/10 overall and 9/10 for food & drink
• Inspected & recommended by the Michelin Green Guide: “luxurious forest hideaway”
• Signature Experiences Collection®, Canadian Tourism Commission, as of May 1, 2012
• World’s top 10 great places to check in to an eco lodge, USA TODAY

Reservations can be made online or by calling +1 (902) 761-2142!

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Trout Point Lodge Reviews

Unbiased, third-party reviews and ratings of Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia include:

• annually inspected and recommended for the independent traveler by Conde Nast Johansen’s guide, “the first name in travel”
• Fodor’s Choice in the 2012-13 Fodor’s Guide
• 4 1/2 star rating from Canada Select, the national accommodation rating agency
• inspected & recommended, “Award of Excellence,” by AAA/CAA
• Member, Relais & Chateaux Association
• Member, the Diamond Collection of BedandBreakfast.com: An exclusive group of professionally inspected and guest-reviewed luxury inns with extensive modern amenities
• London Telegraph Hotel Review: 8/10 overall and 9/10 for food & drink
• Inspected & recommended by the Michelin Green Guide: “luxurious forest hideaway”

Reservations can be made online or by calling +1 (902) 482-8360

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Relais & Châteaux introduces 45 New Properties in the 2012 Guide

In 2012, Relais & Châteaux continues to grow with 45 new properties that become fellow members to Trout Point Lodge, chosen after a thorough selection process involving inspections of more than 100 establishments.

The new members include 25 in Europe, 7 in Asia, 3 in Australasia and 10 in the Americas, making 2012 a record year for the Association.

Each property contains a breathtaking piece of history, unique charm, the finest service and elegance. Candidates have been selected not only for their culture and art de vivre, but also for their originality, and unparalleled authenticity.

Relais & Châteaux is undoubtedly today the most beautiful way of discovering the world.

A longing for the Deep Blue Sea

Anne de Bretagne (France):  the bracing air of the Jade coast at a contemporary villa and lookout post over the sea
Bellevue Syrene 1820 (Italy):  the Gulf of Naples on the horizon and the Italian jet set in Sorrento
La Peschiera (Italy): a former Bourbon fishery and now the an ultimate resort for lounging seaside on the Adriatic coast
Ocean House (USA):  the New England seashore at the foot of this magnificent Victorian mansion in Rhode Island
Wanakarn Beach Resort & Spa (Thailand): near Phuket, in one of the fifteen villas on the beach
Huka Lodge (New Zealand):  on the banks of the Waikato River just upstream from the mighty Huka falls, far away from it all
Saffire (Australia):  in the middle of Freycinet National Park in Tasmania, on the shores where migrating whales and dolphins come to play
Qualia, Great Barrier Reef (Australia): pavilions of wine maker and sailing enthusiast, Bob Oatley, on Hamilton Island overlooking the Coral Sea

A quest for fine cuisine
Fine cuisine is an obligatory component of the soul and the spirit of the Association, in both its stand-alone restaurants as well as all its hotels. The 2012 Guide includes 14 new Grand Chefs Relais & Châteaux, the elite of this international fellowship of talented chefs. They all, each in their own, individual way, contribute their contemporary signature to the realm fine cuisine.

Kashiwaya Restaurant (Japan):  in the purest Japanese culinary tradition in Osaka.
Le Moût Restaurant (Taiwan):  dishes which inventively combine French expertise and the flavours of Asia.
Del PostoRestaurant (USA): at the heart of New York City with classical Italian dishes revisited at in a contemporary palazzo of mahogany and marble
Marea Restaurant (USA):  on Manhattan’s Central Park South, Italian dishes inspired by the sea
De Lindenhof (Nertherlands):  a magical, almost fairy-tale break, reflected as much in the décor as in the dishes
Chalet de la ForêtRestaurant (Belgium):  on the edge of forest on the outskirts of Brussels
Restaurant Guy Lassausaie (France):  at the gateway to the Beaujolais region
Restaurant Andrew Fairlie (Great Britain): in Scotland in a theatricalsetting
Maison Decoret (France): with inventiveness at the fore; in Vichy in a Napoleon III brick chalet
Ramon Freixa Madrid Restaurant (Spain): superb Mediterranean cuisine, in the Spanish capital
Villa Crespi (Italy): a spectacular Moorish villaon Lake Orta
Hotel Restaurant Spa Rosengarten (Austria): with influences from the Orient, in the heart of the Austrian Alps
Restaurant Europea (Canada):  all-defying experimentation with the local terroir in Montreal
Combal.Zerorestaurant (Italy): cuisine as an artistic expression at the Rivoli Museum of Modern Art, near Turin

