More specifically, customers will have 83 rooms designed to the standards of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites brand and 45 studios including a fully equipped kitchen for stays of three, six or twelve months. The project also provides for a future expansion of 40 additional rooms.
This hotel will target various clienteles, notably corporate, sports and tourist.
“The hotel will accommodate 65% tourists, people passing through, cyclists and sports teams. The other portion will be intended for businesses,” assesses Nellie Robin, president of the Robin Group, in an interview at The Voice of the East.
This Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Candelwood Suites will feature a fitness room, an indoor swimming pool, an outdoor terrace with BBQ, a laundry room and bicycle storage space.
Investment of 20 million
This fifth hotel built and managed by the Robin Group represents an investment estimated at $20 million. Construction is expected to begin around March 2025.
According to our information, the Maskoutain developer will not benefit from a temporary municipal tax holiday.
To make this project a reality, the Robin Group acquired land located at the intersection of routes 112 and 139, owned by businessmen Daniel Touchette, Mathieu Couture, Nicolas Forand and Bryan Furlong. Positioned behind the Granby motel, the site will be surrounded by the access ramp to the new Route 139 overpass.
The future Robin Group hotel establishment will be located behind the Granby Motel, at the intersection of routes 139 and 112 in Granby. (Stéphane Champagne/La Voix de l’Est)
“The future hotel will be strategically located near cycle paths and the Granby Zoo. Moreover, the Robin Group will make a nod to the history of the zoo by recalling the colors of this institution on the facade,” underlines Nellie Robin.
Dynamic tourist destination
Currently, Granby has three hotel establishments on its territory: the Hôtel Castel, Le St-Christophe Hôtel-Boutique et Spa and Le Principal (former Econolodge) — which total 268 rooms — in addition to the Bonsoir and Motel Granby motels.
“I find that our tourist destination [Granby et région] moves a lot. It has gained ground in terms of notoriety and dynamism,” considers enthusiastically Hélène Plante, responsible for tourism development at Commerce Tourisme Granby region (CTGR).
On average, the occupancy rate of hotel rooms in Granby was 51.8% in 2023 compared to 36.2% in 2019, before the pandemic. More precisely, for the summer and fall period, in 2023, the occupancy rate was 63% compared to 29.8% in 2019.
According to the CTGR organization, July is the busiest month of the year in terms of regional tourist activity.
The part of the hotel complex dedicated to the Candlewood Suites brand will have 45 studios including a kitchen area. (The Robin Group)
“We are delighted that Groupe Robin has chosen Granby for the construction of its new hotel. In addition to contributing to economic dynamism, this hotel will play a key role in the development of the Granby tourism sector,” reacts Julie Bourdon, mayor of Granby.
LEED certification in sight
For its new hotel in Granby, the Robin Group is engaged in a LEED certification process, thereby reducing the environmental impact and consumption of water and energy.
“In 2010, we opened our very first Holiday Inn Express hotel in Saint-Hyacinthe. It was the first LEED certified hotel in Canada. It is a source of pride for us to build and operate projects that are resilient to climate change and which are a real plus for the community,” underlines Nellie Robin.
Nellie Robin, president of Groupe Robin, a major real estate developer based in Saint-Hyacinthe. (EXHIBITIONIMAGE eos1/Le Groupe Robin)
The developer intends to favor the use of local contractors for the construction of the hotel and plans to create around fifteen positions to operate this tourist establishment in the making.
“I would like to highlight the remarkable work of Caroline Denommée, of Denommée Architectes, who brought a Granby color to our project,” mentions Ms. Robin.
Major real estate project
Near the future hotel, a fast food restaurant from the American Wendy’s banner opened its doors at the end of October. The establishment is located at the corner of the new rue Léo Gaudreault and rue Principale.
“We are in negotiations with other restaurants, pharmacies and medical clinics,” Daniel Touchette, involved with his partners in various commercial projects, recently told us.
The real estate developer Gesteco plans to eventually build 186 apartments in this booming sector of the municipality.
“It is a mix of housing sizes 4 and ½ and 5 ½ which will be distributed in 11 buildings,” David Lambert of the Gesteco firm told us. Prices for these apartments will range between $1450 and $1550 per month.
In collaboration with Jérôme Savary.
