Ontario’s Hidden Gems Exposed – Couples Resort

Fall is one of the most romantic times to travel with your partner.  The air is crisp, colours are changing daily and can be admired from inside a cabin cuddled up by the fireplace with a nice warm drinks or on a fresh stroll on one of the many 17km hiking trails.  So many stunning sites and landscapes to explore, it’s the perfect recipe for a getaway….just the two of you!

We begin our adventure today in one of the most spectacular places to witness the fall colours, by land and water.  This boutique Couples Luxury Resort is located on the shores of Algonquin Park’s Galeairy Lake and the Madawaska River, offering endless nature and sports activities any season of the year, pampering spa treatments and gourmet international dishes! 

Couples Resorts is an all-inclusive resort designed for those who need an escape from the hustle and bustle from life’s daily demands, needing some long overdue 1 on 1 time.  If all you are looking to do is kick back and relax in your own private hot tub and enjoying the ambience of the resort, it’s perfect you!  Or for the active couple who like to explore anything and everything, there is plenty of activities! 

The Resorts accommodations vary between Opulent Old European to Natural Algonquin Style rooms and cabins, all with Lakefront private Hot Tubs, Jacuzzi’s, Wood Burning Fireplaces, Netflix & more!  They have rooms ranging from 1400 sq ft Boutique Chalets to 1000 sq ft Chalets and Villas to 600 sq ft Exotic and Jr Suites.   The Old European Boutique Chateau boasts 16ft vaulted ceilings, 2 sided stone fireplace and each come with a private screened gazebo.  Plus a walkout balcony and outdoor private hot tub.  The Spa Villa has all the luxuries of relaxation, everything you can dream of!  The gorgeous, private, romantic cottage is equipped with so many water indulgences (Outdoor Hot Tub / In-Room Jacuzzi / Sauna / Steam Room / Four Shower Heads) to spoil you. From your gazebo and sun deck listen to the water’s waves on the shores edge, watch the trees sway with the breeze and breathe again.  

There are so many activities to participate in at Couples Resort.  Not only will you witness the stunning fall foliage in Algonquin Park, but if you visit during late fall you will most likely get to see a Moose in it’s natural habitat.  Jump in a canoe and grab your camera for an experience of a life time.  Explore the majestic landscapes and waterfalls around you with a 4 hour paddle excursion. Or maybe rent a motor boat and cast you line to catch Bass, Trout or Pickerel on Galeairy Lake! That’s not all, they have 3 on-site scenic trails that can be explored on foot or on a bike.  Just a short trip from the resort, is a local horse stable that will take you on a wilderness trail ride!  Fall isn’t the only time to experience Algonquin Park.  Couples Resort is open all year round and has something each unique each season to experience.  Check out all the activities. 

For the full relaxation experience at Couples Resort be sure to visit their Organic Spa.  The full service on-site spa uses only organic spa products in each of the treatments.  Pamper yourselves with a couples massage or maybe just spoil yourself.  Best of all, if you don’t want to leave your room, they can come do a massage right from the comfort of your room! Choose from RMT massages, facials, manicure, pedicures and more.  Check out the full list of services.

Couple Resort’s packages include Breakfast and a 5 Course dinner served daily right to your door.  It doesn’t get any better than that! Executive Chef, Ronnie Coppens and Culinary Team bring experience and flavours from 3 different continents to deliver stunning 5 course meals daily.  Menus are focused on freshness, seasonal availability and Ontario produced foods. Only the highest quality products enter the kitchen where the team then produces meals and fresh fish is offered daily as one of the Chef’s Daily features.  Their expansive experience will tantalize your taste buds

In 2009 Couples Resort embarked on helping do their part in a greener planet.  They implemented a Solar Thermal Collector that has three major advantages – Solar Heating, Solar Water Heating and Solar Hot Water System.  The system will incorporate 6 – 119 gallon (450 L) storage tanks and 24 – 30 tube Solar Thermal Collectors or Solar Evacuated Tube which are ideal for all business, commercial and industrial applications. It will create a total carbon foot print reduction of 48 tons of GHG per year or 960 tons of greenhouse gas reduction over the systems lifespan, which equates to taking 160 cars off the road and planting over 240 acres of trees.

Other Hidden Gems Exposed

Killarney Lodge has been offering a unique wilderness experience in the heart of Algonquin Park. Set amongst towering pines on a private peninsula, it’s home in the wilderness.  Paddle a canoe from your own log cabin onto a crystal clear lake or explore some of the Park’s many walking trails.  Savour the warmth and comfort of their lakeside cabins.  All cabins have their own private deck and come with a canone for your own personal use and exploration!  

