The way forward for hospitality seems to be very vivid for intrepid and significant boutique manufacturers and resort collections. We’ve seen this mannequin work in European and resort areas the place a neighborhood id and true authenticity can shine by means of, however that is far much less widespread in North American the place the large chains dominate. Based mostly out of Montreal, Canada, Nook Assortment exhibits that any model can succeed with the precise imaginative and prescient, ardour and crew.
Nook Assortment is a hospitality group rooted in Outdated Montreal. Greatest identified for Hôtel Nelligan (105 rooms and suites) and Hôtel Place d’Armes (169 rooms and suites) – each constantly ranked amongst Canada’s high metropolis resorts – the group’s imaginative and prescient extends nicely past lodging. Nook Assortment can be the proprietor and operator of a number of celebrated eating places, newly launched Nook Residences for prolonged stays, and a luxurious spa situated inside Hôtel Place d’Armes, collectively shaping a particular artwork of residing that defines the model.
Launched only some years in the past, this will seem to be an in a single day success, however in talking with CEO Dimitri Antonopoulos we found that this can be a household affair going again many many years! Therein, it’s that born-and-bred hospitality spirit that reverberates by means of each operation and visitor touchpoint at anyplace operated by Nook Assortment.
What we discover all through is a dedication to preserving the native spirit of the realm – Outdated Montreal – and bringing it ahead to showcase the perfect of one among Canada’s true cultural epicenters. That each one stated, let’s study from a grasp to see how this boutique authenticity shines by means of in our interview with Mr. Antonopoulos!
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Let’s begin with the founding of Nook Assortment and the way it’s rising.
Nook Assortment grew out of a household hospitality enterprise based over 50 years in the past, with deep roots in Outdated Montréal. We’ve at all times believed that the perfect hospitality is constructed on a robust sense of place, actual human connection and respect for heritage, however with the braveness to evolve it.
In 2022, we created Nook Assortment to place that imaginative and prescient into sharper focus. Not a reinvention, however a step ahead: impartial luxurious hospitality the place each touchpoint feels intentional, private and genuinely welcoming.
What’s the distinctive gross sales proposition (USP) for Nook Assortment?
Nook Assortment’s USP is the way in which we mix impartial luxurious hospitality with actual heat – creating feel-good experiences which can be private, design-led and deeply rooted in Outdated Montréal.
As a result of we’re family-owned and impartial, we are able to construct every property with a transparent standpoint, with out compromising for model templates. We give attention to the main points that form how folks really feel: intuitive service, environment, meals and beverage, and areas that invite connection.
What really units us aside is that our resorts, eating places and social areas function as one ecosystem – locations the place vacationers and locals naturally come collectively. On the coronary heart of all of it is a straightforward perception: memorable hospitality isn’t about perfection, it’s about emotion, consistency and making folks really feel genuinely cared for.
What’s distinctive about Montreal with regards to hospitality?
Montréal’s hospitality is formed by its wealthy cultural combine, the place European sensibility meets North American power. The town has an innate heat and creativity that translate into experiences that really feel private, expressive and alive. Right here, meals, design, music and tradition should not separate from hospitality; they’re at its core!
What really units Montréal aside is the real openness of its folks. Service feels pure slightly than scripted, refined but relaxed. There’s a robust sense of neighborhood and satisfaction in showcasing native expertise, which creates experiences that really feel genuine, inclusive and emotionally resonant for visitors.
How is the owner-operator mannequin mirrored within the service presentation to visitors and the crew tradition?
Being family-owned and operated shapes Nook Assortment in a really direct method: we predict long-term, we keep near the main points, and we defend the tradition as a result of it’s private. We’re not managing for short-term wins. We’re constructing locations with longevity, fame and satisfaction behind them.
For visitors, which means a constantly excessive commonplace of hospitality the place service feels intuitive, heat and human – by no means scripted. It additionally means areas which can be thoughtfully maintained and repeatedly refined, as a result of we’re current and concerned.
For our groups, it creates a tradition of belief and belonging, but additionally accountability. We would like folks to really feel supported, happy with what they do, and empowered to take possession of the visitor expertise. That mindset, heat with excessive requirements, is what defines Nook Assortment every single day.
Lodge Nelligan goes underneath an enormous transformation with a reopening in Could 2026 – not a simple feat for a historic property! Are you able to describe this course of when it comes to deciding on finances, space planning of key facilities and challenges to beat?
Reimagining a historic property like Lodge Nelligan requires a fragile stability between honoring its heritage and evolving it for a brand new era of visitors. From the outset, our strategy was to suppose long-term – not simply when it comes to design, however in how the resort will emotionally join with visitors over the subsequent decade.
When it comes to finances and house planning, we prioritized the components of the resort that form the visitor journey probably the most: arrival, rooms, wellness, meals and social areas. We evaluated each sq. foot by means of one filter: does this meaningfully enhance how the keep feels and capabilities – not simply the way it seems to be.
The largest problem is {that a} historic constructing doesn’t behave like a brand new construct. Preserving architectural character whereas upgrading infrastructure, acoustics, circulation, and luxury require fixed trade-offs and tight coordination between design, engineering and operations. However that’s additionally what makes the transformation thrilling; we’re not simply renovating a resort; we’re giving new life to a Montréal icon.
