By Emily Stonehouse

With mid-October temperatures just scraping above the freezing point, pulling into the Lakeview Motel and Resort parking lot is a welcome haven. 

As the orange-tinted leaves swirl through the gray skies, a young buck crossed in front of the Lakeview door, shadowing the orange glow of the entryway behind his molting fur. 

After passing by the juvenile deer, and thinking to myself, ‘what’s more Haliburton than saying ‘excuse me’ to a deer as I start an interview?’, I head into the dining area of Lakeview; a room that’s filled with heat from a wood stove and decorative autumnal touches. 

I am there to meet Harsha Manani and Jag Shrimali. The family members have been the driving forces of Lakeview since they took over ownership of the establishment in 2021; the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“It was all Jag’s idea,” laughed Harsha, referring to her uncle that sits across the table from us. “He wanted to get back into the hospitality industry.” 

Jag originally hails from India, where he managed a series of large-scale hotels in urban centres across the country. “He knows restaurants, he knows hospitality,” said Harsha. “He’s what you would call an ‘all-rounder.” 

Jag and his family came to Canada 15 years ago, “when I still had hair,” he chuckled, patting his head. They had settled in the Toronto area, but knew he wanted to continue to work in the hospitality industry, and when the opportunity came up to purchase Lakeview, he knew it was the right fit. “There are so many positive things here,” he said. “This is home sweet home.” 

The Lakeview Motel and Resort was previously run by John and Holly McDonald of Haliburton. They worked diligently to create a safe and warm lodging environment for everyone, including essential workers throughout the pandemic. After 19 years of management, the couple decided it was time to retire, and Jag’s son, Manmit Shrimali, saw an opportunity for their family to grow there. 

At the time, Harsha had not necessarily worked in the hospitality industry. Originally coming from a small village called Lutterworth in England, she grew up helping her parents at their local grocery store, which her family ran for 35 years. “I remember as a child, going and delivering groceries for my family,” she recalled. “Customer service was really embedded in us.” 

She went to school for applied biology, and was interested in working in pharmaceutical sales, but was required to have some sales experience before getting into the field, which prompted her to start working in a call centre. “I started to really like it,” she said. “I really loved connecting with people.” 

Harsha came to Canada 24 years ago, where she continued her pursuit of a career in pharmaceutical sales, but was once again knocked down, this time requiring Canadian sales experience before launching into a job. “That was something that was very hard as an immigrant,” she said. 

She was able to start her own business, and continued connecting with people for 13 years, at which point, she was approached by her uncle, Jag, to see if she would be interested in partnering up for the Lakeview endeavour. “When we were driving up to see the property, we drove past a sign that said ‘Lutterworth,’” Harsha smiled, reflecting back on her tiny hometown of Lutterworth, England. “I thought to myself, ‘this must be it.’”

“And now, I honestly love what I do,” she said. “It’s really second nature to us. Connecting with people and customer service. I love it.” 

“We are always talking talking talking,” said Jag. “We are always trying our best to think about what customers want.” 

And they are excelling. During the interview, while we were nestled away in the fire-lit dining room, a couple came in who had just stayed the evening in the newly built eco-dome on the property. 

They walked into the office area, and started speaking with Harsha and Jag like they were old friends. While I listened, I assumed they had known each other for years. In reality, they had just met the day before. But the Lakeview owners have that effect on guests. Every guest on the property is not treated as a client, they are treated as family. 

And they don’t limit themselves to the Lakeview property. For Harsha and Jag, all of Haliburton County is home. “The local people are so talented,” said Harsha. “We believe we have so, so much beauty here that we can showcase it.” 

The front lobby of Lakeview is a destination unto itself; the walls lined with tourist experiences and local business offerings available to anyone who enters. “I like to give guests a personal itinerary for their stay here,” smiled Harsha. “I like to see ourselves as ambassadors of Haliburton and everything it has to offer.” 

During my short visit, she sent people to local restaurants, highlighted coffee shops, and directed visitors to small businesses in the area. They truly love and appreciate the community, and everything it has to offer. 

This warmth extends to their own staff; a small but mighty team of six, who Harsha deemed “a family”. “They come to work smiling and they leave work smiling,” she said, beaming with gratitude as she spoke. 

Jag shared in Harsha’s love for connecting with people. “I try to make everyone laugh,” he beamed. “That’s just in my nature. Everything brings joy.” 

After only being in business together since 2021, the Lakeview owners were honoured with a customer service award during the 2023 Chamber of Commerce awards gala last October. Online, their reviews are consistently positive, with visitors praising the service, cleanliness, and overall warmth of the establishment, and the people behind it. 

“People are so fascinating,” said Harsha, as the leaves continued to swirl outside, reflecting on the three years of building, growth, and changing. “I just love what we do.”