 

Algonquin Cottage Outpost Log Cabin on Kawawaymog Lake at Algonquin Park access # 1, offers solar powered comfort and is ideal for a large family of group of up to 14. With 650 feet of shoreline, 2 docks and a floating sauna, the Cottage Outpost is perfect for those who want first class waterfront and comfortable lakeside cottage accommodation.  Couples love their Algonquin Island Retreat, a tiny private island with cozy cabin offers the ultimate escape for couples

 

Bartlett Lodge is an oasis of comfort in a naturally wondrous environment. For you, that might mean a lake-view deck and perfect reading chair; it might be a welcoming nap on an inviting king-size bed after a day’s easy paddle. Regardless of your wants and needs, Bartlett defines luxury in nature.  Enjoy fine dining, guided by their philosophy: They believe in truly sustainable farming and using local ingredients whenever possible. They will not use any animals that are not sustainable or caught inhumanely. They feel it is important to understand and respect all facets of the animals and products they use in their kitchen.

Scenic Romantic Getaways at Ontario Resorts

They say that to maintain a healthy relationship with your partner, communication is key. But sipping wine together in front of a cozy camp fire under a starlit sky maybe couldn’t hurt either. Whether you and your beau are spontaneous weekend getaway types or you plan your romantic adventures on a spreadsheet, you will find everything your heart desires in the picture-perfect setting of these Ontario resorts. Think about the essentials of a romantic getaway: a beautiful lake to admire, some lush outdoor landscape, a quiet and relaxing ambiance, a comfortable bed, and a soothing fireplace to keep you warm in the evening. The following resorts offer all of these as well as delectable meals, elegant suites, and plenty of activities to bring you together and forge intimate bonds. Bring out your youthful, flirty side while horseback riding, portaging the lakes and trails of Algonquin, or taking in a replenishing spa treatment. All you need is an overnight bag, some sunscreen, and your sweetheart.

The Briars Resort and Spa

The Briars Resort and Spa on Lake Simcoe has everything you need to inspire romance. Just a short drive from Toronto, the resort is located on the serene shores of Lake Simcoe, in the middle of the lush natural landscape of Ontario cottage country. Imagine waking up in one of the Briars Resort’s private studio cottages with the invigorating smell of pine energizing your senses like a cup of coffee. Sleep in or go for an early morning swim as the cottages are steps away from the Country Club pool.

The Briars offers both the warmth of an old-fashioned country inn and the amenities of a luxury hotel, including onsite spa. The spa will refresh and replenish you and the one you love in the natural surroundings of Lake Simcoe. Revitalize your mind and body by creating your own spa package from an extensive menu of options that includes a whirlpool, sauna, and solarium indoor swimming pool. Indulge your better half with The Royal Package, which includes a 60-minute aromatherapy massage, a customized facial treatment, manicure with hand massage, and lunch in the Drinkwaters Lounge.

The resort also offers a private golf course with well-protected greens and creative water hazards. You and your sweetie can play a round surrounded by cedar hedging, century-old evergreens, and birch. While the resort encourages relaxing and well-paced play, the course is no afterthought. It was previously home to the competitive Canadian Men’s Senior Championship and Fairways Magazine’s included it in its Top 10 Ontario Stay and Play Courses.

No couples getaway is complete without a romantic dinner. The Briars dining room features a rotating menu of seasonal favourites like maple pear and kale salad with Ontario cheddar and seafood chowder with basil and gruyere scone. Mains like braised lamb shank, duck confit, and wild Pacific Halibut will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, but save room for desert like sticky toffee pudding with whiskey ice cream, Crème Brulee, and freshly made pie served à la mode.

Killarney Lodge

An adventure in the great outdoors can add a spark to any relationship. At Killarney Lodge, couples can explore the massive expanse of Algonquin Park’s rugged wilderness and extensive network of lakes and rivers then retire to a private cottage where a hot shower and warm wood stove awaits.  Experience true intimacy with your partner away from the bustle and noise of the big city.

Each accommodation at Killarney Lodge faces the beautiful Lake of Two Rivers and includes the use of a canoe which sits right outside your door, available for an early morning paddle on the undisturbed surface of the lake. The dawn silence, punctuated only by forest birds or the sound of grass being crushed underfoot as a moose strolls through your new backyard, will be a memory you and your partner will cherish long after your return to the daily routines of the big city.  Each cottage contains a king or queen bed and full bath with quality Aveda toiletries.

For couples seeking added privacy and luxury, the resort’s three-bedroom Crowe Cottage is located on its own private waterfront lot just 250 metres down the road from the main lodge. Meals are included in your stay, so you can choose to hike, drive, or canoe to the main property for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Millcroft Inn and Spa

The rolling hills, bountiful farmland, and scenic forest trails of Caledon will provide the backdrop for your romantic getaway at Millcroft Inn and Spa. Couples who want to stop and smell the roses as well as appreciate the finer things in life will find a feast for the senses in and around the inn. It is surrounded by art galleries and boutiques, and contains its own iconic restaurant and spa.

