15-room boutique property offers poolside splendour steps from the sand
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As a real estate investor, Chelsea Ford dreams of one day owning property down south, preferably in Turks and Caicos.
There has been a tidal wave of roadside motel makeovers in Ontario in recent years, though perhaps none as tropical-themed as the Kiwi, which is in its third summer near the shores of Lake Huron.
Log on to Instagram as soon as you arrive and stay on the social media app throughout your stay at the vibrant year-round property highlighted by a massive backyard with a heated outdoor pool, hot tub, cabanas and loungers with kiwi-green umbrellas.
Behind the pool, there’s a volleyball court, campfire stations and greenspace perfect for movie nights.
The only way the vibes could be more island-like is if the property was airlifted and dropped into the Caribbean.
“The reason I started investing is that my dream is to own property down south,” said Ford, who estimates she has been involved in about 30 renovation projects. “That’s what I wanted this to embody. That feeling of, you arrive and everything smells like sunscreen and coconut.”
When Ford and her mortgage broker husband, Kyle, purchased the property in 2020, it smelled like an ashtray. The place was dank and falling apart — dare we suggest it was seedy, but not in a good, kiwi-fruit kind of way. After decades of neglect, more trash-worthy than Insta-worthy.
“It was rough. Nobody wanted to touch this place. The pool had frogs and ducks living in it,” Ford said.
If that wasn’t enough, the motelier also had a pandemic to contend with, meaning shipping delays and labour shortages.
The mom entrepreneur — she has two boys, ages four and four months — was determined to see the project through, knowing she had found a diamond in the rough.
“There’s nothing like this in Grand Bend. It’s one of the closest hotels to the beach. It’s a massive property as well, so there’s a lot of potential,” said Ford, who also owns and rents cottages in Grand Bend’s ‘Jungle’ neighbourhood just off the main strip.
“I see potential in a lot of things that aren’t necessarily pretty,” the motelier added. “You can always turn something around and turn it into something beautiful.”
Ford is also an interior designer by trade and her creative touches are plentiful throughout the property. Rooms are available in double-bed studios and queen- and king-suite formats and are outfitted with mini fridges, air conditioning, TVs and full bathrooms. They’re tastefully furnished with custom-built beds and subtle tropical-themed wallpaper, unique to each room and sourced from Australia.
As condo owners with limited outdoor space, we appreciated having access to various outdoor amenities and some private room-front patio seating during our recent two-night stay.
New for summer 2024 is an elevated food menu curated by local chef Thomas Waite, with bar favourites such as beef barbacoa nachos and kiwi tacos. The nachos, topped with feta crumble, were super tasty and surprisingly light. Guests can choose from a fun cocktail list that includes The Kiwi signature mojito and Chelsea in Paradise, named after the owner, because why own a motel if you can’t have a drink named in your honour.
The Kiwi was born ready for bachelorette parties and other group gatherings. Curated event packages are available and include champagne, charcuterie boards and private poolside cabanas.
The motel’s amenities, including the restaurant, pool and backyard, are open to the public. Seniors and after-school programs have been offered to community members.
“Our community loves us. We’ve been so fortunate,” Ford said,
During our stay, we socialized with return guests, locals, overnighters and daytrippers covering a demographic from young to elderly, friend groups and families, and found the pool area struck a perfect balance numbers-wise.
The project brings things full circle for Ford, who now calls Grand Bend home. One of her earliest dates with her husband was here, marking her first visit to one of Ontario’s most popular beach towns.
“I’ve lived two-and-a-half hours away for most of my life and I had no idea this was here,” she said. “It’s such a beautiful place.”
When not lounging poolside at The Kiwi, take the short walk down Main St. to the bustling main strip lined with classic surf shops and ice cream stands as well as a few new-to-town chain mainstays such as Chuck’s Roadhouse and Crabby Joe’s.
The locals send visitors to The Tipsy Pelican and Midori sushi, while Highway Girl is the place for great coffee. We tried and loved all three establishments.
Don’t miss the world-class sunsets down at the beach. Anyone who has ever spent time on Lake Huron at sundown will tell you the views are truly unmatched.
It’s all easily walkable from The Kiwi. Consider this route the fruit loop.
