If you’re looking for a getaway close to Toronto, but truly a world away, Waring House might be just what the doctor ordered.
By Jim Byers
Waring House is perched just minutes west of Picton in buzzworthy Prince Edward County. The spacious, grassy grounds feature historic limestone buildings that date back more than 200 years, as well as handsome grey additions that complement the older structures and offer a different, newer feel.
My wife and I recently stayed a night and lucked into room 109 in one of the new Heritage Lodge buildings. It’s a cavernous room with strong, wooden furniture that’s polished to a perfect shine, including a rock-solid, wooden bed frame, a gleaming, carved wood fireplace and super-pillowy chairs that are perfect for reading a book or taking an afternoon snooze.
The bathroom had tons of storage for toiletries, a stand-alone shower and a deep, long bathtub that’s big enough for two people. Or even three. (Hey, I don’t judge.)
The room is on the second floor and has a massive deck with white Muskoka chairs, which would be perfect for morning coffee or a glass of Prince Edward County wine before dinner.
We had a nice tour of some of the historic rooms, which come in a variety of sizes and styles. Some are interconnecting, which is great for families. And some are inside the historic building that houses the Barley Room pub and Amelia’s Garden restaurant.
We enjoyed a fine, massive breakfast at the Barley Room, where $11 gets you two very large eggs, two pieces of toast, breakfast meat and a small mound of potatoes. Excellent food, and definitely not downtown Toronto prices.
We had a nice table looking out over the patio, a super-quiet spot overlooking a pretty creek and gazebo It’s a popular spot for outdoor dining.
The Barley Room pub, which often has live music, might be one of the most attractive pubs in Canada. The deep, rich wood speaks to another, simpler time, and the limestone walls give it a cozy feel that would be almost impossible to match in this modern age. I can’t imagine a better place for a pint of local beer or a glass of PEC wine. The pub also serves lunch and dinner, with a menu that includes classic dishes like burgers and fish and chips, but also red Thai curry and braised lamb shank.
Bonus: the pub offers Trivia nights Tuesdays if you want to test your readiness for Jeopardy, as well as special roast meat dinners on Sundays.
Amelia’s Garden is the Waring House fine dining establishment. Recent menu items include beef bourguignon, a maple miso pickerel and lemon/herb risotto. There’s an afternoon tea service every day from 2 to 4 p.m.
This being Prince Edward County, one of the centres for farm-to-table cuisine in Ontario, the resort’s Waring Hall has a cooking school that operates on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings. The resorts also hosts regular Prince Edward Single Malt Society sessions, with food and tastings from various whisky regions. Waring Hall hosts Prince Edward Wine and Food Society meetings every Wednesday, including a four-course meal with matching wines.
They also are big on weddings and conferences, as well as smaller business meetings.
The Waring family came to southern Ontario from Ireland and had a sprawling farm on the property for 100 years. Chris and Norah Rogers bought the property in 1995 and, perhaps sensing what might lie ahead in terms of Prince Edward County tourism, started adding hotel rooms.
The hotel now has 49 rooms, including four in the Barley Room pub building, 13 in the so-called “House Next Door” and the rest in the two newer buildings.
If you’re looking for a slice of old Ontario with modern amenities in a trendy part of the province, look no further than Waring House.
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Waring House is Feast ON certified, which means they’re committed to sourcing Ontario grown and raised ingredients. They’re also LGBTQ+ friendly and Rainbow Registered.
The hotel grows its own herbs and veggies, and they have pollinator plans to help keep the local bee population healthy.
They do a haunted hotel program at Halloween, complete with animatronics. From what I saw in their storage facility, it looks like it would be wildly entertaining.
The resort is less than a five-minute drive from Picton, where you’ll find lovely cafes, boutiques and galleries. Sandbanks Provincial Park is just 15 minutes by car, as is the engaging small town of Wellington. Waring House is roughly two hours from Yonge St. and Highway 401.
Jim Byers is a travel writer and photographer, with regular contributions to openjaw.com, BOLD Traveller, Toronto Star, Costco Travel, Travelife, AARP magazine and other publications. JimByersTravel.com