Spa Nordik founder bids for historic Château Montebello

Martin Paquette, founder and CEO of Groupe Nordik, is waiting to hear if his bid to purchase the historic Fairmont Le Château Montebello in western Quebec will succeed—a personal dream built on two decades of family memories.

Paquette submitted the bid alongside Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer, Devcore Group president Jean-Pierre Poulin, and two unnamed real estate entrepreneurs. For the past 20 years, every Easter and Christmas, Paquette has taken his family to Château Montebello for egg hunts and holiday celebrations.

"Before I had a cottage, I considered Château Montebello like my cottage," Paquette told Ottawa Business Journal. "The stars never really aligned until now."

Built in the 1930s, the log hotel was purchased by Chinese property developer China Evergrande Group in 2014. In 2024, the company was ordered by court to liquidate assets after incurring US$300 billion in liabilities with no refinancing plan. PricewaterhouseCoopers is overseeing the sale.

Paquette said his interest began years ago when he had a good relationship with former general manager Genevieve Dumas and dreamed of involvement in property development. When Evergrande took control, watching the property go to an international investor felt "like when a family is losing a property." About a year ago, learning that an all-Canadian team was assembling to bid reignited his passion.

"I promised myself that I would never make an emotional investment, that investment has to stay rational," Paquette said. "But I think there are great things to be done here. An icon like Montebello has to be handled well and with care. Everyone will benefit from it."

Andlauer, who became Senators owner nearly three years ago, said in a statement: "When I became the owner of the Ottawa Senators, I immediately made it clear that I intended to get involved throughout the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Since then, I have been open to any opportunities to get involved in the Outaouais."

Paquette, who has run Spa Nordik in Chelsea for 20 years, said he admires the Fairmont brand and is confident the partnership brings the right mix of land development expertise, vision, and hospitality experience to the storied property.