We stayed in the summer of 2013 and came back for spring of 2014 for Victoria Day overnight. We…read morewent to see the Wye marsh and the Enchanted Village. We enjoyed the clean room, and esp the pool and breakfast. We have 2 girls and they loved the stand up pool and just splashing around. The beds were good and the customer service was great. We will be back.

We called directly to the hotel a full week beforehand, reserved 2 rooms, and received an email…read moreback with our confirmation number. Imagine our surprise when arrived at the hotel at 4:15 pm after driving over 2 hours to get there, with only 45 minutes to get to our event that we were attending, only to be told that they had CANCELED our reservation!! They said our credit card did not go through (even though the credit card is valid...did they type it in wrong??) and that the phone number we had given them didn't work. (When they told us the number they had tried, it was 1 number off, but then they said they had no way of contacting us... why did they not just email us again!!) They had no rooms available for us. We then had to scramble to find another room to stay in.

Motel is in definite need of renovations. We booked two nights at this place based on Google…read morereviews. Big mistake should have also checked Yelp lol. The photos on their website were very misleading and when we checked in the lobby was very dark depressing and smelled very heavily of chlorine. The check in staff were nice enough, but when we walked into our room, we knew we couldn't stay. We were basically given a room that was in the basement was very dark and dingy. The bathroom was big, but they did not provide any of the usual necessities. There wasn't even any soap. We ended up canceling our reservation and booked ourselves into the Hampton Inn, which was across the street and much nicer. Please stay elsewhere even if the rates are very cheap. You literally are paying for what you get.

I'm 13 and I went here with my family on a road trip, we were originally staying at Brampton inn…read morehowever there reservation service was... Questionable. So when we booked quality inn instead, and we almost had to sue since their name included false advertising. The wallpaper was peeling off, the bed sheets felt like they were made of those old brown fabric bags, there was a chunck taken out of the bathroom light, it stank and the carpets were dirter than the car windows after a bird decided to take a shit on it. The bathroom was big but there was hair EVERYWHERE. The pool was nice but the gym was about as small as my hopes for the place. They had clothes washing services which smed nice in theory but we got our clothes back AND THEY HADDENT BEEN WASHED. The pool table was restricted to 18+ which sucks cuz I love pool, although they weren't so strict about that rule as we soon found out. The pictures were misleading and the TV was about as old as it's remote, we tried everything but it was restricted to cable channels only, which doesn't sound so bad untill you realize their from the 1500s and the remote had 4 buttons, volume + & - and channel + & - they staff were outright rude, like I cannot stand that woman, oh ya and sometimes the doors just wouldn't close. But hey at least balm beach was nice.

Recently upgraded. Bright and refreshing…read more The pool temp is great this time and hot tub was working. The men on the front desk seem to be stand offish. Not impressed The landscaping done by the young man I have seen working... did a great job. There is a lady; Shelley who helped out with a running water in the toilet was so nice. I seen her last time I was here. She seems to be a do it all staff member. For maintenance, laundry and tending to the pool temps. While some work hard and seem to care... some workers do just the opposite... avoid work. The breakfast this time was... not so great. I do enjoy the complimentary anytime coffee... tea in the lobby. End of the day... good location... some good staff... working amenities and renovations... Gets my 1 star + change from my last visit

I don't normally leave negative feedback- but this one deserves it. We arrived Sunday night and was…read morewelcomed by the desk clerk. Got to room and digital didn't work. Back down stairs. Once in room was looking to get some ice and found the area where the ice bucket was nasty. I will attach pics but they didn't capture all of it well. The sink had old food (egg) stuck to the drain, coffee maker was full of dust and grime. Ironed my clothes and thankfully was ironing blue slacks because rust came pouring out of the iron. I went to the front desk the next morning to let and showed them pictures (manager present) and they said they would take care of it and apologized. Upon arrival that evening a housekeeper had been in my room and straightened the bed but did not touch the gross items. I notified the front desk on the way out again and they said thank you. I would NOT recommend staying at this hotel if you are in Barrie. Very nasty.

