The 105-year-old Naramata Heritage Inn is undergoing a renaissance, guided by new owners Toni and Julius Bloomfield. The Triple E couple—Energetic, Experienced and Enthusiastic—is committed to making the Inn an attraction for local residents and visitors alike.
“It’s such a lovely building,” Julius says. “We’ve admired it for many years. The previous owners did a marvelous job of renovating, so it’s in great condition.”
The well-known Naramata residents bring years of hospitality industry experience to their new venture. Julius spent 15 years in the pub and restaurant business in England before going into real estate. Toni, whose first job was busing at a restaurant in the Lower Mainland worked in Vancouver Island restaurants and hotels before moving to Naramata, where she was a part of starting Howling Bluff Estate Winery and managed the Poplar Grove wine and cheese shop.
With chef Thomas Render back in the kitchen, guests can be confident of quality, with a major focus on local.
“90% of our wine and food will come from within 100 miles of here,” Julius says. “The rest is the fish, all taken off the BC coast.”
With the cozy Cobblestone Wine Bar on the lower level, a newly renovated End of the Road Bistro on the main, a dozen gorgeous and oh-so-comfortable rooms and the full-service Aveda Concept Heirloom Spa, Naramata Heritage Inn is the perfect destination for a night or a week, and the Bloomfield’s plans are to make it a year-round operation where locals feel as welcome as tourists.
Family-friendly and brimming with character, the Inn will be partnering with local businesses – from wineries to a kayak company – to create special events with a wide appeal, all with quality at the forefront.
“We won’t be serving fast food here,” Julius says. “There are no deep-fat fryers and we won’t be getting any.”
What customers will find are two eating areas that offer different wine-and-dine experiences. Sangria and Margarita nights, and men’s and women’s kayak-and-dine nights will be featured in the End of the Road Bistro. Wine lists include only BC wines.
“What else would we need?” Toni laughs. What else, indeed!
~ Lorne Eckersley