The story of the Ambassador Conference Resort is the classically inspirational one of a man with a vision and faith in himself, his family and the future.

In April, 1954, Joe Melo, a 29-year old Portuguese farmer borrowed enough money to pay his passage to Canada, arriving with only $225 with which to build a new life. While he first settled in Halifax, his move to Kingston launched him on a journey that would take him from the world of construction to his own restaurant and eventually to the development of what is now the largest hotel in southeastern Ontario.

By the late 1950’s, Joe Melo was well on his way. He had worked his way from labourer to founding partner in a local cement firm. In 1960, Mr. Melo moved what was to become the Melo family business in a new direction, buying into a restaurant in downtown Kingston, affectionately named “The Azores” after his Portuguese birthplace. It was a fateful day in 1965 when he was invited to move his restaurant to the then 55 unit Ambassador Motel. In 1973 when the motel’s original owner wanted to sell, Joe Melo, now married to his sweetheart Maria and father of 4 children, exercised his earlier negotiated option to purchase the motel and in so doing solidified his position in an industry that continues to be his family’s lifeblood today. Time would show that his unique combination of hard work, foresight and great timing would serve him and his family well. A series of renovations over the more than 35 years since has transformed the Ambassador from a 55 unit motel with an outdoor pool and restaurant to a Conference Resort which today boasts 251 rooms, 19 meeting rooms with over 19 000 square feet of meeting space including Kingston’s largest and grandest ballroom, an indoor waterpark, restaurant and lounge.

While such accomplishment would be enough to satisfy most, Joe Melo and his family had another vision, namely to develop a hotel in downtown Kingston. In 2000, this vision was realized with the new Four Points by Sheraton in the heart of Kingston’s downtown core. Today, Joe Melo is proud to say that the Ambassador & Four Points are truly family businesses with the family taking an active role in management and development.

Joe and Maria Melo officially retired from active management at the Ambassador in 1990. However, guests today will often see Mr. Melo, adorned in a white hardhat, supervising the extensive renovations at the Ambassador extending through 2004, renovations which include a new two storey lobby and reception area.

The contributions of Joseph Melo and the Melo family extend beyond the hotel itself. Their dedication to the Kingston community is evident in the many community events they sponsor and causes they support. In the words of Maria Melo “We are dedicated to the Kingston community because it is our home and we feel a responsibility to give something back to the community in which our family has had so much success.” This commitment is especially evident in the family’s support of Kingston’s youth and causes important to them. “We feel that our youth are one of our most prized assets and an investment in them is an investment in our community.”

Hard work, attention to detail and relentless commitment to their guests and the community will be the enduring legacy of Joseph Melo and the Melo family.