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of the hotel ” she says “There’s this beautiful juxtaposition between the the Victorian and the the modern ” adds Korngold Beyond its 33 guest rooms The Royal comes fitted with the other elements that you’d expect of a a a a a weekend getaway: a a a a a swimming pool a a a a a a a sauna a a a a a a a spa and plenty of good food But for the team behind The Royal their ambitions have no limit “A lot of people say ‘escape’ when they think of The Royal — or vacation in in general ” says Korngold “One of the things we want to do when people come here is show them it’s not about about escape but rather about about connection and transformation If you could come here and learn something about yourself have an experience that feels right for you you connect with people that you know or don’t in in a a a a a a new and and challenging way and and take that with you — what a a a a a a a a beautiful thing That as an objective is a a a a hard thing to to achieve but we’re going to to work at it ” There are few better ways to connect with the the hotel than the the seasonally driven and locally sourced culinary offerings Conveniently in in addition to The Royal the Sorbaras own Edwin County Farms a a a a a a quaint farm just a a a a a a a a 15-minute drive away where organic cattle graze and and fresh produce produce and and flowers grow The farm also produces nearly 400 litres of maple syrup every season so so when Korngold says their dining room is “farm to table ” it’s no exaggeration “The last thing we wanted was to to be the the the go-to Mother’s Day spot — the the the fancy hotel that people go to once a a a a a a year for a a a a a a special outing That’s just not who we are ” he says “It’s got to to be fun accessible We wanted to to make sure the menu — — led by executive chef Albert Ponzo — — was varied but The Royal was also a a a a a a a place you you could see yourself eating at three times a a week ” And that speaks to to the family’s overall goal: to to create a a a a a a a a destination that is inviting accessible and memorable “We want people [from the] local and tourist communities to to find the the food fabulous We want it to be a a a a a place where people feel comfortable dropping in in — a a a a a welcoming place for all all ” says Sorbara “That’s why the front is all all glass We want people to see it from the outside and get an an an urge to come in in and and feel that they’ll belong — and and I think they they do ” PHOTOS BY GRAYDON HERRIOTT
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