Amazing location! Ski in, ski out, right in the village and all the action. We had a loft suite…read moreroom and it was perfect for our family of four. Parking garage was great. Hot tub and other amenities were on point. Never waited longer than a minute for an elevator. Staff was attentive and while they were busy, they definitely all deserve five stars. We would definitely stay here again. With that said a few things of note: 1. We were never told about the ski lockers or provided our combo for the lock. Perhaps a newbie ski family mistake for not assuming, but also frustrating. 2. I had called about clearance height for vehicles as we wanted to use our Thule on our SUV. The front desk was not much help. Had we known there is a valet lot for vehicles with rooftop boxes, we would have done it for the nominal fee. As I am sure many parents can relate, driving in a snow storm when you can't see out the rear is not fun... roof box solves that. 3. The restaurant on site is lackluster. Service is on point; however, food is just alright and pricey, it is chaotic, and why in the heck only "reservations get window seats" is a policy is beyond any family we spoke to. All these awesome window tables looking at the village and lake that go empty because "walk ins" are subjected to interior seating despite all those tables being empty our entire dining session is beyond me. This isn't Manhattan. 4. The restaurant bar, given how nice the rest of of the hotel is, looked pretty sad. You could see all the shelf lighting was defunct, it looked tired and not well kept. As a business owner myself, and for how front and center the bar area is, my gosh keep it tidy, lit up, and gleaming with some pizzaz. Thankfully for those of us with older kids it is open until midnight, and once again the staff is Johnny on the spot, but geez it has seen better days. I realize it sounds silly, but this hotel is pretty awesome and with the large lobby the bar area should be the North Star, not something I look at and wonder "are they closed already?"

Sheer disappointment from a brand like Westin. The deluxe room was just basic. The pictures show a…read morebalcony but that's not what you get. The towels and robes were old and worn out. Included breakfast was average.

We are spending a family Christmas Eve in Gravenhurst and booked this suite with a double room…read more Check-in was a breeze with full social distancing protocols in effect due to the surge of Omicrom variant worldwide. Front desk staff are friendly & professional. It's a very nice suite with a 4-seat dining table, office desk, sitting area for four, a fireplace (with a timer) and a full kitchen (refrigerator, oven, microwave, dishwasher, sink and cupboards). The fitness centre, swimming pool and whirlpool pool were open with proof of double Covid-19 vaccination. looked well maintained. A complimentary pre-selected breakfast was included; filled out order form by 9 p.m. the day prior. Pickup the meal yourself in the morning. It's back on the road again tomorrow!

The hotel is clean and everything is working. Although it is a little old but overall good living…read moreexperience. The favorite part is the breakfast. Love it. Highly recommended.

We stayed at the Best Western Mariposa with our family during our youngest son's hockey tournament,…read moreand this was by far the worst hotel experience we have ever had. We are a team with younger children, and parents made a point of supervising kids closely, following curfews, and being respectful to staff. Despite this, we were treated with suspicion and hostility from the moment staff realized we were a hockey team. On our first night, the hotel offered an empty room for kids to play mini sticks. The following day, when kids asked again, we were offered a different room that was dirty and had broken glass on the floor. Staff were notified, but no apology or concern was shown. That evening, while supervised kids were using the pool, another family (not part of our group) opened an unlocked side door and ran into the snow before jumping back into the pool. Some of our kids followed. There were no warning signs and the door was not locked. The pool was immediately closed by staff without testing water levels, and parents were falsely accused of children urinating in the hot tub. By 8:30 p.m., all children were in their rooms with parents. The following morning, our team manager received a rude email accusing our children of running the halls late at night and harassing guests--none of which occurred. The situation escalated further the next evening when staff aggressively confronted parents at the pool and accused a guest of having alcohol without cause. When another parent calmly attempted to speak to the desk manager to de-escalate, the staff member pushed past her and retreated to her office, where police were called. The OPP attended and confirmed there was no disorderly behavior. Everyone was allowed to remain for the night. Beyond staff behavior, the hotel itself was dirty and poorly maintained. Our room had a dead bug and personal items left behind, public areas were not well kept, and breakfast service was slow and inattentive. We would not recommend this hotel to families, sports teams, or anyone expecting professional service or basic cleanliness.

