4-star First Nations Hotel in Wendake, Quebec
Get back to nature like the aboriginal Canadians once did—the Huron-Wendat. Instead of opening casinos like their American counterparts, the Huron Indians of Canada had a brilliant idea. Let’s open a hotel that is true to our national heritage and is run by indigenous people. Then we’ll throw in an outdoor ampitheatre, an award-winning restaurant and historical museum, and voilà, instant destination, Wendake.
Built in the shape of a Huron longhouse and teepee, you immediately are drawn into the First Nations culture by the unique design. Newly opened in 2008, the First Nations Hotel blends nature like a Frank Lloyd Wright architectural wonder. All 55 rooms and conference rooms face the nearby woods and the St. Charles River with panoramic windows. The hotel is decorated with beaver fur pillows, dream catchers and handmade tomohawks, among other unique hotel décor. The on-site restaurant, La Traite, is already collecting awards, winning the 2008 Public Award and the 2009 Award for Distinction by the Quebec Restaurant Association.
Chef Martin Gagné prepares authentic cuisine artfully presented, using typical dishes of hunters and gatherers like rabbit, duck and deer. Sample a bison steak or house-smoked salmon in the shape of a teepee. The design of La Traite continues the natural vibe: glass-encased chopped firewood wall dividers, antler chandeliers, tree trunk pillars, and modern interpretations of indigenous art on the walls.
Complete the visit with a tour of the high-tech museum annex adjacent to the hotel lobby. Learn how the Huron-Wendat Indians lived alongside the early French explorers in Quebec, teaching them survival skills for the harsh winters.
Step into history with a visit to the nearby historic Huron site, complete with longhouse and village. Eat at the locally owned and operated restaurant. View artisans at work creating their own wooden handicrafts.
Year-round activities in Wendake include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or snow-mobiling in the winter, hiking and biking in the summer. Pow-Wows and other traditional performances take place at the outdoor ampitheater during the summer.
Starting in 2010, a bus shuttle will go from Quebec City to Wendake, leaving from Quebec City & Saint Foy during the summer months. Just 30 minutes from Quebec City, the trip to Wendake and First Nations is well worth the detour.
This looks like a great hotel, but it looks enormous. How many rooms, anyway?
Only 55 rooms–they just designed the foyer using windows to showcase nature, making it look large. But it’s definitely a boutique hotel.