Some places are built, while others are dreamed into existence. When we first began shaping the Hazelnut Inn, architecture and story often found themselves occupying the same space. The North Star Suite — with its deep colours, private corners, and a ceiling that opens onto a sky of its own — was influenced by many of the fantasy worlds I’ve explored through the years.

I’ve always loved reading, and I’m particularly fond of Naomi Novik’s work. Her fierce, deeply empathetic characters and richly imagined worlds have stayed with me long after the final page.

If you are packing your bags for a stay beneath our stars, here are two of her books I’d recommend for the North Star Suite.

A Deadly Education

The North Star Suite, with its midnight tones and quiet private spaces, has a certain darkness that makes Novik’s A Deadly Education an easy companion.

The novel takes place in the Scholomance, a school that is actively trying to eat its students. Its enclosed, perilous world offers an interesting contrast to the quiet of the North Star. The room provides the sanctuary; the book provides the danger.

His Majesty’s Dragon

For something altogether different, I’d consider His Majesty’s Dragon.

The story trades the claustrophobic danger of the Scholomance for historical adventure and open skies. Captain Laurence and his dragon, Temeraire, feel like they belong beneath the suite’s sweeping celestial ceiling.

Perhaps the best books to bring with you are the ones that make the room around you feel a little different by the time you reach the final page.

At the Hazelnut Inn, we built each suite as a place to slow down, settle in, and make memories of your own.

Heavy timber doors close behind you. Steam rises from a deep soaker tub for two. Above, cathedral ceilings, sculptures, and hand-painted details create a space unlike anywhere else.

But the moments that matter most aren’t ours to create. They’re the quiet conversations, the laughter, the lingering looks, and the simple feeling of being completely present with each other. Long after the door opens and you return to the world outside, those moments will remain.

We made the room.
What you remember is your story.

There is a distinct magic reserved for the edges of the world. It belongs to salt-sprayed horizons and the belief that the stars were put in place to guide you home.

If your partner is a romantic who keeps a treasure map tucked inside their daydreams, chart a course for the North Star Suite — a proposal destination that is equal parts grand expedition and intimate sanctuary.

Send a Message in a Bottle

Great love stories deserve to be written on parchment that crinkles under your fingers. Before you pack your bags, secure your materials: a sheet of fine paper, a length of twine, and a vintage glass bottle.

Draft a handwritten letter detailing your shared voyage. Chart your major milestones — from the first week you navigated life together, to the exact moment you realized your compass always points back to them.

Roll the letter tightly, tie it with weathered twine, slip it inside the bottle, and pack it safely in your luggage.

Leave your creation on the suite’s antique coffee table for them to discover. Once your partner uncorks the bottle and reads your words, they will find the final guiding instruction you’ve written at the bottom of the scroll: "To set your course, consult the stars.”

Navigate by Starlight

When your partner finishes reading, point to the celestial map painted on the ceiling above. Remind them that for thousands of years, sailors and dreamers have looked to the night sky to find their bearings.

Tell them that your heart has steered you toward them — and that they are your true North Star.

In this quiet moment, ask them to sail with you forever, through stormy seas and over calm horizons.

A New Chapter Begins

This moment marks the end of your separate paths and the launch of your life together. The world outside may be unpredictable, but you are one another’s safe harbour.

The Captain’s Keepsake

Take the message in the bottle home with you. Display it on your mantelpiece as a permanent reminder of the night your courses aligned forever.