The unique stays for guests in the pampered embrace of upscale brands and design concepts

The Hotel Floriel was designed by owners Audrey Boisvert and Gabriel Wasilko themselves, a refreshing new high-end hospitality destination nestled in the natural beauty of the Village of Sainte-Flore, Quebec, roughly halfway between Montreal and Quebec City.

More than a boutique hotel, Boisvert and Wasilko’s business model is grounded in partnerships formed with companies whose products adorn each of the hotel’s unique rooms and common spaces, curated as reflections of the region’s abundant forests and rivers. Hotel Floriel is a living showroom of works of art, furniture, decorative accessories, artisanal products, and more of primarily local and regional manufacturers, retailers, artists, and craftsmen. From mattresses, lamps, and luxurious bathrobes, to linens, sinks, furniture, and more, Hotel Floriel’s curated amenities can be purchased by guests for their own homes through privileged relationships established between the hotel’s owners and the artisans and manufacturers.

Built within the gutted walls of a former Presbytery, the owners designed the spaces of Hotel Floriel. They immersed themselves in every aspect of the process, including tiling, framing, and building concrete floors. Each room of Hotel Floriel has a unique theme based on design personality archetypes, with names including Heart in Bloom, Snowflake White, Legends and Fables, Wind in the Fields, Mist on the Lake, Hymn to Spring, and The Soul of the Forest. Each room features a similar architectural footprint, but the colours, textures, furnishings, and textiles clearly distinguish them from one another, allowing the guests to experiment with a unique design story based on a specific colour palette and mood inspired by nature and the rhythm of the seasons.

Front 1920
Photo credit: Archive

The unique concept of Hotel Floriel extends to its warm and friendly ambiance, where Gabriel Wasilko and Audrey Boisvert operate the hotel themselves, insisting on a very human-scale offering. The duo leveraged mutual experience in the hospitality industry to develop their approach, including drawing upon Audrey’s studies in hotel management and training as a sommelier. The latter experience was applied to stocking a selection of exquisite wines for Hotel Floriel. Hotel Floriel can accommodate full buyouts for corporate or private events, which is a segment the owners are focused on developing. In addition to the hotel’s guest rooms, its flexible common spaces, including a bar area with seating for up to 24 people, a lounge area, and a large outdoor patio space, can be configured to accommodate a variety of business and personal events.

The couple is also working on a new partnership that they hope will be the pièce de résistance of a luxurious wedding package at Hotel Floriel. With a church next door, and outdoor facilities capable of hosting catered events, they hope to offer a wedding package where newlyweds can take home the upscale cutlery, dinnerware, and glassware sets used on their memorable day.

Photo credit: Phil Bernard

About Hotel Floriel

Opened in early 2023, after two years of thoughtful and creative planning, Hotel Floriel was born of the mutual passion for design, hospitality, and appreciation for local culture and nature shared by co-owners Gabriel Wasilko and Audrey Boisvert. At the heart of that planning process, the co-owners set out to tell a story that would spark imaginations and provide guests with beautiful moments of discovery and relaxation.