A search for solace in nature: wide open spaces and tranquillity
La Bastide (France): in Gascony, at an 18th century charterhouse, with hundred-year-old plane trees in a mock Italian palazzo
Hôtel Au Cœur du Village (France): in the heart of Les Aravis ski resort in La Clusaz
Castillo de Arteaga (Spain):  in Urdabai Natural Park in a castle built at the request of Napoleon III
Ballyfin Demesne (Ireland): the quintessential Irish Regency mansion set in a wonderful garden estate
Greywalls Hotel and Chez Roux (Great Britain):  in Scotland next to the Muirfield golf course
Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa and Island (Great Britain): a 120 hectares island exemplifying the essence of the Highlands
Het Roode Koper (Netherlands): Veluwe forest in the Netherlands, at the former residence of the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
Schlosshotel Burg Schlitz (Germany): in the former hunting grounds of one of the finest estates in 19th century architectural style
Hastings House Country House Hotel (Canada):  Head for the gardens on Salt Spring Island, just across from Vancouver
Twin Farms (USA): amidstthe flowers and pristine wilderness of Vermont
The Ranch at Rock Creek (USA):  quintessentially the American Wild West
Awasi (Chile); set among the legendary Atacama desert of geysers, volcanoes and salt flats
Jinmai Brilliant Resort & Spa (China): in the Yunnan province, set amidst the largest ancient tea garden in the world
Bettei Senjuan (Japan): views of the cherry blossoms carpeting of Mount Tanigawa

A thirst for city life

Saint James Paris (France):  a stone’s throw from the Champs Elysée, ‘the most beautiful avenue in the world’, in the capital’s unique château-hotel.
Hotel Le Place d’Armes (Luxembourg): in the historic centre of the town, with an astute combination of different styles
Beau-Rivage Hotel (Switzerland): views of Lake Neuchâtel in every direction
Neri Hotel & Restaurant (Spain): Barcelona from the roof terrace of the medieval palace and 18th century stone-built mansion
The Yeatman (Portugal):  in Porto, imbued with the essence of its wine and local culture
The Surrey Hotel & Spa (USA): an elegantly restored Beaux-Arts townhouseon Manhattan’sUpper East Side
Algodon Mansion (Argentina): a 1920s mansion with an impressive collection of contemporary art in Buenos Aires, at the heart of its chic district, La Recoleta
JE Mansion (China): in the heart of Beijing’s commercial and business district, in a paean to Chinese tradition
Villa Samadhi (Malaysia): a haven of peace at the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s urban jungle

Whatever you may be seeking, these 45 Relais & Châteaux properties will amply meet travel and culinary desires of all facets, and will not be at a loss to stimulate new ones… there are still a further 473 properties to discover or re-discover. Follow the Guide.

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Oh my suite stars!

Nova Scotia’s only member of Relais & Chateaux announces a new 1800 square foot suite along the Tusket River and the advent of guided astronomy excursions for its 2011 season. The Lodge will also open May 1 for its first year of year-round operations after 11 years.

Dubbed simply The Forest Suite, Atlantic Canada’s largest hotel suite will boast 2 wood-burning fireplaces, decks overlooking the flowing Tusket River, 28′ cathedral ceilings, a full kitchen dressed in green slate, and a spacious bathroom with separate tub & show plus double sinks. The suite will be available May 7 if not earlier.

Trout Point also offers 1 standard room, 7 junior suites and 1 full suite in the main log & stone lodge, as well as a 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom cottage.

