Trout Point Lodge among region’s fastest growing companies

In its 13th season of operation, Trout Point Lodge has been named among Atlantic Canada’s 100 fastest growing businesses for 2012. Each year Progress 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.

Progress will take the Fastest Growing issue of the magazine live with the Fastest Growing Companies Award reception, recognizing the  CEOs and their teams as the region’s dynamic change agents – those that are shaping the way business will be done in the future. At the reception, Trout Point will learn its ranking among the list of 100 companies. Along with Presenting Sponsors, PwC and Rogers, Progress hosts the Awards on Monday November 5th, 2012 at The Crowne Plaza Moncton Downtown.

The event will also include roundtable discussions with other Fastest Growing Companies. The findings of the moderated discussions will result in exclusive editorial content for upcoming issues of Progress Magazine.

Launched by award-winning magazine publisher and regional advocate Neville Gilfoy, Progress was founded on a single premise – to promote wealth creation through profitable business growth. A new mindset and a new generation of entrepreneurs has emerged, and Progress is devoted to chronicling their stories and revealing key insights for readers. Subscribers rely on us for independent intelligence and expert commentary. Essential subjects are covered in depth, in a language and style suited to the region’s most influential audience.

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Lodge achieves fifth star

Trout Point Lodge is pleased to announce that it has achieved a 5 star rating in the Inn category from Canada Select, the national accommodation rating agency. The Lodge previously had a 4 1/2 star ranking. According to Canada Select, “a 5 star property is luxurious at a world standard, offering outstanding facilities, guest service and amenities.”

The Lodge made capital improvements this year that allowed Ronald van der Weegen, Managing Director of Quality Visitor Services, to grant the final 1/2 star increase after an on-site inspection today.

Trout Point was also accepted for membership in Small Luxury Hotels of the World, a prestigious London, England-based hotel group, earlier this year after a thorough inspection process.

Trout Point’s managing directors Charles Leary and Vaughan Perret believe the increased ranking will assist their effort to keep the full service lodge open year-round in 2012-13.

Trout Point is among just 4 Nova Scotia accommodations in the Inn category to have the 5-star designation.

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New Fall/Winter Specials

To celebrate the Lodge’s year round opening and its new membership in Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Trout Point currently has the following specials on offer:

• 20% off online rates for certain rooms (reservation is non-changeable and non-refundable)
• Book 4 nights and pay for 3 in select main lodge rooms (Half Board required to be purchased each day)
• Romantic Hideaway Special: 1 night in a Fireplace Junior Suite, 1 guided kayak, star walk, or hike, Champagne & chocolate in your room on the night of arrival, and Half Board $499/couple.  Book packages here.

The above prices do not include tax or service fee.

Trout Point Lodge opened in 2000 next to the Tobeatic Wilderness Area, part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Secluded at the junction of 2 river, Trout Point offers the “darkest night skies in eastern North America,” as noted when USAToday called the Lodge 1 of the 10 best eco lodges in the world earlier this year.

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Trout Point chefs to speak at Canadian Chefs’ Congress in Grande Pre

Lodge Chef/Proprietors Vaughn Perret and Charles Leary will participate in the panel on Acadian/Cajun cuisine at the Canadian Chefs’ Congress, September 18, 2012, in Grande Pre, Nova Scotia. Paul Kennedy, host of CBC Radio’s popular Ideas program, will moderate the discussion of how an Acadian food culture based in Atlantic Canada was transplanted to the Mississippi Delta, and transformed into trendy Cajun cooking. Perret & Leary, who operated Chicory Farm and New Orleans’ Chicory Farm Cafe before moving to Nova Scotia, are co-authors of The Trout Point Lodge Cookbook: Creole Cuisine from New Orleans to Nova Scotia. They have served as the Lodge’s chefs as well as cooking school instructors since 2000.

Perret & Leary will share the stage with Stephen Stryjewski, Chef/Owner , Cochon, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Karen Mersereau, Chef/Owner, Hotel Paulin, Caraquet, New Brunswick.

For more information on the Congress, click here.

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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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FAQs – Trout Point Lodge

