Muskoka: Rugged Wilderness Served On A Silver Platter

As seen in M&IT Magazine

 

“I don’t think any of our dealers will ever forget that conference,” recalls Nikki Glahn, director of marketing at Lund Boats Canada, a division of Genmar Holdings Inc.

 

The Manitoba-based company had enjoyed a rejuvenating and relaxing three-day conference at Taboo Resort (formerly known as Muskoka Sands) in Gravenhurst, Ontario, located just 90 minutes north of the Greater Toronto Area.

On the morning of Lund’s last day, Glahn was in the midst of wrapping up last-minute details when, in a heartbeat, everything changed. It was September 11, 2001.

 

All flights were cancelled. Lund’s dealers, suppliers and staff couldn’t get home - or so they thought. Glahn scrambled to locate alternative transportation, finally scrounging up what may have been the last charter bus in the area. The bus, however, had only been used for short, local excursions; it really wasn’t equipped for the 24-hour haul to Winnipeg.

 

Taboo responded by lending a few dozen blankets and pillows for Lund’s cross-country excursion. They also juggled incoming guests - extending the regular check-out time from 11am to 8pm in order to accommodate the sudden change of plans.

 

In retrospect, unexpected, emotionally charged moments like that can truly distinguish good service from great service. Taboo, as it turned out, provided great service. Even in the worst of times.

 

In the best of times – which, fortunately, is the norm – service in the whole of Muskoka sparkles like the sunshine that glints off its 1,600 lakes and rivers. In this 2,500 square mile region – bounded by Georgian Bay to the west, Algonquin Park to the north- east and Severn Bridge to the south - nowhere is superior service more pronounced, than in the realm of meetings and incentive travel.

 

Calling the service “second to none,” Glahn said she appreciated Taboo’s efforts in making her job as streamlined as possible – both on departure day and during the conference itself.

A seemingly small gesture – being given the use of a walkie-talkie to communicate with the resort coordinator – turned out to be a timesaving device on Taboo’s sprawling 1000-acre parkland.

Accommodation at the 140-room Taboo ranges from four-bedroom cottage chalets to Lodge and Platinum Suites with fireplace and Jacuzzi. The chic and newly renovated Platinum suites also feature contemporary custom-designed furniture and spacious living/eating areas.

Seventeen meeting areas totalling 11,000 sq. feet – from a 2-person strategizing space to a 220-person boardroom – offer natural light, some with outdoor access and a few have lake views and decks.

 

One of Taboo’s most recent upgrades is Indulgence, a European-influenced spa. Five former guest rooms have been transformed into a serene setting, each with fireplace, Jacuzzi and a view of the lake. The spa’s signature treatment, Cherry-Maple Body Polish, brings together the best of Muskoka’s flavours.

 

Recently, Taboo has garnered attention with a growing list of accolades, including the 2003 Meetings & Incentive Travel Magazine Readers’ Choice Award for best meeting facility and service excellence in central Canada.

 

Several other Muskoka-based resorts are trying to keep up. Extensive renovations and additions are currently taking place at the three Delta properties (the 130-room Grandview, the 65-room Rocky Crest and the 50-room Sherwood Inn) as well as the 426-room Deerhurst Resort, the 45-room Inn at Christie’s Mill and the 23-room Trillium Resort. (Please see the “What’s New” sidebar for more details).

 

In Muskoka, the race for bigger and better means just one thing: Groups continue to reap the benefits.

 

Another case in point is the prevalence of world-class golf courses. The most recent wave began in 2001 with Grandview’s Mark O’Meara course and the Rocky Crest Golf Club, followed by Taboo in 2002 with the home course of Masters’ Champion Mike Weir. Muskoka’s most recent addition is The Rock, designed by three-time British Open and Masters’ champion Nick Faldo. The Rock is due to open May 2004 (www.therockgolf.com).