I stayed the Best Western Plus Mariposa Inn & Conference Centre last night ... I've never been…read morethere before. It was $120 (plus tax) for the night. WIFI (which was quick) and parking were free. There is a restaurant in the hotel, the Grape and Olive Wine & Martini Bistro, but there are lots (Swiss Chalet, McDonald's, etc.) within walking distance ... I had supper last night at Kelsey's, which is across the street. I had breakfast in the restaurant in the hotel this morning ... two eggs, peameal bacon, toast and homefries ($8) and a glass of milk. It was good! I'd stayed here again.

Booked 2 nights online this weekend for the Beaches concert. On approach, the inn looked…read moreinteresting. Historic. We couldn't book in because there was no-one at the desk. We had to wait half an hour. Okay let's go to the restaurant. Closed. The bar was open. Yay. The rooms were straight out of a cheap detective novel. None of the usual amenities like a hair dryer. The beds were sunken. I hope it wasn't your honeymoon night lol. All in all more than disappointing. The price all in: nearly $400. It near the venue. The Beaches were fantastic!

Yay! A bump-up review! Bala Bay Inn's Grill/Ghosts restaurant continues to impress each summer…read more This year we were really, really pleased by the great service. We arrived for our dinner after a rainstorm, and the outdoor patio where we like to enjoy our food was fairly soaked as a result. No worries, the hostess assured us, we are more than happy to seat you outside. We were allowed to pick a table and then she and a few servers set to work diligently wiping everything dry. That was much appreciated. The great service continued throughout our dinner -- attentive, prompt, really friendly. Food seemed better this visit, too. Last summer's scallop fiasco left me cold, but this year we really enjoyed the PEI mussels (oh, heaven), the spring rolls (surprisingly good for BFE Canada), the local pickerel (treat yourself if you've never, it's sweet, mild, and tender), and the fish and chips (with sweet potato fries). The only near-miss were the nachos. The chips were wonderful and clearly homemade, but the cheese was not melted which, to me, seems like a nacho given, right? Other toppings kicked nacho booty, tho, from the thick, tangy sour cream, smooth, silky guac, and crisp, fiery pickled jalapeños. They have a martini menu that will blow your mind and rivals any shcmancy big-town bar. There have to be damn near 50 varieties on that thing. My favorite is an apple martini with Goldschlager -- it tastes just like warm apple pie and has some cutesy name (they all do) I wish I could remember. We come to the Grill/Ghosts at Bala Bay Inn every summer and are rarely disappointed. Definitely worth a visit when you're in town. If you're ever in town...

Recently stayed here for a few days. Beautiful views and nice resort…read more Pros: - Food was quite good - Staff were welcoming and pretty friendly for the majority. - Outdoor whirlpool was really good / strong pressure and hot temps - Rooms are spacious and cleaning staff are helpful. Example: Will lay out your toiletries neatly on a towel in the bathroom lol - They have Kayak/ Canoe/ Paddle - I enjoyed kayaking around a little island in a group. They go fast though, so be prepared to go at it like an exercise session. It's not leisurely lol Cons: - Staying in the 2nd building is a bit of a trek if you need to go to the main building a lot. Unless l you rather be closer to the water and the Deck. They have golf carts to take you up to main building too but I think it's a bit of a wait sometimes? - Drinks were not great. Sodas are flat, cocktails are not that good and wines are $30 for a half glass. Beers are okay. - Never got a welcome cocktail but when I was leaving I just asked if I could have one and was asked a lot of questions for some reason so I just gave up. lol Overall, I would recommend as scenery is quite nice but there are a few spots they could improve on considering they are charging quite a lot per night during high season.

