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The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

Getaway at The June Motel in Prince Edward County

August 31, 2017
Hinterland in Prince Edward County

Nestled between vineyards and the shores of Picton Bay is a pastel paradise that has captured the hearts of laid-back locals and wine-loving travellers alike.

Curious to see what all the hype was about, my Mom and I escaped the city for a summer getaway to Prince Edward County's retro-revived boutique inn: The June Motel.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

Pulling into the revamped roadside retreat, the plastic flamingos adorning the green lawn and signature row of pink doors were reminiscent of 1960's Palm Springs, where happy hour was every hour and life was but a breeze. We soon discovered the motto and motif of this reincarnated motel to be just as rose-coloured.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

Since opening in May 2017, The June has quickly transformed from hidden gem to cherished treasure. Formerly known as The Sportsman, the motel was run for nearly three decades as a bare bones pit stop for fishermen (when the current owners took possession the only thing on the wall was a sign asking guests not to gut fish in their rooms). When the previous owners decided to retire, April Brown and Sarah Sklash jumped on the opportunity as they recognized the booming trend of those looking to escape the chaos of the city for a calming stay in the country.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel Before and After - The Sportsman - Prince Edward County

With no former hospitality experience, Brown and Sklash (two friends from Toronto with a penchant for PEC's wine country) traded in the corporate grind to become modern-day moteliers – and they haven't looked back.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

Self-taught via old episodes of the Travel Channel's Hotel Impossible on the basics of running a 16-room motor lodge, it is their masterful marketing skills and innate design sense that have skyrocketed their success. Brown's public relations background is also an asset as these two clearly know their target demographic and expertly cater to them. From the text message concierge (genius), to "Detox and Retox" Saturday morning yoga, to the Bachelorette/Girls' Weekend Package, their creativity is visible in every rose-gold touch.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

Greeted warmly by the dynamic duo upon arrival, we were offered a choice of rosé, sparkling wine, or beer from local favourites Huff Estates, Hinterland Wine Company and Parson's Brewery. Designed by their friend Keri MacLellan of Four Walls Interiors, the indoor-outdoor lobby is an Instagrammer's dream scene. I don't know if it was the "Peace Love Wine" neon sign or soft pink potted planters but the lobby's subliminal messages nudged both of us to opt for the rosé.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

In-between sips from our retro cocktail glasses, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Sklash and I were both graduates from the Richard Ivey School of Business and connected over the pursuit of our chosen "off-the-beaten path" careers.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

 

After checking into our "Classic" room, (and swooning over the toiletries from local apothecary Sunday's Company, palm tree wallpaper, and macramé plant hangers) my Mom and I got a start on the incredible itinerary that the owners' tailor-made for us when I inquired about hip spots to check out during our visit. As bonafide experts in up-and-coming and established eateries/wineries in The County, they'll give you honest advice about what to see and what to skip.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The Miller House in Prince Edward County
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

For lunch, we devoured an artisanal charcuterie board and sipped beer from the Lake on the Mountain Brewing Company at The Miller House. Built circa 1796, it is the oldest building in Lake on the Mountain with picturesque views overlooking Picton Bay.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
Lake on the Mountain in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The Miller House in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

Back at The June we raided the (beautifully curated) vintage pop-up by Laundry Club.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

Dinner at The Courage was an unforgettable experience. The food is known to reduce patrons to tears, their branding is top-notch, and the customer service is superb – which is probably why by the end of the night the chef, owner (who doubled as our waitress as staffing is minimal in this seasonal community), and chief bartender all felt like old friends.

The Courage Bar in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The Courage Bar in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The Courage Bar in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The Courage Bar in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

The entire dining experiences feels like an episode of Chef's Table: from the cocktails, to the slow-cooked octopus (that melts in your mouth), to the smoked eggplant on toasted miso risotto (that the chef pours hot Japanese mother stock over top). For dessert, they surprised my Mom for her birthday with a special campfire s'more cake: chocolate cheesecake covered in a campfire toasted marshmallow, sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs, and topped with real gold flakes.

The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The June Motel in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

At the end of the night we retreated back to The June where we roasted s'mores and chatted with the locals that had stopped by the outdoor campfire / conversation pit.

The Courage Bar in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
The Courage Bar in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

The next day we ate a delicious breakfast in the lobby (although if you prefer to linger longer over a slow morning you can get breakfast-in-bed delivered): Station Cold Brew coffee (my Mom's fav), green juice from Belleville-based Small Town Juicery, and fresh scones from the aptly named, Perfect Lil' Bakeshop – a tiny roadside bakeshop up the road from The June that sells homemade baked goods on an honour system.

Perfect Lil' Bakeshop in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

We also spent time exploring and tasting at Midtown Brewery, Hinterland Wine Company, and Norman Hardie's (their brick-oven pizza is a must).