 

Several existing courses are award winners with fully equipped clubhouses and on-site CPGA Professionals – all nice features for the groups’ avid golfers.

 

When you consider that corporate branding is a relatively new phenomenon for resorts in Muskoka, beginning in the late 1980s with Deerhurst, the metamorphosis is quite amazing.

“Over the last few years, resorts that were at one time strictly seasonal and family-oriented, are now catering to the more sophisticated corporate market,” says Resorts Ontario sales and marketing manager Glenn Spriggs.

 

“Many Muskoka resorts provide state-of-the-art technological support like high speed access, LCD projectors and laser pointers. The region itself has so much to offer as a 4-season destination, which is a key consideration for groups.”

 

Muskoka Tourism’s sales and marketing manager, Carrie Cobden, agrees: “In the spring and fall, attendees can play golf, star-gaze at Torrence Barrens - the world’s first permanent dark sky reserve, hike or bike the many trails, rock climb and tour one of our 22 waterfalls. When the colours change from green to gold, they can tour the cranberry harvests, visit local artisans and antique dealers and embark on a fall colour sightseeing cruise. In winter, groups can blow off steam snowmobiling, cross-country and downhill skiing, ice-climbing, playing hockey on a frozen lake and exploring by snowshoe. At any time of the year they can relax at one of our many spas.”

 

Toronto-based Agfa Inc, manufacturer of film, analogue and digital products and systems, has held their national sales meetings, which always take place in January, at both Taboo (2000) and Delta Grandview Resort (1998).

 

Associate marketing manager Lupina Mancuso says, “The venues in Muskoka are very nice, the food is extremely good and the price is friendly. I can tell you that the times we have gone down south, our budget almost doubles.

 

“But mostly,” she continues, “the service is excellent.”

 

What stands out for Mancuso is the resorts’ willingness to tailor their facilities and programs to fit the needs of the groups, which on both occasions numbered 50.

 

‘The Winter Olympics,’ one of several team-building activities at Delta Grandview, incorporates snowshoeing, axe-throwing (Mancuso joked that many people appreciated the opportunity to vent their frustrations) and building a fire. To ensure each event was performed safely, the resort provided an experienced naturalist.

 

Delta Grandview, like many other resorts in the region, offers self-contained luxury suites, some with a living room and fireplace. Mancuso points out that the suites are removed from the main reception area, which, in Agfa’s case, proved particularly useful for group bonding.

“One of our staff members plays guitar so being removed from the reception area gave us the freedom to sing.

 

“It worked out well,” she chuckles, “especially for the people who were singing really loud.”

Most planners attempt to capture Muskoka’s rustic appeal - lakes and loons, tangerine sunrises and starry nights - and infuse that feeling into a group experience.

At the same time, however, they want it to be wrapped in luxury and loaded with all the extras.

 

According to Susan Benson, island retreats are a good example of striking a balance between rustic and refined. The managing director of Destination Muskoka, an event management company based in the region, says small groups of delegates can be whisked by floatplane to a secluded Muskoka island for a catered barbeque on the beach. When the delegates disembark, they are greeted by a private butler, personal chef and presented with gourmet picnic baskets and pre-selected wines.

 

“This is an example of finishing touches that make the difference between an event and an incredible event,” Benson asserts, adding that just about anything is possible in Muskoka.

More Information...

WHAT’S NEW

Taboo Resort (www.tabooresort.com). Since Lund Boats Canada’s visit over two years ago, Taboo has reinvented itself to accommodate the corporate market, thanks in large part, to its managing director, Egon Von Foidl, winner of the 2003 “Hotelier of the Year” award.

 

Von Foidl is aiming to secure Taboo’s position as the ultimate exclusive and full-service facility in the region by conducting the most extensive overhaul yet, including reception area, dining room, all remaining accommodations, fitness facilities and spa. Construction is expected to begin November 2004 and will last approximately 12 months.

