What's Brewing at the Hacienda Sarria?

Coffee in the Hacienda Roasting Company Cafe!

Fantastico! Every time I visit Kitchener-Waterloo's best-kept secret, I am overwhelmed by the creativity that just keeps happening! Last week I attended an Open House at the Hacienda Sarria,   http://www.haciendasarria.com/ ,  a Spanish-style castle  tucked away in an out-of-the-way industrial corner of Kitchener, where Union Street meets the expressway. Some very lucky brides and grooms, their families and friends, and other fortunate groups in our community are already aware of this exquisite venue for weddings, concerts, corporate events, and photo shoots. And though I have been there a few times now, I am always awestruck when I return!

Brand new is the "ballroom" with intricately-patterned hardwood floors and a high exposed beam ceiling in what was just a dusty old factory storage barn on my last visit. The focal points of the room are the imposing fireplace on one side and the rustic arched Spanish doors lining the opposite wall.

Also new is the Hacienda Roasting Company Cafe, open to the public Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Great for a visit and a chance to see the Hacienda, and available to rent for private gatherings, corporate or social. Beautifully designed with warm hues and Spanish tiles, a long solid- wood bar, vintage style brass and copper coffee machines, and the enticing aroma of fresh-brewed coffee.

At the other end of the dance hall/banquet room is a brand new commercial grade kitchen. Appliances were being installed as we toured, in preparation for the many future events which can now be catered in-house by the Hacienda's exclusive list of professional caterers.

Photo: Taylor Jackson

Our gracious host, Nadine Day, guided us through the Moorish style courtyard to the "house" part of the Hacienda, where renovations were underway in the existing kitchen to convert it to a bar area. We climbed the stairway, itself a work of art, with its undulating,  smooth white plaster walls. Once upstairs , we stepped through a large doorway from the master bedroom onto a "romantico" balcony to view the classic Mediterranean courtyard gardens and pathways below. After touring the other magnificent bedrooms and looking down onto the interior courtyard from the second floor balcony, we descended the stairway to the magnificent foyer. While wandering in the gardens, we saw an innovative use of transport containers repurposed as luxury restrooms for guests at outdoor events on the Hacienda grounds. And the rooftops are green!  What ingenuity!

On the other side of the Hacienda, we came to the inspiration for this ambitious project, the  "Camino de Santiago" trail, artistically recreated on the terrace, circling the reflecting pool. As I slowly stepped along the path, reading the names of each town and village, I was once again struck by the way the Hacienda has captured the wonder of Spain. The detail, care, thought and master workmanship by the artisans and owners of the Hacienda are truly inspiring.

And in just a short drive, I can get my fix of Spain!