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 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!

Facilites are excellent and accommodation in the main building first class following renovation…read more The only downside is the lack of fine dining since the main restaurant was burnt down a few years ago. The lakeside Boathouse Restaurant is OK but mainly casual and for me uninspiring fare. Service is efficient and staff attentive. Somewhat expensive but reflective of the resort and its generally well-heeled clientele. The Chalet/Condominium style accommodation, not that we experienced it, has catering facilities. This would be advantageous for many as nearby Gravenhurst offers limited and unexciting dining and Bracebridge much the same. During our stay it was mainly large families and the beach areas were lively and crowded, although guests had the option of three pools in the complex.. The attached golf course is renowned and highly regarded in the golfing community and not for high handicappers. Again, another expensive aspect of this resort. However, If you are not budget conscious and enjoy spectacular views and lake activities it should easily provide a satisfactory break or vacation for every age group.

This is one of our favorite places to come. Every year for the last 5 years we've come to visit…read moreTaboo. The hotel itself is modern and beautiful. The beds are absolutely incredible leading to the best sleeps ever! We've stayed in both resort view and lakeview rooms and love them all the same. The staff go out of their way to make your stay great from recommendations for dinner to going above and beyond! They heard we had recently got engaged so when we arrived there was a lovely note from the staff saying congratulations. One year we came up for thanksgiving which was a couple of days after my husband's birthday and when we got to our room there was a lovely happy birthday card and a bottle of wine which we enjoyed while watching the sunset. The golf course was lovely. It was perfect for both our levels, challenging but fun. They space out tee times so you really feel like you are the only ones on the course. We always have a great time at Taboo and we'll keep coming back! :D

Beautiful family friendly getaway!! It's the whole package when you come here. Beautiful views from…read moreany cottage you stay in. All equipped with AC, are kept very clean and maintained. By the water you have access to activities such as kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, stand up paddle boarding, water trampoline, water diving apparatus and jet ski rentals. There is a Sandy beach, a pool and a hot tub. For kids, there are structured activities for different ages. I saw kids working in teams to complete a scavenger hunt. They also have a park, games room, toddler room and karaoke on Friday's. If you want drinks during the day you can BYOB or there is a cash bar by the pool. Also it's up to you to bring snacks of you need something in between meals. In case, they sell chips and ice crwam at the reception desk if you are desperate! My Favourite so far....was dinner time!!! After fun in the sun it was nice to sit down for a nice dinner. We got a basket of mixes bread at oi4 table as we sat down with a large pitcher of water. I tried the chicken cordon blue because it's not something I usually would order. It was so tender and the cheese oozed out when I was cutting it. It came with red potatoes and fresh vegetables. To top it off I got a butterscotch sundae... so on point!!! Looking forward to trying out the lunch and breakfast.

I really loved this lodge. It was such a beautiful place to be at and the view was just stunning…read more This review is about the food. I appreciated that my misconceptions of this place looking older and what, not were wrong. The dinners were amazing, the food was soo unique and really tasty. I got to meet the sous chef who was in Europe for some time who came to assist the main chef at the lodge. It seemed that they worked together to make a little of both of their tastes work, and it worked well. I had Venison for the first time, the lamb was to die for, the chicken as well, their meat was tender. It just seemed so fresh for a lodge, I was impressed. The french fries are sooo good. I dont even eat much carbs but every lunch I ordered a side. Lunch is not bad, but I dont think its anything worth raving about. Breakfast is harty and always have fresh fruit, eggs, yummy bacon and juices. The last night we were there they did a bbq, we really appreciated that they did that for us.

DO NOT RESERVE When…read moreyou go to a new destination it is difficult to know where to stay, where to eat, what to see. Gravenhurst has a long history in the development of Canada. In a 4 hour tour of Lake Muskokq on the old mail steamship Sequin, there is much to learn from the knowledgeable tour guide on board to make it a very enjoyable afternoon. But this serene atmosphere can be easily broken by grabby motel owners, such as Oakwood Motel, who require 7 days notice to cancel reservations. Occasional tourists who use motels expect flexibility in their accommodations. To force strict adherence to bookings distract from "going with the flow". Certainly such forced adherence to the motel's strict policy kills any possibilty of any repeat business, not only for that particular motel but for all Gravenhurst'.

This was a surprise find on an impromptu getaway weekend. Super clean, friendly staff, rooms were…read morewell-appointed with mini fridge, microwave, coffee/tea and other little niceties. They have standard rooms and cottage-style rooms, which were quite cute. Best part was the reasonable rate. I'm almost hesitant to post this review because it's a hidden gem for a budget-conscious traveler!

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.

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...

Imagine a restaurant where the owners seem to have just left the premises and let things go…read moredownhill. That's the Bala Bay Restaurant in the Bala Bay Inn. It's dark, in need a huge dose of TLC, feels dirty and unkept. It might be exceptionally clean - it just has the feel of an ignored empty local haunt. The food is what you might expect from a frozen food driven restaurant - though it is a great source of a traditional Pizza Nova pizza to takeout if you need one. This might be the real calling of the premises. There are a few signs outside branding the restaurant conflicting things. It is a restaurant. It's a Pizza Nova. It has a huge sign saying "Fish and Chips". So what is it exactly? Im not sure it knows. A place to drink beer I suppose and wait for your pizza takeaway. And if it just branded itself as the local source for right out of the oven Pizza Nova pizza, it would be perfect. Try that and I think you won't be disappointed. Go beyond that and it's hard to predict. I can't pin exactly what it is that makes this a place we avoid. I can only say that it has, in its neglect, seem to have chosen to be nothing in particular and that's exactly what it feels like. The staff are nice, the location convenient - it just doesn't have much else (but Pizza Nova pizza!).

My dad and I have stayed at the Kent Inn two times already, on our way to ice fishing on Lake…read moreSimcoe. (The location to ice fishing is very convenient and is about a 40 min drive.) There are rooms on the ground floor and in a two story building. Luckily, during both of our stays we were able to get a room in the building. During our last stay the owner even asked us if we prefer the first or second floor. The room had what we needed for a quick overnight stay (fridge, coffee maker, etc.). We were greeted warmly and welcomed each time and we would gladly return again!

Very nice staff! Rooms have been renovated, very clean and bright. Great location. My boyfriend…read moreput in a request to have fresh flowers in the room when we arrived and they were able to make it happen. Thank you so much for the stay :)

We were really impressed with the quality of these places ! pride of owership for sure, they look…read morevery nice and modern and everything works as well, we will definitely be back

From the owner: Family-oriented Riverfront Place across the street from Main Beach #1: the modern Motel units are…read moreequipped with A/C, kitchenettes, new bathrooms, LCD TV, WiFi, Cottages are 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms. Many with patios on the River. PickNic area, Free Boat Docking & B.B.Qs.

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.