La Maison William Wakeham makes a colorful first impression. With a striking green roof and deep red trim it’s not your typical roadside motel. Located in Gaspé, in the eastern part of Canada’s Quebec province, the property dates back to 1860.
Built as a home, not a hotel, there isn’t a large lobby. (It was around 1920 when the home became the One Ash Inn.) A small desk off the Victorian style dining room is where you pick up your key. La Maison William Wakeham has 12 rooms, but instead of numbers each room is named after a person who played a role in the building’s more than 150-year old history.
I stayed in the One Ash Room, on the back side of the property. It’s one of just a few rooms with a private entrance that doesn’t require entering the main building for access. It was modestly furnished, but with a queen and twin bed, the room could comfortably sleep three. Along with a small television and refrigerator, the bathroom had a tub, making the room a good choice for traveling families.
A beautiful, wood staircase leads up to the guest rooms in the main building. I got to peek inside the Perchard Room, one of the rooms in the main building. With just one queen bed, the room was much smaller, but its décor showed more personality and seemed to sync a bit more with the property’s age and history.
All rooms use real keys, not keycards. Key rings, with large, wooden identification tags, offer the added benefit of making room keys harder to lose.
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La Maison William Wakeham is just a couple blocks walk from shopping and restaurants in Gaspé, but the on-site restaurant attracts non-guests and is a tasty option if you’ll be in town for dinner. The chef sources ingredients locally, so the menu changes depending on what’s fresh and available. I recommend you save room for dessert. Breakfast is included with your stay and includes favorites like omelets, crepes, French toast, bagels and croissants. (Lower rates, without breakfast, can be arranged when booking.)
Internet access is complimentary, but can be spotty if you stay in one of the three rooms on the back of the property.
La Maison William Wakeham is open seasonally, from the beginning of May through late December. The restaurant is only open when the hotel is open.
The One Ash Room costs $119 CAD ($90 USD) per night, based on double occupancy. Rates for guest rooms and suites in the main house range from $119 ($90 USD) to $189 CAD ($144 USD) per night, also based on double occupancy and can be made through the hotel website. You can also search for the hotel through Booking.com to compare rates.
Photos and review by Dana Rebmann. Dana’s stay was hosted by La Maison William Wakeham and Quebec Maritime, but as always her thoughts and opinions are her own.