After nearly 5 years we returned for our anniversary to find that not only has not much changed, in…read morefact, the services at the Marriott have been in decline. Everywhere that I go I have to clean my own chair and seats. This was a sign. First, everything is overpriced. If paying $700 per night wasn't enough, nearly every item on the resort is expensive in a way that does not map to its proportions. $18 for 3 oysters doesn't align with MP, $30 per child to jump on an inflatable raft on the lake, $150/hr jet ski rentals are just the tipping point. Look, I understand that the resort is for people who are privileged and certainly we are one of those people, but that doesn't mean I want to be raked over the coals for every little thing on the Resort. There was a time when everything was included, call me old fashioned, but what's included here? The service and attention to detail is greatly lacking and some staff informed us that it was their first day on the job. It was like pulling teeth to get information out of the front desk. Those failures of the staff are a direct result of poor leadership, and I think the lack of leadership is showing throughout the business as a whole. The spa was underwhelming as well, the two massage chairs (that are not cleaned between uses) and the Amazon 'reflexology' foot massage machine (which only does the right foot), accompanied by an oxygen concentrator that requires you to put on nasal cannula to inhale through some colored liquids for "relaxation" did not give me 5 Star vibes. I did however like the 18+ pool provided by the spa (despite the weeds growing up through the hardscaping), but do I think the whole thing is worth $100 day pass....I do not. The Avalanche Cold shower is to a cold plunge as a tomahawk is to a vegan hamburger, one is playing at being like the other but fails in all the ways that matter. We ate at the Chophouse, which was not bad, I recommend the short rib as it's been braised well. I had the lobster Thermidor as I am picky about steaks and how they are cooked. The lobster was underwhelming and was more of a canner than a mature east coast lobster. The spinach they served with it was overly bitter and should be dropped for the menu, it's not a 5 star vegetable. Use the lobster claws and shells to create a stock and use that to do a nice risotto with the Thermidor. I'm being overly picky but here is my last gripe. If you bring cutlery to a table, don't bring it in hand, use a plate with a napkin on it or a tray. Use oyster forks and small spoons where necessary. Do more. If you're charging $250 for a 50 ounce tomahawk. The service had to match those prices. If not, you cheapen the whole experience Marriott. 3 stars for the lake view.

My family and I spent 3 wonderful nights at the Shamrock Lodge. It was an incredible and relaxing…read morevacation. It's easy to tell why many of the families there keep coming back year after year. The staff were extremely friendly and accommodating. They made my wife dairy free dishes from scratch when she didn't feel like some of the other options and cooked up grilled cheese sandwiches for my kids for lunch when they didn't want their chicken wrap. The owner personally introduced my wife to the kids club counsellors so that she was more comfortable leaving them in the mornings to play. This went a long way in helping both of us relax. Besides the good food, great staff and amazing views. The other guests were so welcoming and friendly. Our daughters made friends instantly and we felt very comfortable letting them run around and play with everyone. It's a great culture that Shamrock Lodge has cultivated. With magicians, tubing, water skiing, canoes, kayaks, fireworks, and more. Shamrock Lodge really went above and beyond to always have something to do and look forward to. The only criticism, and its a big one, is that the rooms are not air conditioned. There was a portable air conditioner in the room but it was barely functional and the room was way too hot all the time. It was brutal and really took away from our enjoyment of the vacation. They really need to invest in proper air conditioning for the rooms.

On the edge of one of the most pristine of the Muskoka Lakes, Shamrock Lodge is one of the most…read moreenjoyable places we have ever stayed at. A full service hotel with all 3 meals included, this getaway also provides immaculately clean rooms and thoughtfully kept grounds. It is family owned and the owners and staff have a clear love for both the land and the patrons. The staff were a delight - very friendly and ready to provide anything needed. There is a clean pool and sauna in the main lodge, and if you want to swim but aren't a pool person, not to worry because the lodge backs onto a gorgeously clean lake. A variety of watercraft such as canoes, stand up paddle boards, kayaks and paddle boats are available for patrons to borrow at any time. Motorized watercraft are also available for an hourly rental fee. We would, and plan to, return here.