Norman Hardie in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
Hinterland in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson
Hinterland in Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson

Before heading back to the city, I asked Brown and Sklash about their plans for The June. Fully booked every weekend until Thanksgiving, their immediate goals are to get a year under their belts and implement small updates, like a hammock lounge area. For the future, they are brimming with ideas of what to do with the undeveloped acreage behind the building – maybe a tree house or a yoga yurt – and a potential motel road trip through California for inspirational field research. For now, it's simply enough to dwell in the present and enjoy la vie en rose.

The June Motel In Prince Edward County - By Louise Johnson


Click HERE or the photo below to read my article: "Retro Revival: The Resurgence of the Roadside Motel" in The Huffington Post :

Retro Revival - The Resurgence of the Roadside Motel by Louise Johnson - Huffington Post



 

In Blog, Travel Tags prince edward county, the june motel, the june, where to stay in prince edward county, cool places to stay in prince edward county, pec, explore canada, ontario travel, canadian travel, travel tips, canada travel tips, revived motel, updated motel, retro revived motel, picton, picton bay, explore toronto, weekend trips from toronto, huff estates, hinterland wine, parson's brewery, four walls interiors, keri maclellan, sunday's company, lake on the mountain, lake on the mountain brewery, lake on the mountain brewing company, the miller house, laundry club, the courage, the courage bar, station cold brew, small town juicery, perfect lil' bakeshop, midtown brewery, hinterland wine company, norman hardie's, updated motels
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NEW BLOG (link in bio) ~ My *Conflicted* Thoughts on Valentine’s Day 🌸💕
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I love a day dedicated to love - one of the most important, if not THE most important, human emotion. What’s not to like about that? —
On the other hand, the commodification of love and how the holiday targets “couples” is getting outta hand. Romantic relationships, in my opinion, are given WAY too much attention and credit in our world. Even the terms “self-care” and “self-love” are starting to become overused/commodified (but I’m all for their underlying meaning!)...
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More musings on my website 💘
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🆕 BOOK BLOG + GIVEAWAY!!
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This year, I want to document more of my reading life in my little place in cyberspace. I’ve let blogging fall by the wayside as it often feels self-indulgent and silly, but I realized that I missed it as a form of creative expression.
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As long as I’m writing posts that mean something to me, whether to remember or reflect, “blogging” as a medium, seems far less daunting.
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Books/my reading life are also a huge part of my #writinglife so it feels fitting to ramble about what I’m #currentlyreading, include #bookreviews, and any hot reads from my #TBR (To Be Read) pile 📚.
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I’m trying to get back into a consistent posting sched (bi-weekly) and am figuring out this whole “batch working” thing... so feel free to check my website often for updates under the PROSE section.
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Today, I posted a #BookReview on #WashingtonBlack by #EsiEdugyan 🖤 (link in the ol’ bio) and because I loved it so much I want to give YOU a free copy (hardcover + shipping included!) #bookgiveaway
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Giveaway closed FEB 12 (12am EST)
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🌵🍋✨Quintana Roo is the name of Joan Didion’s daughter and for some reason it makes me rly happy being in the place of her namesake 💚🇲🇽
I’ll spare you an [insert something about “vitamin sea”] caption and leave you with my day in a series of emojis: 🌅☕️🧘🏼‍♀️🏋🏼‍♀️☀️🌴🥑🥥🌮🍻🤤🏖🐠🐬👙🏊🏻‍♀️🛥✨
freshest fruit I’ve ever tasted! been making smoothies every morning and snacks in the aft with all the yummy bananas 🍌 mangoes 🥭 pineapples 🍍oranges 🍊 cantaloupe 🍈 lemons 🍋and avocados 🥑 (does anyone else sometimes forget avocado is a fruit or is it just me?)
🌵🌞 We live in a “busy is best” culture and it’s hard not to let that productivity mentality seep into our subconscious. Taking time to slow down and put yourself first almost feels like a societal sin.
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Coming into this year my mom has been the catalyst for me to re-prioritize. I’ll be the first to admit that the past few years I’ve been so laser-focused on working towards this one big life goal that I’ve allowed the mental/physical effects of stress (incl. anxiety and insomnia) take its toll.
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2019 marks milestone birthdays for both my mom and I, and although I believe that age is just a number, it’s more about using this pit stop on my life’s road map as an opportunity to approach the next decade thoughtfully and retrospectively.
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Looking at the way my mom has made health and fitness a lifelong priority – and witnessing the positive effects that taking care of your body through exercise, fuelling it with the right foods, getting enough zzz’s, taking daily vitamins, making sure to get outside as much as possible etc. reminded me how much those things contribute to my overall happiness and well-being.
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So when she invited us to join her and an amazing group of women who have decided to make health, fitness and travel a priority, despite our “busy is best” culture, I could think of no better way to kickoff this year – and hopefully beyond!
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#mexico #quintanaroo #playadelcarmen #mexicotravel #seemexico #visitmexico #foundinmexico #fitinmex2019 #acantohotel
cold weather cure: warm cheeks 😘 stay cozy this wknd💫
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