A new culinary and hospitality experience is in the works for Wasaga Beach as the Sunray Group of Hotels prepares to break ground on a $45 million premium Marriott hotel overlooking Beach Area 1, with plans for a chef-driven restaurant that could become a marquee dining destination on Ontario’s waterfront.
Set to begin construction in early 2026, the new hotel will sit steps from the iconic beachfront along Beach Drive, a beloved summer hub for over two million annual visitors, according to a news release. Sandeep Gupta, President of Sunray Group, tells What Now Toronto that the hotel’s food and beverage component will be a standout feature of the development.
“As of now, we are exploring working with a Michelin-star Chef to bring in a concept appropriate for the hotel and area,” Gupta tells What Now. “Sunray will manage the Food & Beverage component, however, this may change as we continue to finalize the opportunity and work through the concepts.”
While full details are still under wraps, the restaurant is expected to be one of several year-round amenities in the hotel’s first phase, which also includes a high-end fitness and spa area, convention and wedding facilities, and ground-floor retail. The aim is to provide both locals and tourists with a premium all-season hospitality experience while transforming the beachfront into a vibrant commercial and cultural hub.
The project, led by award-winning developer Sunray Group, is part of a broader four-phase redevelopment plan in partnership with the Town of Wasaga Beach. The joint venture also includes a new “Festival Square,” a public event space being designed and funded by Sunray to host outdoor concerts and community gatherings.
“Our goal is to build more than a hotel. We want to help create a destination,” CEO Ray Gupta said in a press release. The site also holds personal significance for the company’s leadership. Sunray CEO Ray Gupta shared that his family once ran a seasonal boardwalk shop, Beach Bazaar, near the same stretch of waterfront in the 1970s.
“I’m beyond excited to come back to this community to help make the current Council’s vision come to life,” Gupta said in a statement. “Sunray Group looks forward to delivering a Marriott hotel experience, including restaurants, shops, and a beautiful new public events space next to the hotel that will serve the town’s full-time residents, delight its over two million visitors, and cement the town’s position as a spectacular Canadian destination.”
The Town of Wasaga Beach, which has been courting a premium-brand hotel for decades, welcomed the announcement as a major milestone in its beachfront revitalization plan. “This historic $45 million investment will complement family-owned inns and small businesses,” Mayor Brian Smith said in a statement. “It represents local jobs, higher-value tourism, and multi-day visits to Wasaga Beach.”
The first phase of the project is expected to create over 100 jobs and breathe new life into the town’s commercial heart. Future phases may include branded residences affiliated with Marriott, adding a long-stay rental option to the area’s hospitality mix.
As the design phase continues, the Sunray Group says it will engage the community for input while fine-tuning the vision for what could soon become Wasaga Beach’s most exciting culinary destination.