The exclusive Nova Scotia wilderness resort has also hired a staff astronomer—graduate of St. Mary’s University’s Astronomy & Physics program—to lead experiential outings into the Tobeatic Wilderness Area. Trout Point & The Tobeatic have the darkest night time skies in eastern North America, even darker than Kejimkujik National Park, a Dark Sky Preserve. The astronomer will offer interpretive outings on themes such as: Constellations and their Greek Mythological Origins: Laser-guided Tour of the Night Sky; Meteor Showers: Night Sky Tour with Emphasis on the Observing and Understanding of Meteors; and the Summer Milky Way. Guests can combine a romantic candle-lit dinner with a postprandial learning experience unmatched almost anywhere else on earth.

As in recent years past, the Lodge will also have guides for kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, and fishing.

Trout Point employs about 15 people during its peak operating season from May to late October. This year, the Lodge will stay open year-round, including dining, through with a leaner staff in low season months.

The Lodge has become known as a destination that reflects unique Nova Scotia experiences. It was among 10 finalists worldwide chosen by the National Geographic Society for its Geotourism Challenge, Power of Place: Sustaining the Future of Destinations. It has been a member of the prestigious, Paris-based Relais & Chateaux Association since 2009. Late last year the Association asked Trout Point to be one of 18 model member properties for experiential tourism for its World Congress in Cape Town, South Africa.

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Trout Point Lodge, Nova Scotia’s only member of Relais & Chateaux, to open romantic second restaurant

Trout Point Lodge is expanding the dining experiences offered to guests and local residents with the opening of the new Chez la Tousquet scheduled for June 1, 2011.

Entering its 12^th season of operation, the Lodge has always emphasized gourmet food in table d’hôte menus focused on local produce & world-class seafood. Trout Point often features products from its own 5,000 square foot vegetable, herb, & flower gardens.

Chez la Tousquet will offer candle-lit dining in an intimate space with walls of blue-granite blocks and painted wood panelling. A focal-point hand-cut red sandstone fireplace will compliment views of the Tusket River, the restaurant’s namesake. A hewn hemlock-wood wine bar provides a spot for pre-dining beverages, including 140 selections from a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence-winning list.

Guests will have the option of the classic The Dining Room, with its rustic wood furniture, or the new venue for dinner. Chez la Tousquet’s will offer some options of appetizers and main dishes versus the purely fixed menu of The Dining Room. Home-made pastas and vegetarian options will be served alongside local seafood. Trout Point emphasizes the importance of local ingredients and sustainable practices. It is among only a handful of properties in the country holding a 5 Green Key rating and won the inaugural Green Restaurant Award from the Nova Scotia Restaurant Association.

Chef-proprietors Vaughn Perret and Charles Leary will oversee both restaurants. Authors of The Trout Point Lodge Cookbook: Creole Cuisine from New Orleans to Nova Scotia (Random House), the duo steered the Lodge to membership in the prestigious Relais & Chateaux Association in 2009. An grouping of boutique hotels and gourmet restaurants around the world, Relais & Chateaux members hold more than half of all the stars for cuisine awarded by the Michelin guide. Perret & Leary are featured in the 2010 cookbooks Chefs at Home and 85 Inspirational Chefs alongside the likes of The French Laundry’s Thomas Keller, Patrick O’Connell of the Inn at Little Washington, and Daniel Boulud of New York’s Daniel.

Chez la Tousquet will require reservations and will have a single seating each evening starting June 1.

 

 

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Eat (and cook) like a man, says Esquire

Esquire magazine’s “Eat Like A Man” Blog has featured the Nova Scotia Seafood Cooking School as a chosen weekend cooking school. “Emerge from the Acadian forest as the only guy on your block who can make a decent squid-ink pasta or rappie pie (traditional Acadian dish),” says the post, which also features of photo of the Trout Point kitchen at work.

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/food-for-men/best-weekend-cooking-classes-122210#ixzz18vmyO9lj

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Relais & Châteaux application for the iPhonemakes dreams increasingly accessible

Booking a stay in a Relais & Châteaux is now an interactive pleasure!

The Association presents its application for the iPhone with innovative services thatmake it easy to book any Relais & Châteaux around the world. A direct connection to the most beautiful places on the planet.

