Ottawa’s Nahon family are the new owners of the Wakefield Mill Hotel and Spa in Wakefield, Que.
The Nahon family, who own Calabogie Lodge, took ownership of the Mill earlier this month, according to a press release.
“Over almost a quarter century, the Wakefield Mill has become an icon in the region and we are very pleased to continue its tradition of great guest service and turning moments into memories,” Daniel Nahon said in the release.
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Nahon told OBJ Friday that his family took on the Mill project in part to introduce his son, Julien, to the family business.
“My two kids grew up around the (Calabogie) Lodge and my son just graduated from university and said he would be interested in joining the family business, so we started hunting around for another property,” Nahon said.
He calls the Wakefield Mill “the perfect match” to the Calabogie Lodge in terms of its target market and rural charm.
Since management of the Lodge is “under control,” Nahon says he and his family will focus on running the Mill.
“There’s not much that I need to do … The prior owners did an excellent job in terms of establishing the business. They’ve really done an outstanding job, so it really is just a continuation and then improving both the Lodge and the Mill where I see it’s necessary,” he said.
Nahon says he and his family plan on continuing the journey of sustainability started by the Wakefield Mill, which is currently one of only two LEED-certified hotels in Quebec and the only one in the National Capital Region.
Robert Milling, co-founder and president of the Mill, told OBJ he sold the Mill because he was ready for something new and now has bigger fish to fry – or rather catch.
“I’m ready to enter a new chapter, which is maybe a little slower, a little less involved. The company is at an all-time high. We rebounded from COVID very strongly … I spend a lot of time in northern Quebec. I have a property up north and just looking to spend more time there and I’ll have no excuses as to why I can’t catch more fish,” he said.
The sale process started last year through the hotel group at commercial realtor Colliers, Milling added.
“It seems like a very good fit. They have a good knowledge in the sector of boutique properties outside of the urban core,” Milling said.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Milling looks forward to taking a break, updating his northern Quebec property, and eventually, working as a consultant/mentor with businesspeople in the sale of their companies.
In 2001, Milling and Lynn Berthiaume opened the historic Mill as a 26-room hotel, having hauled out iron milling equipment to transform the space into a cozy resort.
“The 186-year-old original Mill property enjoys a rich historical heritage, a spectacular natural setting as well as very close access to the Ottawa market,” Nahon said in the press release. “The team of nearly 100 people provide an experienced and professional bilingual service level for guests and we are looking forward to working together with every one of them.”
The Mill has 42 guestrooms, two restaurants, three meeting and event/concert rooms, and Holtz Spa Nature. It operates on 20 acres within Gatineau Park under a 99-year lease with the National Capital Commission.
