Greg Knight, owner and president of Muskoka BeerSpa and Clear Lake Brewing Co., has purchased the Bala Bay Inn from JW Marriott with plans to reopen the local hub to the public on June 28.
The Bala Bay Inn was the subject of controversy for years while JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa used it as staff housing. The resort applied for by-law amendments to allow for staff to stay at the inn and inside modular units placed on the property, receiving approval in September 2020. Like many others in the community, Knight grew up partying at the Bala Bay Inn, so it’s been a special place to him for decades. Throughout all the strife, he never lost hope that he would someday be able to buy the property.
“I’ve called the owners of the place every six months for the last seven years trying to convince them to sell it to me and so the time was finally right,” Knight said. “They didn’t put it on the market. [The owner] just called me up, and he said, ‘Okay, Greg. I think it’s finally time.’”
Knight said the team at the resort was able to locate and purchase new housing for their staff, leading to the sale. A representative for the resort declined to provide more information.
Though the discourse surrounding the inn has been difficult for a few years, Knight said he has nothing but positive things to say about working with the JW Marriott and nothing but positive thoughts for the future. He doesn’t want to dwell on the negativity, especially considering the ongoing issues with housing that have impacted people and businesses across the region.
“There’s lots of good reasons for why those problems have gone on for years, and I don’t want to focus on that,” Knight said. “The current owners have given us an extraordinary opportunity to do this, and it’s because they want to see a life at the hotel and they know we can bring that to it.”
His team’s vision for the hotel is still evolving, but they’re planning for rooms, food and the bar to be ready for the grand opening in June. They’re also considering using part of the property for housing on a more long-term basis, but that’s still in the works, Knight said.
He hosted two open houses at Clear Lake Brewing to talk over plans with his staff and listen to ideas from the public. The first meeting started with cheers from roughly 70 people as he announced the news. He and his team heard from about 100 people at the two events and are continuing to get public input as they work toward opening.
Knight purchased the property that is now the Muskoka BeerSpa back in 2007. He settled at Clear Lake after making memories there with friends and family during the 90s. Clear Lake Brewing and Muskoka BeerSpa, which opened in 2017 and 2022 respectively, have been a great success in Torrance, so Knight said people are eager to see them bring their spark to Bala.
“We have a similar number of beds at the BeerSpa as they do at the hotel, and it has breathed new life into the bars and restaurants that we have there,” he said. “That’s what makes that all viable, and we’ll just be doing the same thing in Bala.”
Knight said residents expressed a desire for live music and late-night fun with great food and accommodations, so they’ll be working with the other businesses to provide visitors and locals alike with the best of Bala.
They plan to create a shuttle service between the BeerSpa, the inn and other local attractions like Muskoka Lakes Winery. Knight is excited to build on the momentum they’ve created in Torrance and at the BeerSpa.
“We’re having a blast,” he said. “It’s still early stages. We had twice as many people there this year as we had last year. We had a tremendous response through our fall sale push to book people in for next year, so the response has been really good, and I think it’s just getting started.”
Melissa Whittle, director of sales and “general shenanigans” at Muskoka BeerSpa and Clear Lake Brewing Co., was aware of Knight’s plans to buy the inn. She knew it was simply a matter of time, and she’s been on board since day one.
“How can you not love that property?” she said. “It’s got such great history and to have the opportunity to bring it back and rejuvenate it, put it back into the community as a place to hang out and have overnight guests and have weddings and have events, it gives me the warm and fuzzies.”
Whittle said they hope to incorporate as much of the inn’s history as possible, so they’re seeking out photos, articles and other historical tidbits to display throughout the building. The original bar is still in fairly good shape, so they’re talking about reopening the bar “as it was and as it is.”
The inn will be open year-round, offering season-specific programming and a venue for events of all kinds. Live music has been a big part of Muskoka BeerSpa, Clear Lake Brewing and Bala as a whole, so they’re looking forward to coordinating shows with other local venues.
The inn will host a grand opening celebration on June 28 for Canada Day weekend, so Whittle said it’s a great time to come by. The webpage for the hotel is live and ready for bookings. The BeerSpa team encourages people to snag a room or host an event to help bring the Bala Bay Inn back to its former glory.
“We’re definitely taking bookings, and it all goes towards the greater good, so reach out,” Whittle said. “They can drop me an email at Melissa@MuskokaBeerSpa.com. I’m happy to talk events, groups, parties, weddings, any and all of it, but most importantly, book a room!”
To book a stay or an event, visit the Muskoka BeerSpa website. Everyone who books a room for next year between now and Jan. 1 will receive a free Bala Bay Inn sweatshirt (pictured below).