Available as a free-of-charge download on http://www.relaischateaux.com/appstore, the Relais& Châteaux app boasts multiple services including the geolocation of member properties,display of availabilities, proposed itineraries with Google Maps and a telephone tab tocontact a Relais & Châteaux property directly. A simple, playful technology, anyone wishing to plan their next charming break can search by destination. With just afew clicks guests can access the Relais & Châteaux properties in each region in the world (France, Europe, Middle East, USA, Africa…). To find the name of a property, the usersimply enters the first three letters and assisted text entry then updates the list of corresponding properties.

480 properties with panoramic photos on a touchscreen: Browsing through the Relais & Châteaux Guide has its own pleasure but on-the-gotravelers can now also access the personalized pages and photos of each establishmenton their iPhones. Finally, an email tab can be used to forward the property details tosuggest the ultimate get-away.“Relais & Châteaux constantly adapts to the needs of its guests by offering bothinnovative and efficient interactive services and information. Following on from the upgrading of our central reservations and our website, the development of applicationsfor mobile phones is the next logical step in modern communications in tune with guestexpectations”, says Jaume Tàpies, the International President of Relais & Châteaux.

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Lessons in nature tourism

Following Trout Point Lodge’s participation in the International Congress of the Relais & Chateaux Association, Cape Town, South Africa, proprietors Vaughn Perret and Charles Leary joined the owner of Hotel St. Germain for a 10-day exploration of South African hotels & lodges.

Though Nova Scotia and South Africa have remarkably distinct climates and ecosystems, the importance of nature tourism–what the National Geographic Society might call Geotourism–is vitally important in both places. Visits to Gorah Elephant Camp, Tsala Treetop Lodge, Le Quartier Francais, and Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve rounded out a trip that started with stays at the Mount Nelson Hotel and One & Only Cape Town.

Overall, this diverse collection of  hotels expressed the best that South Africa has to offer: a sophisticated combination of refined elegance and meaningful contact with local nature & culture. Lions, zebras, buffalo, and elephants at Gorah became central to a larger understanding of humankind’s attempts to live with and within this larger–often not so kind–natural world over the past 2 centuries. Guides at Gorah and Bushmans Kloof proved indispensable to an enriching stay. Both Garret at Gorah and Zenovia at Bushmans served not only as interpreters of the local flora and fauna on twice-daily “game drives,” they also acted like the ultimate in concierges, offering friendly and highly personalized service throughout the day.

The exoticism of the South African “safari” experience clearly outweighed comparatively minor inconveniences that many guests in North American or Continental hotels might find objectionable if found in their local Hilton or Marriott. But, like Trout Point, these are small hotels, often not exceeding 20 guests at a time. Each provides for unique travel experiences. Predictably, the largest and most recent hotel–Cape Town’s One & Only–was also the least distinctive and enriching.

While Nova Scotia lacks “the Big 5,” and our moose and black bear hide rather than displaying themselves,  the South African lodges provided excellent examples of how to make the most out of the natural surroundings for guests. Gorah, in particular, but also Tsala and Bushmans, also demonstrated the value of providing authentic “lodge” and “safari” experiences, including references to local heritage and all the elements that feed the romantic imagination. Vacations in places like South Africa–and Nova Scotia–should transport you to another world, a place without cares, a true enriching diversion.

More to come . . .

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Trout Point selected to put on its best face at South Africa congress

Relais & Chateaux, an association of the world’s finest boutique hotels and gourmet restaurants, has chosen Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia to participate in a best practices forum at its annual world congress in Cape Town, South Africa next month. Trout Point joined the prestigious group in 2009 after a rigorous application process.

Jacques-Olivier Chauvin, Chief Executive Officer, contacted the Lodge with the news about 2 weeks ago. The forum will allow participants to have an exchange of experiences, discovering what’s happening at other member properties. The focus for the 1st annual event is key trends in the field of guest relations. Paris-based Relais & Chateaux has about 475 members in over 56 countries.