 

Two special achievements worthy of further note are Taboo’s recent IACC designation, making it one of only two resorts in Canada that has received the prestigious International Association of Conference Centers’ designation (the other is White Oaks Conference Resort & Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake).

 

Taboo’s second achievement is the Dynamic Balancing System. DBS measures the centre of gravity when a golfer swings and provides immediate feedback. To date, it’s the only one available in Canada.

 

Deerhurst Resort (www.deerhurstresort.com) recently invested $30 million in on-going upgrades to accommodations. It is still the only resort in Muskoka boasting a private, paved airstrip, capable of accommodating small aircraft for VIPs or limited executive and incentive groups.

 

In the spring of 2002, Delta Grandview* added a new lobby and refurbished the Rosewood Inn, one of the three on-site restaurants; improvements to existing accommodations are continuing. Delta Grandview is also the home of Echo Valley, Canada’s first resort-based observatory.

 

In January 2004, Delta Sherwood Inn* introduced a new meeting venue featuring two separate executive boardrooms capable of holding a total of 36 people.

Delta Rocky Crest Resort* is currently soundproofing and installing new windows in all of the suites. The two meeting rooms, which total 1,600 Sq. ft, are being freshened up with a coat of paint and new trim. Renovations are to be completed by May 2004.

 

* All Delta properties can be searched through www.deltahotels.com.

 

The Inn at Christie’s Mill (www.christiesmill.com) is gearing itself to the four-diamond market with a 27,000 square foot addition, which will increase the number of suites from 20 to 45. Included in the additions are a 12-treatment area spa, indoor pool, whirlpool, fitness room and two boardrooms. The ambitious makeover includes existing suites, the dining room and other public areas. All additions and renovations are expected to be completed by April 2004.

 

Trillium Resort (www.trilliumresort.com) is an exclusive get-away for small groups (up to 23 people) with 18 cottages and chalets situated on 100 acres of prime Muskoka property. The resort’s newest addition, a 5000 sq. ft post and beam spa that sits over a cascading waterfall, is a standalone structure with towering floor-to-ceiling windows. Renovations to existing accommodations will commence this year.

 

Both Muskoka Highlands (www.muskokahighlands.com) and North Granite Ridge (www.northgraniteridge.com) have expanded their golf courses from 9 to 18 holes.

Gravenhurst Wharf Project is just breaking ground. When completed, it will include a retail component and a hotel that will cater to the group market.

 

At the time this story went to press, excited whispers were circulating about “an intimate four-season village resort in the early stages of development on the shores of Lake Rosseau.”

 

Stay tuned.

 

OFF-SITE OPPORTUNITIES IN AND AROUND MUSKOKA
The Segwun historic steamship is the oldest operating ship of its kind in North America with a passenger capacity of 99. The Wanda III is used exclusively for private functions and offers an intimate setting for 24 guests while The Wenonah II is the newer, larger addition with a capacity of 99 – 200. If logistics allow, you can request a pick-up at your resort and have your company flag flown from the bow of the ship. Check out www.segwun.com for more information.

Henry’s Fish Restaurant. Only accessible by boat or floatplane, Henry’s, located in Sans Souci, is an institution in the Muskoka-Georgian Bay region. Phone: 705-746-9040.

Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary cares for injured and orphaned wildlife, including beavers, bears, birds, skunks, raccoons (just to name a few). Once the animals are rehabilitated, they are released back into the wild. Group tours may be available upon special request. Call (705) 732-6368 or check out www.aspenvalleywildlifesanctuary.com

 

Golf Lovers Paradise. The Muskoka-Georgian Bay region offers over 20 challenging courses, from 9-hole layouts to champion fairways by world-class golf course designers. View the huge selection of offerings at www.golfmuskoka.com.

 

Creative workshops integrating various modalities including painting and writing are available through artist and creativity facilitator, Elke Scholz. Call 705-646-2300 or check out www.elkescholz.com.