Picturesque and historic Auberge Willow Inn reopens in Hudson, Quebec

By / Food / November 22nd, 2017 / 3

At the beginning of 2017, Montreal husband and wife team, David Ades and Patricia Wenzel purchased Hudson’s iconic Auberge Willow Inn. After nearly a year of renovations and updates to the building, they have opened the doors to their new gastro-pub, led by Executive Chef Shaun Hughes.

“We are really pleased with the quality of the food and the kitchen behind it,”says Ades. “We are eager to have people come from further afield to check us out.” Chef Hughes and his team, which includes Chef de Cuisine, Elias “Louie” Deligianis, are committed to delivering fresh innovative dishes in the form of British-inspired, locally sourced lunch and dinner fare.

Auberge Willow Inn is a fixture in Hudson, Quebec. Located 40 minutes outside Montreal and an hour from Ottawa, it sits on the shores of Lac des Deux Montagnes as a waterfront destination that attracts culinary and scenic loving tourists. The building has a lot of history. “Though The Willow is not officially a heritage site, because of the history and the place it holds in the hearts of so many, it is often thought of that way,” explains Ades. “The original house was built in 1820 and had served the public since the mid-1800’s. After the fire of 1989 it was rebuilt in approximately 6 months. The Willows continued operating until it closed October 31, 2016. The Hudson community was in a state of shock and mourned its loss.”

Ades and Wenzel often visited Auberge Willow Inn prior to its closure in 2016. They purchased the Inn with an eye to elevating the food, service and accommodations to revitalize this Hudson establishment and bring tourism back to the beautiful location.

“As Patricia and I have never been in the hospitality industry, our primary motivation for buying The Willow was its historic, iconic presence in a unique location and setting,” Ades says. “Although the Montreal area is surrounded by water there is no other such property.”

The new Auberge Willow Inn features a gastro-pub that seats 120 people with an adjoining event space of roughly the same capacity for weddings, corporate events and more. “We are currently renovating Stanstead Hall the multi-function reception room adjacent to the pub. We hope to be ready to accept groups for weddings, business conferences, and other events within a few weeks,” Ades explains.

The beautiful patio overlooking the lake seats up to 200. The pub, event space and patio are all served by two kitchens that have been refitted with state-of-the-art equipment. Chef Hughes’ team does all the baking and butchery on site. Next summer, Ades and Wenzel plan to establish a vegetable garden and greenhouse on the adjacent lot so that the kitchen will always have fresh, seasonal and sustainable produce on hand.

“Our goal is to elevate The Willow to provide quality food, accommodation, service, and activities which are worthy of its iconic status in a spectacular setting.”

Accommodations at the Inn are also receiving an update. Currently, there are 10 guest rooms, all of which are receiving a facelift. “They will be more comfortable and updated, and hopefully ready to receive guests in the spring,” says Ades. “We are still working on plans for the five bedroom Anchorage House directly across the street.”

The Anchorage House is a vacation rental with five bedrooms that is available for rental independent from the Inn.

Auberge Willow Inn is located at 208 rue Main in Hudson, Quebec. You can visit their website to see their menu and photos of this beautiful, historic location. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A freelance writer and editor, Lisa Hoekstra loves learning and trying new things. She can be found with her nose in a book or multiple tabs open on her browser as she researches the latest and greatest in the world of food, style and everything in between.

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