Andrew Harper’s first Maritime Canada circuit picks out Trout Point among top 6 in the region

Andrew Harper, famous pseudonym for a completely anonymous travel editor, has been the name behind one of the most selective, upscale travel reports in the world. The April, 2013 issue of  Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report for the first time focused on the Maritimes as a region, visiting Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick.

Harper is a gracious if extremely demanding critic, and noted at the outset of his article selecting just five inns as being “fully up to Harper standards:

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island all offer picturesque fishing ports, dramatic seacoasts and pristine landscapes, as well as superlative fish and seafood. Owing to an excellent network of highways and ferries, the ideal way to see the region is a circular tour by car. Before setting out, I did not expect to return with a galaxy of highly rated discoveries. This proved to be the case, but my trip was nonetheless exceptionally enjoyable and worthwhile.

Harper singled out Trout Point Lodge for abundant praise: “we found at the end of the road was precisely what you would hope to discover deep in the woods: a handsome Adirondack-style lodge with solid log walls, a gabled roof, a wide veranda and a stone chimney emitting signs of a welcoming blaze.”

The critical review noted the Lodge’s “camp-style elegance,” “rustic refinement,” and “the kitchen’s inventiveness:”

I particularly liked a zesty chowder, crammed with seafood and reminiscent of gumbo or cioppino. This was followed by simply but perfectly cooked cod.

Other properties on the list included Halifax’s Prince George Hotel, and in PEI, Dalvay by the Sea, and the Inn at Bay Fortune.

ABOUT ANDREW HARPER

Free of advertising since its inception in June 1979, Hideaway Report is a private monthly publication for sophisticated travelers. The selection of hotels, resorts and restaurants for inclusion in this publication is made on a completely independent basis, with Andrew Harper, LLC paying full rate for all meals, lodging and related travel expenses. Andrew Harper and his editors travel incognito to write candid and unbiased travel reviews for a subscription service, which provides personalized travel-planning assistance, bespoke tours and valuable travel privileges to its subscribers.

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Trout Point Lodge among top 10 in world

A list of the 10 best hotels with “luxurious lodgings that offer lessons in the fine art of cookery,” has included Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia. “Rugged wilderness, sustainable food practices and cozy accommodations that include freestanding cottages make this Atlantic Canada property one of our favorites,” says the independent review.

Other hotels on the list include Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Gayot.com serves as a serious, honest and professional resource on dining, travel and lifestyle for an international readership in search of the best. Gayot guides were founded by André Gayot, who with his friends Henri Gault and Christian Millau coined and promoted the term “Nouvelle Cuisine” in the early 1970s.  André and his children Alain and Sophie have been directing sophisticated travelers to the world’s best restaurants, hotels, shops, sightseeing and cultural attractions for more than 45 years.

Trout Point Lodge has offered culinary vacations and cooking classes since 2000.

 

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Nova Scotia property among just 2 in Canada on list of world’s best wilderness lodges and gets “MJ Approved” too

Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia received notification today from Men’s Journal editorial offices in New York that it was chosen among the magazine’s pick of the 19 world’s best wilderness hotels. Each lodge on the list is also now “MJ Approved,” a new series of endorsements by the sister publication of Rolling Stone magazine.

“Our readers seek out the best experiences to lead the interesting life,” wrote assistant editor Blaine McEvoy in the notification. “To meet the standards of this highly influential readership, we’ve introduced our MJ Approved series on MensJournal.com. Whether it’s a hotel, a blazer, a recipe, a slope or a saw, our editors put them to the test and feature what they deem best as MJ Approved.”

Trout Point joins renowned properties such as Amangiri in Utah, The Point on Saranac Lake, New York, and Bay of Fires Lodge in Tasmania, Australia. The only other Canadian property is King Pacific Lodge, a seasonal floating hotel in northern British Columbia owned by the scion to the Sony electronics fortune.

“We’re very pleased to be in such amazingly good company,” said chef/proprietor Vaughan Perret.

“Situated at the confluence of the Tusket and Napier Rivers, it’s surrounded by the 400-square-mile Tobeatic Wilderness Area – one of the largest protected areas in Eastern Canada – and the night sky here is so dark that an astronomer is on staff at Trout Point to guide guests through the stars,” noted the accompanying article. The Lodge opened its doors in 2000. Soon after, UNESCO declared the surrounding lands a World Biosphere Reserve. Men’s Journal also highlights Trout Point’s offerings of cooking classes, live music, and guided hiking & kayaking.

In other news, the Lodge was also just approved by the board of directors of Select Registry, an association of North American inns, after a rigorous anonymous inspection process.

The magazine and accompanying web site, published by Jann S. Wenner, claim an audience of over 1 million. It is distributed in both the United States and Canada.

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Distinguished Inns of North America selects Nova Scotia lodge primed for expansion

In 2013, Trout Point Lodge will become Atlantic Canada’s only member of the exclusive Select Registry group of inns after a rigorous anonymous inspection process and a vote by the board of directors at their annual meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, this past weekend. The Lodge is also announcing an expansion of guest units and facilities for the coming summer season.

