Rustic luxury, just south of the border

News / Tour Operator

04-23-2015 9:28 am

Heading north in the summertime is a tradition for many Canadians who seek the rustic beauty of the outdoors to enjoy quality time with family and quiet time away from everyday life, but The Lodge at Glendorn, a resort in Northwestern Pennsylvania, is looking for Canadians - particularly residents of southern Ontario and the GTA - to change their migratory patterns.

At a media event hosted by the resort, Joe Schafer, co-general manager and executive chef; Stephanie Schafer, co-general manager and Damon Newpher, activities director, spoke to PAX about what The Lodge at Glendorn has to offer Canadians.

A cabin at Glendorn

“Glendorn is just a three and a half hour drive away from Toronto,” Stephanie Schafer said, highlighting the proximity, which is the same distance many will travel to Algonquin Park, “The drive is easy, and it’s a beautiful one, especially in the summer and fall.”

An estate situated beside Allegheny National Forest, Glendorn was purchased by a wealthy family as a retreat in 1929, hosting the owner’s family and friends (the likes of which included Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong) in woodland cabins throughout the 1930’s and 40’s. It is now a high-end, resort offering fine dining and accommodations to families, couples, weddings and corporate groups – many of whom are return guests.

“We’ve been told time and again that we’re a best kept secret,” Joe Schafer told PAX, “and our guests keep on coming back, sometimes two to three times a year.”

Reopened under new management in 2009, The Lodge at Glendorn has spent the past few years undergoing restorations and remodelling to achieve what the Schafers described as a balance between the charm and integrity of its historical foundation and a state of the art destination.

Maintained by a staff of 45, the resort features a wide array of activities including spa services; fly fishing; water sports and shooting to name a few (almost all of which are accessible to kids as well as adults), along with a year-round events calendar that offers everything from hunting weekends to interactive cooking classes that have guests foraging for their ingredients.

Glendorn’s dining options range from tasting menus and wine pairings in the lodge’s intimate restaurant to secluded picnics, clam bakes, pig roasts and even a sophisticated three-course luncheon, complete with tablecloths and china, served along the shore of a creek, ten miles from the hotel.

Glendorn is available for exclusive use (it can host weddings of up to 60 people) and is a popular location for team-building retreats.

Now entering the summer season, Glendorn is looking to become a medium-kept secret, and attract its neighbours to the north; a previously untapped market of nature-lovers who still enjoy the finer things in life.

“There’s nothing formulaic about our guests’ experiences,” Joe Schafer said, going on to explain that the goal of Glendorn is to provide the best possible experience for its guests – a standard the resort will sometimes uphold by blocking rooms in order to keep its occupancy low.

“We do this so we can take care of the guests we do have staying with us, so they can have the best possible experience,” Joe said. “We don’t ever want people to be at Glendorn and not love the time they spend there.”

For more information, visit www.glendorn.com,