1. What are Half Board and Full Board? Half Board is breakfast & dinner within a 24 hour period. Full Board is breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For 2012, Half Board is $180/couple and Full Board costs $215. Breakfast is a buffet plus a la carte service. Lunch has three courses. Dinner consists of 5 courses (including the amuse bouche). There is a choice of 2 different fixed menus for dinner.
2. Do you allow pets? Trout Point Lodge has some pet friendly rooms in the main lodge. We also allow pets in the 2 cottages and in the Forest Suite. There is a $15/day charge.
3. Do you have WiFi in the rooms? The main lodge has WiFi in the Great Room, reception area, and on the front porch. but not in the rooms. The Forest Suite, Island Meadow Room, Cub Cottage, and Black Bear Cottage have WiFi.
4. Do you have TVs in the rooms? The main lodge rooms have no TVs. There are individual DVD players and a DVD library. The cottages, Forest Suite, and Island Meadow Room have satellite TV.
5. Are there bugs? Each year is different. In May through early June there can be some black flies and “no-see-ums.” They are usually gone by early to mid June. There can always be some mosquitos and flies in the woods when going hiking, but not at the lodge. There are no biting insects in the fall.
6. Do I have a choice of dishes at dinner? We serve table d’hôte style menus for dinner. We always accommodate food allergies, vegetarian diets, and religious diets with advance notice. We cannot promise gluten free choices. For 2012, the Lodge plans to offer two 5-course menus, one of vegetable-based cuisine and one of local seafood. The menus are fixed, but no dishes are repeated during a guest’s stay.
7. What is there to do? Trout Point has canoes, kayaks, & 29r single-speed mountain bikes for guest use–first come, first served. There is also a new wood-fired hot tub and cedar barrel sauna riverside. There are nature trails on the property, and hiking trails in the adjacent wilderness area. Guided excursions include kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, and star gazing. In 2012, there will also be periodic wine tastings. In-room massage is available by appointment. Nearby are fantastic beaches & coastal scenery, Acadian French culture, whale watching, and sea kayaking.
8. How do I get there? Most guests from outside Nova Scotia fly to Halifax (YHZ). It’s an easy drive from there. There are also direct flights 4 times a week from Portland, Maine to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia on Twin Cities Air Service. There is a ferry from St. John, New Brunswick to Digby, Nova Scotia. Digby is about 1 hour 20 minutes drive from the Lodge.

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Lodge among top 10 eco friendly accommodations

Trout Point Lodge proudly announces that it appears on the top 10 list of eco lodges published today by USAToday Travel. The worldwide list of accommodations that “adhere to green values, offering nature adventures in a sustainable setting” was compiled by veteran travel journalist Larry Bleiberg and green vacation expert Irene Lane of greenloons.com. The article forms part of the popular national newspaper’s “10 great places” series.

“You’re not sleeping on a straw mat on a dirt floor. There are opportunities to stay in very comfortable accommodations” says Lane in the article. While emphasizing Trout Point’s outdoor activities such as star gazing, fishing, kayaking and mountain-bike safaris, the article also pointed to the Lodge’s emphasis on local foods. “You have local delicacies, which, from an eco standpoint, is great,” states Lane.

Other hotels on the top 10 list were as far flung as Ecuador, Kenya, the Czech Republic, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Trout Point was the only Canadian property. Earlier this year, Where magazine placed the Lodge on its list of “15 Deluxe Wilderness Retreats for All Seasons.”

USA Today remains number one in total daily print circulation in the United States. It also has one of the largest average-issue print audience of any national newspaper, with 3.2 million readers daily.

Trout Point Lodge opened in 2000 next to the Tobeatic Wilderness Area, part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Secluded at the junction of 2 river, Trout Point offers the “darkest night skies in eastern North America,” as noted by USAToday. The 2012 season starts May 1.

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Trout Point Lodge announces new accolades

Trout Point Lodge is pleased to announce that it has been independently selected for a 5/5 rating from Greenty.com, the leading online eco-travel guide, and has been accepted as a member of the Diamond Collection from travel web site bedandbreakfast.com as well as a “Fodor’s Choice” selection for the prestigious 2012 Fodor’s travel guide to Atlantic Canada. The guide was published on March 6, 2012.

Fodor’s, the leading name in travel information, today announced that Trout Point Lodge has been recognized as a Fodor’s Choice selection for the 2012-13 guide. According to publisher Random House, Fodor’s Choice selections recognize the top sights, properties, and experiences that the guide’s professional travel writers have found while traveling the world. These places are the “best of the best,” providing remarkable experiences in their price range, destination, or category.

Every year, Fodor’s writers experience, examine and evaluate thousands of hotels, restaurants and attractions in their travels across the globe. While every business included in a Fodor’s guide is deemed worth a traveler’s time, only those offering a truly remarkable experience are given the Fodor’s Choice designation.

As a 2012 Fodor’s Choice property Trout Point Lodge will receive special recognition in the next Fodor’s guidebook to this area and on http://www.Fodors.com.

The Lodge also learned today that Greenty, a website for eco-consumers to find a destination and search eco accommodations, has just finished its focus towards the green hotels in Canada, analyzing and understanding the policy those hotels have implemented to respect their environment. Greenty informed the Lodge that it had finalized the listing on Greenty.com where it had a rating of 5/5.

Finally, Trout Point Lodge was just approved for membership in the Diamond Collection by bedandbreakfast.com. The leading Austin, Texas-based specialty travel web site started the Diamond Collection about 2 years ago as an exclusive group of professionally inspected and guest-reviewed luxury inns. Each Diamond Collection property participates in a comprehensive annual inspection program, maintains top consumer reviews on BedandBreakfast.com, and offers the amenities and services required for a top-quality guest experience.

