Ontario hotel carved out of building dating back to 1800s is finally opening
Southwestern Ontario is about to get a very cool new boutique hotel, and it's located inside a historic building that dates back to 1879.
Amherstburg, Ontario is undergoing a massive facelift as a proposed redevelopment project known as the Anchor District gains traction in the downtown core, and Hotel STRY is the first major addition to the project.
Located at 70 Murray Street, the hotel is located in a landmark building that was originally used as a bank, but will now house multiple guest rooms, a spa restaurant and courtyard.
According to Lauri Brouyette, one of the hotel's developers alongside her son, Kaine, the original vision for the hotel's design quickly got pushed to the wayside once the team began to peel back the layers of the space.
"The interior has a 'loft' feel," she tells blogTO. "The brick walls are exposed in each of the suites and the ceilings exceed 11 feet," so they pivoted to embrace the urban loft feel, and think guests will be wowed by the space when they arrive.
While the building was more or less gutted for the project, the hand-laid brick structure and stone foundation, as well as its fireplaces and original maplewood floors, have all been restored and will be on display in guest rooms and common areas.
While the Anchor District project, which would preserve and redevelop historic buildings along Murray Street, is still seeking approval from the municipality of Essex County, Lauri says that the dream for the area extends far beyond the just hotel.
"Our vision for the district is to use our heritage buildings as a backdrop to a pedestrian walkway and community space," she tells blogTO, adding that the project would "provide countless benefits to the town from economic to climate related."
The hotel is set to quietly open in April "take some time to ensure our service is just right," says Lauri, before launching a grand opening in the summer.
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