“We were very pleasantly surprised and honoured by the selection,” said co-owner Vaughn Perret. Trout Point will be among about 20 hotels or restaurants from all the members selected to give a presentation at the forum. “To be chosen during our first year of membership from amongst this elite group as an example of best practices was one of the highest accolades we could receive.”

Trout Point Lodge, which opened its doors in 2000, was chosen among 10 worldwide finalists in the National Geographic Society 2009 Geotourism Challenge, “The Power of Place.” It has a total of 13 units immediately adjacent to the Tobeatic Wilderness Area in southwestern Nova Scotia.

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85 CHEFS OF RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX– INCLUDING NOVA SCOTIA’S TROUT POINT LODGE– SHARE SIGNATURE RECIPES IN FIRST-TIME COOKBOOK COLLABORATION

Relais & Châteaux, the world’s most discerning collection of intimate hotels and fine restaurants, today debuts two cookbooks, 85 Inspirational Chefs and Chefs at Home, the first time every chef within Relais & Châteaux North America has collaborated on such a project.

Featuring such celebrated chefs as Patrick O’Connell, Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, 85 InspirationalChefs is a beautifully illustrated compilation of menus and 184 signature recipes created by the North American chefs of Relais & Châteaux, including Vaughn Perret and Charles Leary of Nova Scotia’s Trout Point Lodge. The second book, Chefs at Home, includes simpler recipes that these chefs choose to cook when they’re at home.

85 Inspirational Chefs retails for $60 and Chefs at Home retails for $30, plus shipping/handling. Both are available on http://www.relaischateaux.com or at any Relais & Châteaux property.

The books drip with culinary grandeur, providing the reader with an insider’s taste of some of the most memorable dining destinations on the continent, through masterfully photographed recipes and chef profiles. Published by Network Book Publishing Limited, they also include insights from these acclaimed Relais & Châteaux chefs, all of whom boast an enviable collection of Michelin stars, Zagat ratings and numerous industry accolades. Perret & Leary contributed recipes such as Haddock with Gumbo Sauce and Roasted Red Pepper Soup.

“These books are an inspirational work of 85 chefs who, as part of the Relais & Châteaux family, are united by what makes them different,” said Patrick O’Connell, President of North American Relais & Châteaux delegations and Chef/Proprietor of The Inn at Little Washington. “The chefs all share a passion for hospitality and offer their guests a unique sense of place through their cuisine. Now, for the first time, they have collaborated in sharing some of their most exquisite creations.” Other Canadian contributors included Restaurant Toque of Quebec and Langdon Hall of Ontario.

Recipes included in 85 Insperational Chefs range from the technically challenging and groundbreaking to the classic and traditional, making the collection perfect for the culinary expert as well as the novice cook. Those in Chefs at Home are designed to be executed by beginners. Each selection reflects the enthusiasm and dedication of each chef  to combine textures, flavors, and nature’s fresh produce, and now with the ability to duplicate in one’s own home.

About Trout Point Lodge

Open since July, 2000, Trout Point now stands among the premiere vacation destinations in Atlantic Canada. Amidst a unique and pristine wilderness setting, the Lodge has a demonstrated commitment to both sustainable- and geo-tourism practices combined with a high level of comfort and dining. In 2009, Trout Point was among 10 finalists worldwide in the National Geographic Society’s Geotourism Challenge “Power of Place.” It was named among the 16 best independent hotels in Canada by the London Sunday Times Travel magazine.

About Relais & Chateaux

Established in France in 1954, the mission of Relais & Châteaux is to spread its unique “art de vivre” across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character. The Association is a family of hoteliers and Grands Chefs from all over the world who share a passion for and a personal commitment to ensuring their guests are privy to moments of exceptional harmony, an unforgettable celebration of the senses. For more information on these and all Relais & Châteaux members, visit http://www.relaischateaux.com.

About Network Publishing

Network Publishing Limited has a reputation for producing high quality, individual, consumer and trade magazines in the UK in the food, hospitality and jewelry sectors, including Michelin-starred chefs and leading independent retailers. Through its various publishing arms, its titles include the highly regarded UK magazine, Yes Chef! and the Relais & Châteaux UK and Ireland guide.

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