Moreover resort properties, Nook Assortment can be a trendsetter in restaurant ideas with the current launch of Mama C a 12 months in the past and Lovebird opening this 12 months. Are you able to describe each ideas and the way you establish what can be successful for each resort visitors in addition to locals?
Mama C was one of many first main tasks launched by Nook Assortment a 12 months in the past, and it holds a particular place within the hearts of the homeowners. Celebrating Greek delicacies with a contemporary twist, every dish is rigorously crafted to deliver the heat and vibrancy of the Mediterranean to Montréal’s culinary scene. Designed by Atelier Zebulon Perron and awarded the 2025 Grand Prix du Design for Greatest Restaurant Design, Mama C’s décor completely balances heat, up to date type, and respect for the constructing’s heritage.
Lovebird will open its doorways originally of 2026, introducing a refined cocktail bar idea paired with a rigorously curated music program, situated underneath Lodge Nelligan. Additionally designed by Zébulon Perron, Lovebird’s inside showcases deep textures, heat earth tones and fashionable accents, creating an inviting and intimate environment. With Lovebird, we purpose to have a good time the perfect of Montréal’s vibrant scene by means of expertly crafted cocktails and thoughtfully and scrumptious small bites. It’s the proper place to spark lasting conversations and share feel-good moments with associates, locals and guests alike.
When figuring out new ideas, we give attention to what resonates deeply with our neighborhood and enhances our resorts’ spirit. It’s about discovering the precise stability between originality, high quality, and accessibility – creating locations the place visitors and locals alike really feel at house and wanting to return.
One concern of each restaurateur is the fickleness of diners. An thrilling idea launches to fanfare then patronage trickles by the third or fourth 12 months. How do you create restaurant ideas that stand the check of time?
Longevity comes from constructing ideas that transcend developments. We don’t begin with what’s trendy; we begin with what feels emotionally true and culturally related. The eating places that endure are people who type a real relationship with their neighborhood.
At Nook Assortment, we give attention to timeless fundamentals: heat, consistency, high quality and environment. That requires sturdy management on the ground, disciplined coaching, and the humility to refine particulars consistently, even when a restaurant is already profitable. An area has to really feel good to return to many times – whether or not for a weekday espresso, a household dinner or a particular celebration. That sense of emotional consolation is what retains folks coming again lengthy after the opening buzz fades.
We additionally imagine in evolving with out shedding id. Menus, music and repair can adapt over time, however the soul of the place should stay intact. When visitors really feel an actual connection to a restaurant – to its power, its folks, its story – it turns into a part of their routine, not only a second.
As a 3rd pillar to Nook Assortment, you’re getting into the branded residence market with Nook Residences. How did you establish what in-unit options can be most interesting to residents and short-term visitors? How do you keep cost-effective whereas constructing these merchandise?
With Nook Residences, our purpose was to create a real ‘house inside the metropolis’ – a spot that gives the privateness, consolation and independence of an residence, paired with the design and a focus to element of a boutique resort.
We rigorously designed every residence to be each lovely and extremely useful. This contains totally outfitted kitchens, sensible layouts, beneficiant storage, high-quality finishes, considerate lighting and particulars that make on a regular basis residing easy – whether or not somebody is staying for a number of nights or a number of months. The emphasis is on areas that really feel calm, intuitive, and welcoming, permitting visitors to really settle in.
Staying cost-effective comes from this readability of goal. By concentrating funding the place it has probably the most influence – consolation, performance, and the on a regular basis particulars that visitors discover and bear in mind – we keep away from pointless complexity whereas delivering a premium expertise. The result’s a product that feels refined, sensible and emotionally resonant, with out extra or wasted sq. footage.
What’s subsequent for Nook Assortment? Can you describe the enlargement plan or any markets the place you’re eager to develop?
Our focus transferring ahead is considerate development slightly than speedy enlargement. We’re deeply rooted in Montréal, and we see huge potential in persevering with to raise Outdated Montreal as a vacation spot for boutique hospitality, tradition and life-style.
That stated, we’re actively exploring alternatives past Montreal. We’re all for markets that share related components: sturdy heritage, a vibrant native scene and a requirement for impartial, design-driven hospitality. We received’t broaden simply to broaden; it have to be the precise mission, in the precise location, with the precise companions.
The subsequent chapter for Nook Assortment is about refinement, storytelling and deepening the emotional bond between our manufacturers and our visitors – whereas staying true to what has made the group profitable from the beginning.
What different hospitality developments are you enthusiastic about for the approaching years? How do you see them working for Nook Assortment?
We’re excited by a number of developments that mirror how visitors are touring at the moment. First, the demand for genuine, regionally rooted experiences continues to develop. Individuals need to really feel related to the tradition, meals and power of the town they’re visiting. And for us which means hospitality that feels genuinely Montréal, not copy-pasted.
We additionally see wellness changing into extra built-in into the keep, not as a standalone ‘spa development’, however by means of higher relaxation, calmer design and areas that naturally assist stability and connection. Sustainability can be changing into non-negotiable, and we’re centered on sensible progress that’s constant throughout operations with out compromising consolation or high quality.
Lastly, we’re excited by expertise that improves comfort and personalization whereas preserving human connection. For Nook Assortment, it’s not about changing hospitality with automation; it’s about releasing our groups to spend extra time doing what issues most: caring for folks.