Select Selection

Also known as Distinguished Inns of North America, the Association was founded in the late 1960s by author Norman Simpson, the “father of country inn travel in America.” In his pioneering book, Country Inns and Back Roads, Simpson noted that,

Each [member] inn is original and unique, a reflection of the personalities and tastes of the individual innkeeper-owners … this was never intended to be a total guide to country inns in the United States and Canada, [but rather] a carefully selected group of inns. The purpose is to encourage travelers to visit … and to experience this unique type of personal hospitality …

Select Registry has particular membership strength in New England, and Trout Point chef/proprietors Vaughan Perret and Charles Leary believe it fitting to have a Nova Scotia link. “There are some fantastic properties in the collection,” said Leary, “including those who share our commitment to superb food and wine.” Examples of other Select Registry inns include the Hartstone Inn in Maine, and the Manor on Golden Pond, which like Trout Point is also a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the world’s finest grouping of boutique hotels.

An important distinction between a Select Registry member inn and any other is the system of quality assurance. The Association carries out a quality inspection of each of its nearly 400 inns. This program involves independent inspectors – not employees of Select Registry – with years of experience in the hospitality industry.

The inspectors arrive anonymously, spend the night, and evaluate the inn based on a detailed point system, which translates into a pass/fail grade for the inn. Inns applying for membership are inspected periodically as are existing member inns. Trout Point’s inspection occurred earlier this month.

Not all have what it takes to pass the inspections. Thus, this process provides a guarantee to the traveling public that a Select Registry inn is in a class of its own.

Growth

The acceptance by Select Registry culminates a great season for the Lodge as it prepares for 2013 guests. This past fall, Canada Select granted Trout Point 5 stars in the Inn category, while Halifax-based Progress magazine named the small enterprise among Atlantic Canada’s top 8 for growth in 2012 for businesses with sales under $1 million. Earlier in 2012, USA Today included it on a list of the world’s top 10 eco lodges.

Trout Point will expand from 12 guest units (including 2 cottages) to 14 for the 2013 summer season, when visitation to Nova Scotia peaks. It will also ad a new exercise facility and 2nd hot tub on its 100-acre campus along the Tusket River in the southwestern part of the province, part of a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve. In doing so, it bucks a trend towards declining capacity and a tourism crisis in the area, which has lost nearly all its transportation links over the past several years, including direct ferry links with the United States.

“We have occasionally lost corporate or group business since we can only offer 13 bedrooms,” said Leary. “Having 15 rooms, including one 2-bedroom cottage, will mean not only more group bookings, but also greater capacity for the July & August peak.” The new indoor exercise room and protected outdoor hot tub will enhance the guest experience in the winter months. Trout Point opened fully year round–including dining–for the first time this winter.

“If we actually get a Maine ferry back in 2014, we’ll be ready, especially with the Select Registry membership” said Perret. “If not, we will still offer a world-class destination vacation experience and continue to draw guests from around the globe.”

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The latest version of the Trout Point e-brochure is here!

You will find the Trout Point Lodge e-brochure in pdf format here. This is a large file and may take some time to load . . . 

Don’t forget, Trout Point is open year-round this year! Online reservations are possible 24 hours a day. 

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2013 Nova Scotia Seafood Cooking School

Culinary Vacations Schedule

3-day, 2-night programs include accommodation, meals, and hands-on culinary instruction:

May 17-19, 2013: Mediterranean Cuisine with an emphasis on seafood

September 27-29, 2013: Seafood Cookery

November 8-10, 2013: Seafood Cookery

The cost, per person, for Seafood Cookery and Mediterranean Cuisine is CAN $899 for 2013 sessions–no increase over 2012! The program includes two nights’ accommodation in a Deluxe Junior Suite (double occupancy; upgrades available), all meals, and the culinary instruction and field trips (if offered).  There is also a 9% service fee. Those not wishing to participate in the culinary program can stay at Trout Point Lodge using the normal room and meal tariffs. A signed copy of The Trout Point Lodge Cookbook  is included.

For more information, check here.

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Trout Point gift certificates–perfect for the holiday!

Trout Point Lodge gift certificates are available online and form a perfect gift for the holidays! Available in denominations from $150 to $1000, Gift Certificates are sent out by email in a printable pdf format!

The Lodge can also provide gift certificates or pre-paid stays for specific room, meal, and activity packages. Just contact Trout Point by email or by phone at (902) 761-2142!

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Conde Nast Johansens selects Trout Point Lodge for 2013 guide

Condé Nast Johansens, the international luxury travel guide of premium resorts, hotels and spas from the most trusted name in travel, Condé Nast Publications Ltd.,announces the release of its stunning new portfolio of guides including the 2013 Recommended Hotels, Inns, Resorts and Spas – The Americas, Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific. For the 6th year, Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia was selected for inclusion after independent inspection. For the 1st time, the Lodge remains open year-round with dining and a full range of activities.

