Lives led: Kingston property steeped in history

The All Suites Whitney Manor is more than a designated historic property that offers guests the opportunity to step back in time. It’s more than a successful business model comprising five self-contained suites. And it’s more than a stately Kingston, ON, manor overlooking the St. Lawrence River.

It’s also the sum total of all of its owners – past and present.

History in the making

The Whitney Manor owes its origins to Scottish seaman James McKenzie, who built the 8,000-square foot limestone property in 1817. The “farmhouse” was originally known as Greystone Manor.

The property has changed ownership many times through its 200+ year history. Among this esteemed list is Henry Sadler, the third owner. Sadler had royal ancestry and is said to have been good friends with William Shakespeare.

Other prior owners included World War 1 veteran and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Bill Cook (who owned the property in the 1930’s) and Thomas King Whitney, a World War II veteran and the 15th owner of the manor. King renamed the manor Sopwell Hall in the 1970’s.

Whitney Manor took on its current moniker in the 2010s.

The legacy continues

Diana and Peter Smit became the 17th owners of Whitney Manor when they purchased the property in 2017. The international couple was looking to re-establish their Canadian roots. At the time, Diana was interested in creating a nutritional and wellness-based education centre.

“When I first saw the property, I thought it would be perfect for the wellness component, a place where I could work collaboratively with other individuals to deliver a new lifestyle retreat,” she explains. “I thought the world was ready for something like that.”

The Smits convinced the General Manager, Robert Elliott, to stay on during their tenure. Then the real work began.

Diana spent the first year of ownership learning everything she could about the property. She developed upgrade and renovation plans. She crafted a limestone strategy designed to better preserve the building’s beautiful exterior and interior structure. She outfitted the suites with luxurious fittings and case goods. Common-area interiors, exteriors and even the grounds were all re-visited, with a nod to the building’s storied past.

All told, the Smits have invested more than $250,000 in the property. But it’s money well spent. This latest iteration of the Whitney Manor combines timeless elegance with modern amenities and luxury.

The property comprises three 2-bedroom suites and two 1-bedroom suites. Each of the suites offers a fully equipped kitchen, spacious living and dining area, a private balcony or patio, and in-suite laundry.

All five of the self-contained suites are available for either short- or long-term rentals, although the average stay is three nights.

“Our typical guests are couples, retirees and families,” explains Smit. “We do get some business travellers and we are affiliated with the military, the hospital and university.”

Repeat business sits around 20%.

The unusual business model proved to very appealing during the pandemic.

“Our five suites have no shared common spaces and all have contactless check-in and out systems,” says Smit. “So we became quite popular during the pandemic. We didn’t have to close our doors once.”

The business continues to thrive.

“We are close to 87% occupancy year ‘round,” says Smit. “We have 100% occupancy during the summers and on holidays.”

A new era

Unfortunately, life for the Smits took an unexpected turn when Diana’s mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2018.

“After my mother passed, my husband and I re-evaluated our priorities,” she explains. “We questioned whether we really wanted to stay in Canada and ultimately, we decided against it.”

The Smits’ decision means that the fabled Whitney Manor will once again change ownership.

“Will I miss it? Of course I will,” says Smit. “It’s a beautiful property. But I feel confident in passing on the torch to the next owner. I believe that it has endless opportunities.”

The tale of Whitney Manor continues. And the search for owner number 18 begins

- Eastern Hotelier Magazine