Hockey Valley Resort in Orangeville is home to all this and more -- fine dining, exceptional amenities like skiing in the winter and golf in the spring, and a staff that goes out of their way to make you feel at home, in a setting right out of Hollywood.
I've been there for weddings and girlfriends' weekend getaways, and every visit reveals something new and unique. If anything, it's the perfect place for people watching -- especially the beautiful brides in all their glory.
The hotel has recently been re-decorated and refreshed, including the iconic lobby, bar and restaurants, and all the rooms have been upgraded to a sleek yet cozy setting.
Nestled in the Hockley Valley, part of the Niagara Escarpment, the grounds are breathtaking, especially after a winter storm. Bundled up against the cold you can trundle around the property and discover hidden pockets of sheer Canadian beauty that provides the perfect antidote to grueling city living.
Quite simply, with its elegantly detailed rooms, its full-service European-inspired spa, indoor and outdoor pools, workout rooms and much more --Hockley Valley Resort is the perfect mental health break, and may be just what your looking for as an off-the-beaten path Valentine's Day gift idea.
When you visit, definitely bring your appetite. Hockley Valley Resort is home to several diverse restaurants including Babbo, a new dining concept where guests can explore the best of the region through the resort's expansive new vegetable gardens and menus designed around simple, clean flavours that change weekly depending on seasonality and the harvest, (Babbo is also the recipient of the 2010 VQA Restaurant Award of Excellence), Tavola, an elegant private dining room for up to 12 persons where the interaction with the chef is part of the food fanfare, and the newest culinary sensation, and Restaurant 85 Bar and Lounge, headed up by Chef Hugo Ferreira, originally from Portugal, with a mixed-dining capacity of 236 guests in their bar, lounge, food bar and private dining areas. Again, the premise here is for guests to interact with the chefs and discuss the restaurant's Mediterranean influenced menus.
An October visit to Hockley Valley Resort had us enjoying an evening at the Chef's Table, an absolutely delightful experience in which we indulged in a series of tasting dishes provided by chef Daniel Mezzolo and his staff, who explained the dining experience is made that much better when it becomes an interactive experience with the team.
"The idea of good cuisine is not based on layers upon layers of complexity -- but on creating a simple dish using only the freshest local ingredients....that's where you'll see the true impact of the ingredients and the vision," says Mezzolo, who hails from northern Italy and whose international experience has refined his culinary philosophy to embrace the idea his dishes should be based on simplicity, goodness and beauty. "One of the most difficult dishes to create is one based on simplicity -- it's how you learn to coax the true flavours out."
This is a philosophy that is generously embraced by the full team, says executive chef Rabii Jaouhari, who has travelled the world and honed his skills on an array of five-star resorts, after studying at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. "The idea is we want to encourage guests to be part of the (culinary) experience and learn more about the food they are eating," says Jaouhari, while artfully moving between the various kitchens. "And to enjoy the experience."
In fact, in the particular kitchen where we took our meal (we noshed on a series of small, beautifully detailed plates with minute morsels of the most exquisite mouthfuls -- everything from a cold pasta with a "paintbrush" of squid ink to silky risotto) -- had its walls absolutely covered with messages from past patrons. It gave the room a sense of theatre, and the whole experience one of entertainment at its delicious best.
"It's part of our interactive service style that we are striving for," says Jaouhari. "That -- and a menu that truly reflects our local roots."
"We work with the local bounty, talking to the farmers in this area," adds Mezzolo. "And it allows us to challenge ourselves -- it's good when you can reach for fat, juicy tomatoes in the summer, but you truly appreciate foods when the snow's on the ground."
Come the warm weather, part of the menu includes going out to the vegetable gardens with chefs in tow to "pick your dinner -- see how it goes from field to plate," says Mezzolo.
Hockley Valley Resort's a good hour's drive from the outskirts of the GTA. But when you travel there, it's like visiting a new world altogether. It would definitely make for a memorable Valentine's day treat!
Visit Hockley.com for more information.
Bringing me back to Jamaica
