Disconnect to reconnect: Friends open eco-friendly resort in rural New Brunswick

Passion project: Hope-Wellness Eco-Resort Best friends with a love for local leave their day jobs to launch an eco-resort.

Ashley Ward and Katie Carson have carved out a little piece of tranquillity on a hillside deep in the heart of Albert County, about a 30-minute drive from downtown Moncton, N.B.

The Hope-Wellness Eco-Resort is located in Edgetts Landing in the tourism corridor between the villages of Hillsborough and Alma.

The best friends and business partners came up with the idea one night over a glass of wine, and around two years ago, bought the land in a heavily wooded area and built it from scratch.

"We really underestimated how much work it would be," said Carson. "Pulling brush, cutting trees, staining the units, everything. We really had no idea."

She says the inspiration came from glamping trips they enjoyed together but thought something was missing, like a communal gathering area.

"Everything was so lovely, but after a certain amount of time, we wanted to go meet people as you would at a resort down south. So, we kind of figured why don't we do something that's a little different and have a lounge area," said Carson.

The nordic style spa is an adults-only resort with five cabins, a sauna, a yoga dome and a bar with local beer and wine for grown-ups to getaway.

"Parents need a vacation," said Ward. "We have children of our own. We just thought it would be nice for people to have a little escape into nature. Disconnect to reconnect -- that's our motto."

Ward and Carson worked in the hospitality and tourism industry together for about 12 years and did everything from serving tables to restaurant and hotel management to working for an airline.

"We always talked about doing something like this. Never thought we'd actually do it together, but I'm really happy that we did," said Ward. "We both lost our jobs during COVID. We both worked for Porter Airlines and when COVID hit, obviously no planes were going out, so we said it's time we actually pursued our dreams."

The goal was to create a greener experience while still providing the luxury of being at a four-season resort.

"We love Hillsborough, we love the area," said Carson. "We really want to make it not just a stopover town on the way to Alma, but somewhere where people can come and stay right here in the area and take advantage of the tourism here and all the beautiful artisans they can go visit."

The resort doesn't officially open until Jan. 2, but bookings can be placed online now.

There's also a night market on Nov. 19.