ELORA, Ont. — Pearle Hospitality recently opened the Elora Mill Hotel & Spa in Elora, Ont.
Originally built in the mid 1850s and rescued from bankruptcy by Pearle Hospitality in 2010, the landmark property has undergone an extensive transformation, which represents the first of two development phases for the site. This first phase focused on creating a hotel, restaurant and event space on the north side of the Grand River, while the second phase will include condominiums and a retail village.
Elora Mill has been redesigned to enrich the historic elegance of the once operational 19th-century grist mill, while capturing the essence of luxury and comfort. Created by Lori Morris of House of LMD, the hotel’s design breathes new life into the historic site while respectfully maintaining its architectural integrity.
The hotel is comprised of a collection of buildings — the original mill with a stable, a granary, a commercial warehouse structure, a mill cottage and a brick home — which were restored and developed by Hicks Design Studio. The mill now features a glass addition, while the stable was rebuilt using salvaged stone from the original structure to create the hotel’s luxury spa. The granary building has been converted to a banquet and wedding facility and the mill cottage houses additional guestrooms.
The hotel’s restaurant is led by chef John Bakke and focuses on regional Ontarian cuisine. Menu offerings include smoked chicken salad with charred peaches, corn, broccolini, spring onions, and grain mustard; crayfish tagliolini with spicy sausage, grilled corn, cherry tomato, pesto and parmesan flakes; and charcoal-grilled cauliflower with parsley, bulgur, lemon, cilantro, pumpkin seeds and spinach. The restaurant also features the Penstock Lounge, which boasts views of the Elora gorge.
