There is a new place to stay in Lachute.
On Monday, October 16, Activar Hôtels, developer, investor and operator of hotel projects officially opened its new Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham. The hotel is located in a newly developing commercial area off of Avenue Bethany in the southern part of Lachute.
Since it informally opened to overnight guests in July 2023, the 70-room hotel has welcomed more than 5,290 clients and more than 20 events. According to hotel Manager Fanny Charbonneau, the Lachute Microtel recently ranked in third place among all 343 locations in five countries.
The project equals an investment of approximately $12 million funded by eight local investors, Roynat Capital and Investissement Québec. Activar also received a $1 million federal loan from Canada Economic Development for Québec Regions (CED). Argenteuil-La Petite-Nation Member of Parliament Stéphane Lauzon said the new hotel helps fill a need due to a shortage of visitor accommodation in Lachute. He said the hotel will benefit local commerce because of Lachute’s reasonable distance from Montréal and Ottawa.
“We have an advantage for the region, an advantage for Lachute,” Lauzon said.
Lachute Mayor Bernard Bigras-Denis said the new Microtel is the result of several years of effort to bring visitor accommodation back to Lachute and it will have undeniable economic benefits for the region. He extended a welcome to everyone wanting to discover the region for business or pleasure.
“You’re more than welcome here to discover all of the great features of the MRC d’Argenteuil,” Bigras-Denis said.
The design of the new Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham in Lachute integrates efficiency, functionality, and comfort. Activar Hôtels owns five other hotels, including the Microtel location Casselman, Ontario. The company also recently acquired Le Grand Lodge Mont-Tremblant.
“We believe in the community,” Activar Chief Executive Officer Mathieu Mault said.
As part of that connection to the community, the Lachute Microtel has established partnerships with local entrepreneurs to help promote their establishments and to introduce visitors to local food and beverages. Those local businesses include Brasserie Sir John Brewery, Restaurant Bouillon16, La boulangerie du p’tit Chef, and Les Sucreries d’Argenteuil.
The work of two local artists is also featured on the first floor of the new hotel. Amazon’s Orchestra by Benjamin Lachapelle is a fun depiction of animals playing musical instruments. Lachapelle, who is autistic, also makes humourous clay sculptures of animals depicted in his paintings. Reflets et perceptions by Stella Boivin depicts images of Lachute’s past and present.
Microtel is one of five economy hotel brands owned by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. Other brands owned by Wyndham include Days Inn, Super 8, Howard Johnson, and Travelodge.
Photos by James Morgan