Trout Point Lodge is the collection’s first Canadian member.

The goal of launching the BedandBreakfast.com Diamond Collection was to distinguish a select group of properties that tend to highlight that smaller, independent properties can cater to all types of travellers. The company states: “Travellers will seek out properties that have both great consumer reviews and professional inspections, plus all modern amenities/luxuries, from online reservations to Wi-Fi to whirlpool tubs to first-rate hospitality. Diamond Collection properties are an exclusive group of professionally inspected and guest-reviewed luxury inns with extensive modern amenities. Once guests have experienced one Diamond Collection inn, they’ll be looking for a similar experience on their next getaway.”

About Trout Point Lodge
Founded in 2000, Trout Point Lodge counts among Canada’s best independent hotels. Nova Scotia’s only member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux Association, Trout Point offers an authentic Canadian wilderness experience with spacious accommodations and gourmet cuisine. The Lodge was the only accommodation finalist in the National Geographic Society’s Geotourism Challenge, Power of Place: Sustaining the Future of Destinations. Geotourism is defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.

About Fodor’s
Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House, Inc. is one of the world’s leading providers of travel information. Covering over 300 destinations worldwide, Fodor’s guidebooks and website, Fodors.com, have provided the most up-to-date, accurate information for travelers for seventy-six years. Written by a team of over 700 writers located around the globe, Fodor’s provides travelers with engagingly written, intelligently and accurately reported, and absolutely indispensable travel guidance. Visit http://www.Fodors.com.

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Luxury is choice: Trout Point Lodge accommodation options

For the 2012 season starting May 1, Trout Point Lodge guests will have an expanded choice of room options. In the classic massive log main lodge, 7 spacious (400+ sq. ft.) rooms and 1 suite (700+ sq. ft.) feature queen or double beds, river views, original handcrafted V. Cottreau furniture, turn-down service, and direct-dial telephones, but no TVs, no cell phone reception, and no Internet access. Rooms with cozy fireplaces or wood stoves make the main lodge perfect for a stress-free hideaway or romantic getaway. The main lodge is also great for groups or family get-togethers, where you can take over the entire facility.

The other options on Trout Point’s 100-acre forested estate all include satellite TV, WiFi, and lots of outdoor porches, decks, boardwalks, or balconies. The magnificent Forest Suite has a large flat screen TV, 2 wood burning fireplaces, a vast great room with cathedral ceiling, deck, and balcony. The cozy bedroom has a handcrafted hardwood bed (queen) and a magnificent bathroom with twin sinks and separate tub & shower.

The charming Island Meadow Room features a tumbled-marble bathroom and a sitting area outside the French doors. A flat screen TV, Ipod dock, WiFi, and direct-dial telephone make it perfect for those who want to remain connected to the outside world.

Likewise the cottages at Trout Point offer great modern amenities, including not only WiFi, telephone, satellite TV, but also full kitchens, pod coffee makers, living rooms with a fireplace or beautiful Vermont Castings wood stove (Cub), and wonderful decks. Black Bear Cottage has two bedrooms, each with sparkling just-renovated (2012) bathrooms, and is ideal for families or a friends getaway.

Cub Cottage is perfect for honeymooners. A hand-carved king bed is the centerpiece of the bedroom, which also has its own balcony overlooking East Meadow Lake. A jet-tub and separate shower complete the scene.

In sum, Trout Point offers a great variety of accommodation options depending on your desires:

• the main lodge for an authentic Canadian wilderness experience in luxury, but a true getaway–a place to forget about the cares of the outside world
• Forest Suite & Island Meadow Room for refined accommodations with all the modern amenities including TV and WiFi
• The cottages for those demanding space, privacy, and a full range of facilities including kitchens & living areas

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A great Priorat red will find its way onto the Lodge’s wine list this year

Wine Spectator gave the 2005 and 2006 vintages of Bodegas Pinord‘s “+7” blend 92 points. Having recently sampled the 2007–a blend of garnacha (50%), syrah (20%), and Cabernet Sauvignon  (30%)–this producer of organically-certified wine has excelled again.

Silky tannins and featuring the weight and alcohol (14.5%) so typical of Priorat, +7 has a bit of smokiness, but is not so dense that it requires a lot more aging or lacks in subtlety. Berries, briar, and a bit of green pepper.

The wine is fermented in stainless steel, then blended and oak aged for 1 year.

Pinord has pledged to make quality wines here whilst maintaining a close relationship with more traditional grape growing techniques. From the beginning, the vineyards have been organic, using only permitted natural products on the land. All chemical products such as herbicides and pesticides are avoided.

Pinord has firmly adopted Biodynamic Farming techniques in their Mas Blanc vineyard. They believe that by following their own winemaking practices and by attempting to maintain a balance with the land, they will be leaving it a better place for future generations.

Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia will have the 2007 +7 on its 2012 season wine list, which specializes in organic and Spanish selections.

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