With summer in the air, the urge to escape the hustle and bustle of the city is becoming louder and louder each day. While we all crave that perfect weekend retreat, after a few days of throwing our carefully curated self-care routines out the window and indulging in too much wine, it can leave us wondering if it was worth it. Is finding balance while away a pipe dream? Or can we really have it all. According to April Brown and Sara Sklash, co-owners and founders of the June Motel, we can.
Photography by Lauren Miller
Upon arriving at this charming, newly restored motel located in the heart of Prince Edward County, guests are greeted with a chilled glass of Rosé sourced from the local wineries that PEC is notorious for. You immediately get the sense that the mantra “Good Vibes, Good Wine” is a slogan they truly live by.
Co-owner April Brown says that the vision was to create both a destination and an experience that inspires millennials to take a break and enjoy life. It all starts here. According to April, there’s also a certain nostalgia that comes with motels, and the entire experience is about transporting you back to the good old days when life was a bit simpler.
Brown explains just how they make this happen.
“Good Vibes, Good Wine” is the philosophy the June Motel experience is centered around. How do you infuse this into the everyday experience of the guest?
To us “Good Wine” means treating yourself to the finer things, and being a little indulgent. “Good Vibes” is the feeling that life is good right now. These things come alive in the experiences we create at The June. For example, it’s the yoga class in the morning, breakfast in bed, enjoying a really great glass of wine at sunset, it’s treating yourself to truffle chips, and laughing with friends around the campfire at night. We also organize Bohemian Forest Dinners for groups of friends in our back forest. This is a magical outdoor picnic at sunset, and it’s truly something special. To us, this represents the motto “Good Wine, Good Vibes” perfectly.
These days many people are looking for getaways that promote a balance of both wellness and leisure. A place where they don’t need to compromise their self-care while still having a great experience and letting loose. How is the June making this more accessible to people?
It goes back to our motto “Good Wine, Good Vibes”. For us, it’s about striking a balance between healthy and being indulgent. In some cases we truly believe you shouldn’t have to choose between the two. For example, we offer a Breakfast in Bed, meaning you can text in your breakfast order and it’s delivered to your room a few minutes later! This concept in itself is definitely a treat, but the menu is very health forward, so you’re actually choosing to fuel your body with a green juice, paleo breakfast cookies and cocao chia puddings. We also offer 3 yoga classes per week (Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday) and are hosting pop-up meditation classes with Hoame, a modern meditation studio located in the heart of Toronto. We want to make it easy for you to take care of yourself and feel your best, before you go on to enjoy the rest of your day, which may or may not include drinking some local wine or beer!
In addition to free weekly yoga and meditation classes and the signature Rosé all Day upon arrival, how does the June promote even more self-care to guests?
Self-care shows up in the local apothecary products that we stock in the guest bathrooms, the Saje diffuser in room, access to yoga and a health-forward menu! Plus access to sunshine and good vibes, which is sometimes just what one needs after a crazy week.
If you are truly looking for a place to wine and unwind, the June is the place to go.
Visit https://www.thejunemotel.com/ for more information on your stay, and to book a weekend away.
Follow them on instagram @thejunemotel to stay up to date on all of the “Good Vibes” and “Good Wine” offerings.