After almost 20 years of slumbering disrepair, the 70-year-old downtown landmark Champlain Hotel, was resurrected two years ago under the Quality Hotels banner.
It is set to expand its hospitality services in March.
This renovation opens up another section of the old building and will feature fine dining, both to hotel guests, and outside patrons.
The restaurant entrance will be located to the left of the hotel's main Front Street entrance.
"We will also be able to offer room services and discounted breakfast rates to our guests," says general manager Mirza Ali.
Currently, conferencing clients have to arrange off-site catering. That will change in the spring when food services are a regular option in corporate packages.
The Quality Champlain Hotel, the only facility of its kind in downtown Orillia, houses a conference room that can accommodate up to 20 people.
With wireless high-speed Internet connectivity and a projector screen available, the room is equipped for a variety of presentations.
After business hours, guests can enjoy the hot tub and exercise rooms that weren't part of the original hotel Tony Miller built in 1932.
Modern facilities also include a laundry room, fax machine and photocopier available to guests.
With free parking, the nearby picturesque waterfront and downtown areas, and the proximity to Casino Rama, the "new" hotel is quickly gaining momentum as a unique hospitality center.
"The rate is the most competitive in the area," promises Ali, who has seen a 34-per cent jump in business since last year.
Hotel guests can enjoy a free continental breakfast, in-room coffee-makers, hair dryers and ironing facilities.
They can also choose from a variety of rooms.
Fifty-one traditional rooms offer a choice of king size or two double beds - one with full wheelchair accessibility and another featuring a two-person Jacuzzi.
Business-class rooms offer a fireplace or single Jacuzzi, in addition to the standard working area and high-speed connection.
There is also one suite available that includes a king-size bed, lunchette area and a separate two-person Jacuzzi room.
Ali says the hotel, which employs up to 15 people in the summer, is set for continued growth.
Business from the nearby casino is brisk on the weekends - especially on concert nights. And in the summer, boaters are often interested in spending a night on dry land. The upcoming Mariposa Folk Festival already has June days booking up.
"We are also getting more and more corporate guests," he reports.
"And they are bringing in others."
To learn more about this historical story that continues to unfold, call 705-325-0770