The Guides, which are celebrating their 31st year of publication, have attracted a loyal readership throughout Europe and the Americas by guaranteeing that each Recommended Property undergoes a rigorous annual inspection process to ensure exceptional quality is maintained. A property is specially selected for its dedication to the highest standards of comfort, unique personality, warmth and service, impressive facilities and surroundings. Only then is it awarded the “Condé Nast Mark of Excellence” wall plaque. This distinctive sign is a visible endorsement for more than 10 million of the world’s most discerning and experienced travelers.

Trout Point Lodge selected for 6th year in a row

“We do all the research for you”, says Charlotte Evans, the London, England-based Group Publishing Director. “Our inspectors visit all the properties to make sure that each meets the exacting standards of the Guides and in turn the expectations of our 10 million readers. The Guides help you to pick your perfect vacation – whether it’s relaxing on a beach at Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos, enjoying an exquisite romantic getaway at the historic country house hotel Blantyre, in Lenox, Massachusetts, or escaping to a luxury lodge resort like Trout Point Lodge in Nova Scotia, Canada. We make it easy.”

The Condé Nast Johansens website (www.condenastjohansens.com), a vital part of the Condé Nast Johansens benefits, reflects the varying ways in which the Guides’ users research hotels and destinations. The user friendly website allows visitors to find a hotel by country, state, island, or by special offer such as “spa” or “beach” breaks. The site also sends an availability request directly to the hotels. Other features of the site include a meeting venue finder, spa finder, special offers, and online gift certificate purchasing.

Readers also interact and find suggestions via the new Condé Nast Johansens social media sites on both Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CNJohansens and Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CNJohansens. There is also the innovative and interactive Condé Nast Johansens iPad application featuring the entire collection of hotels.

The 2013 Recommended Hotels, Inns, Resorts and Spas – The Americas, Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific – and the entire Condé Nast Johansens international collection of guides is available now at select bookstores nationwide and major online bookstores. Consumers can also purchase Condé Nast Johansens Guides by calling the US Toll Free +1 800 564 7518 or via the online bookstore at http://www.condenastjohansens.com.

The complete international collection of Condé Nast Johnasens includes:
Recommended Hotels & Spas, Great Britain and Ireland
Recommended Small Hotels, Inns and Spas, Great Britain and Ireland
Recommended Hotels and Spas, Europe and the Mediterranean
Recommended Hotels, Inns, Resorts and Spas: The Americas – Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific
Recommended Luxury Spas
Recommended Venues

With 5 stars from Canada Select, Trout Point Lodge is also a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

About Condé Nast Johansens

Condé Nast Johansens is owned by Condé Nast Publications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Advance Publications and Condé Nast International, which publishes a wide portfolio of magazines around the world, including Vogue, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, The New Yorker, GQ, Tatler, Vanity Fair, Brides, Glamour and Wired.

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Trout Point among “ones to watch” on fastest growing companies award list

Progress Magazine released its 2012 list of Atlantic Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies on November 5th at the Crowne Plaza Moncton Downtown. This highly anticipated ranking of companies in the region defines industry sectors that are setting the pace for the new economy, not just for Atlantic Canada economy but also nationally. These organizations have seen significant increases in revenues over the past three years. “The Fastest Growing Company list identifies high-growth mavericks,” says Pamela Scott Crace, editor of Progress Magazine. Each year the magazine polls hundreds of companies to find incredible stories of explosive growth and shares with its readers how these companies do it. To qualify a business from Atlantic Canada must have experienced revenue growth of at least 25% over the last 3 fiscal years.

Trout Point Lodge’s 35% growth rate ranked it No. 08 on the Fastest Growing “Ones to Watch” list (characterized by having revenues under $1million). Lodge chef/proprietors Vaughan Perret & Charles Leary traveled to New Brunswick on November 5 for the awards ceremony, sponsored by PwC and Rogers, at The Crowne Plaza Moncton Downtown.

The event also included roundtable discussions with other Fastest Growing Companies on topics such as strategic marketing and international development. The findings of the moderated discussions will result in exclusive editorial content for upcoming issues of Progress Magazine.

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The world’s best hard-shell lobster coming up at Trout Point

Lobster Fishing Area 34 in Southwest Nova Scotia covers 8,500 square miles (21,000 km2), an area the size of New Jersey. It has the largest catches of Canada’s 41 lobster fishing areas, accounting for 40 percent of the country’s catch and 23 percent of North American landings. Local fishermen pride themselves on harvesting cold-water lobsters with a hard shell. As luck has it, Trout Point Lodge lies in the centre of it all, just inland from Yarmouth, Shelburne, and Digby.

The winter lobster season is upon us, and there is simply nowhere else in the world to enjoy better lobster! The chefs at Trout Point will make the most of this local delicacy during the season which runs from November through late May. While many people boil lobster, local fishermen in Southwest Nova Scotia steam their lobster (often in sea water) to maintain its delicate texture and delectable flavours! Trout Point will go beyond this simple and effective cooking technique to showcase local lobster throughout the menu!

Stay tuned . . .

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