Ontario father, son working to restore western N.B. hotel

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A father and son business duo from Ontario are hoping to revive a hotel in Florenceville-Bristol.

Abdul Moaz says he and his father Khalid have been in the commercial real estate business for over 20 years and own a large portfolio of properties – including hotels and gas stations – in Ontario.

He says together they saw a lot of potential in expanding their ventures into other areas of the country and purchased the Florenceville Motor Inn in Florenceville-Bristol in January 2023.

“This is our first project in New Brunswick,” Moaz said. “We are testing the waters and thought we could really sink out teeth into this place.”

He said the province’s cost of living provides a lot of incentive for business owners to move to the province and with their experience in the hotel industry the property “felt like a great fit.”

“We have a lot of experience in this industry, and we have a lot of plans.” he said. “We saw the potential in this building and the area.”

The former Florenceville Motor Inn, located on Burnham Road, was opened in 1986. Since that time, the business has changed ownership three times and was closed by the last owner during the COVID restrictions.

Moaz said they purchased the property about a year ago, and he moved into the area and the hotel to begin renovating the 40-room hotel and restaurant. Renovations to date have included major repairs to the roof, and a complete renovation in the facilities kitchen and restaurant area.

Moaz says the hotel was professionally cleaned and about half of the rooms have been completely renovated with new flooring and furniture. He hopes to finish the rest of the rooms within the next year.

“We have a long-term plan. We are not trying to do everything all at once,” he said. “The hotel was in very bad shape, but we aren’t fazed by hard work. We will put our heads down, push forward and persevere.”

Moaz said in the past month he has brought on 20 new employees, a number he hopes to double quickly to help create a “family-friendly community centre.”

Future plans include exterior work like landscaping and lighting, a playground area, repaving the parking lot, a fueling station for snowmobile and ATV traffic, and expanding the patio outside the restaurant to allow for outdoor dining.

Moaz said they began test-launching the inn’s new Countryside BBQ and Grill in March, which will soon become a full-time restaurant.

He said the restaurant, which seats 200, will also add much-needed space for corporate and fundraising events, as well as private events like weddings to the district.

Moaz says he also plans to finish “extensive renovations” on and reopen the facilities indoor pool this year, a lounge and games room and a new barbershop, which will be home to three barbers.

“Everything we’re planning is based on community feedback as far as what they’re looking for,” he said.

Since buying the property, Moaz has been busy out in the community, letting people know they are here to play a significant role in the area and even hinted at future projects.

Moaz said since moving here to oversee the project he has discovered the area is “full of hidden gems” and he hopes to become a true partner in the community.

“Our goals are long term, we are working towards 2027, 2028 and beyond. We see the potential here and we want to be here for a long time,” he said.