A Unique Connection

Grenfell Heritage Hotel & Suites pays homage to its namesake

What once filled the need for nurses forty years ago now fills the need to travellers in the heart of St. Anthony, Newfoundland.

The Grenfell Heritage Hotel and Suites was originally built in 1980 and operated as a nursing residence and apartment building. It was called The Carlson House after the late Selma Carlson who started as a nurse with the Grenfell Mission in 1915.

In 2005 the building was purchased and renovations began to turn it into a hotel when a need was identified for increased capacity and modern accommodations in St. Anthony. The hotel officially opened in 2007.

It is a tribute to Sir Wilfred Thomason Grenfell who gave generously for so many years of his life to care for the people of Northern Newfoundland and Southern Labrador.

The hotel is approximately 12,000 square feet and consists of two and a half floors. Guestrooms are located on the first and second floor and guest laundry and housekeeping is in the basement. There is also a conference room and boardroom for business clients to use when needed.

“The room has a total of 20 guestrooms. Eighteen of these have balconies and kitchens for guests who wish to prepare their own meals. Most rooms have queen beds and are very spacious. We also have larger rooms with private bedrooms and living areas for those needing a longer stay. There is a Honeymoon Suite with king bed and jetted for those looking for a romantic getaway,” says Manager Desmond McDonald.

The hotel offers all the services that are standard for a hotel that size. There are high end linens and towels, free Wi-Fi, satellite TV, AC and a free continental breakfast (prior to COVID-19). There is a coin operated guest laundry and gift shop with local crafts and preserves.

Prior to COVID-19 they offered a selection of tour packages. They included meals, visits to tourist sites such as Grenfell Interpretation Centre and Norstead Viking Village, as well as a boat tour with Northland Discovery Boat Tours. They were all very popular packages.

“Grenfell Heritage Hotel and Suites is unique because of its connection to Grenfell and the historical background of the building. The hotel is located in the heart of Grenfell properties in the beautiful town of St. Anthony and is within walking distance of the Grenfell Interpretation Centre, Grenfell House Museum, Northland Discovery Boat Tours and Ragnarock Northern Brewery. There is no other hotel in the area that offers similar modern accommodation.”

The hotel is designed for short term and long term travellers. There are accommodations to suit both needs. The exterior is designed to mirror the appearance of other Grenfell properties. It consists of all natural wood siding and the colour scheme of Dr. Grenfell’s home – green, red and ivory.

Their guests change during the different seasons. During the winter months they see a lot of hospital clients and business people who travel to town for various jobs. During the tourism season from May to October they mainly see young families and young couples, as well as some seniors. As the fall sets they see more empty nesters.

The guests are mostly from Ontario and Quebec. They have many guests that travel from Western Europe as well. Over the past couple of years they have begun seeing more people from the US and from Asia.

“Since the pandemic we have seen a sharp decrease in business. It will carry on now into 2022. We have had to adjust how we do business and how we provide service to our guests – from simple things on how we interact with guests to our cleaning practices and our staffing levels, and what services we can actually provide. We have had to adjust pricing to try and drive business in an increasingly competitive industry as everyone tries to survive.”

They had plans to expand the hotel by 10 rooms and build up to 12 detached cottages. Early planning had taken place on a small restaurant as well, and upgrades to our existing rooms. Most of these things have been postponed or will not take place at all unless business returns to normal levels.

It is clear that Grenfell Heritage Hotel and Suites has fulfilled a much needed service in their town. Just like their namesake did over a century ago.

Nicole Sherwood | Eastern Hotelier Magazine