The Millcroft Inn’s “Summer Lovin’ Package” provides a bottle of wine delivered to your room, delicious breakfast for two, and a visit to the onsite spa, with outdoor hot springs to soothe aching muscles. After a replenishing dip in the outdoor hot spring pool followed by a cooling shower, you and your partner can call on the Headwaters Restaurant. The restaurant’s understated luxury in the calming ambience of Mill Pond and Shaws’ Creek Falls will be the site of your organic, seasonal dinner prepared from ingredients carefully selected from surrounding farms.

Gardeners and nature lovers will want to visit nearby Plant Paradise Country Gardens. Free guided tours of these botanical gardens will expose visitors to new long-blooming plants and intricate plant combinations, environmentally sound gardening tricks, and lessons on how to attract butterflies, pollinators, and beneficial bugs. Bonus: discover the perennials that thrive in Ontario climates as you wander through the 24 acres of scenic natural beauty.

Art lovers and creative types will want to visit Dragonfly Arts on Broadway which exhibits the works of over 200 Canadian artists, such as Rosemarie Armstrong’s oil and acrylic work, Beth Grant’s lampwork and glass beads, and Andrea Trace’s printmaking. And make sure to visit the Spirit Tree Cidery where the eponymous cider will give your cheeks a rosy glow as well as the amazing woodturning creations of master craftsman Christopher Goodhand. This unique artist creates decorative one-of-a-kind kitchenware, decorative vases, and art pieces using the wood lathe and hand-held tools, sculpting wood salvaged from the surrounding area.

Here’s how to do romance in Muskoka: choose a bottle from Bayview Wildwood Resort‘s curated wine list at dinner then go twist, shout, jump, and jive at their 1950s dance night. The next morning start your day with a downward dog at a morning yoga session (at a reasonable 11 AM) then take the Resorts of Sparrow Lake cruise in the afternoon or wait until evening for the sunset cruise, which lets you and your lucky guy or lady enjoy the scenic dusk from the waters of Sparrow Lake.

Couples who want a little adrenaline rush with their romantic dinners should head to Algonquin Log Cabin, a romantic hideaway in the midst of Ontario’s wilderness. After a day of hiking and canoeing, spend your nights in the Rustic Lodge where tasty seasonal fare and cozy comforts abound. Alternately, choose one of the guided treks through the wilderness, which feature hiking, canoeing, portaging, or all three and vary from three days to two full weeks in length. You and your partner can find out if adjacent Surprise Lake lives up to its name. Disconnect from the grid in the select company of only a few other souls (the large cabin accommodates only 12 guests at a time). Enjoy home cooked meals which are served at a large harvest table and warm up next to the old-fashioned stone fireplace in the evenings.

If you and your darling are after some indulgent fun in a couples-only setting (no rugrats making a ruckus in the buffet line!) try Couples Resort. Spring for the full accommodations and you don’t have to worry about a thing except finding the best view of the lake from your private hot tub. Firewood will be chopped and ready for your own fire place. The five-course, gourmet dinners and optional breakfast in bed will satisfy your culinary cravings, and if you want to explore the beautiful Galeairy Lake there are a number of available watercraft for sunset sojourns.

Lakeside Cottages is a first-rate destination for couples who want to keep their getaway cozy and low key. All you and your sweetheart will need is a drink in hand and some sun tan lotion as you recline on one of the resort’s comfortable loungers on a private sandy beach. Experience breathtaking sunsets from the comfort of your beach chair or take one of the resort’s paddle boats or kayaks out for a change of scenery. You can even rent a boat and motor, and for couples who like to catch their own dinner, Katchewanooka Lake is teeming with tasty fish in the summer. Bonus: go to the nearby stables and rent a horse for an unforgettable date in the Ontario outback.

If you’re looking for rest, relaxation, and refreshment, surprise your partner with a visit to Pillar and Post Inn, a 13,000-square foot indoor and outdoor spa. Located in historical Niagara-on-the-Lake, couples can savour the fermented glory of Canada’s premier wine region or take in the charming entertainment of a stage play at the Shaw Festival. Return to the resort where your large, comfy bed is steps away from the poolside patio where you and your mate can dine under the stars. A number of more formal dining options are also available and you’ll be transfixed by the smell of fresh bread and pastries baking in Chef Mark Longster’s brick oven in The Cannery Restaurant.

Couples who crave the warm hospitality of a classic country inn will feel welcome in Prince Edward County’s The Waring House. The area is known as one of Canada’s gastronomic capitals and there’s a thriving community of food producers, wine makers, and restaurants to provide a culinary backdrop to your romantic escape. Head to the Barley Room gastropub where five nights of the week you’ll hear great live music from local performers playing covers and originals of your favourite pop, rock, and Celtic tunes. All you’ll need to bring is your appetite and a bathing suit for nearby Sandbanks Provincial Park where you can spend the day wandering the white sand dunes or take a refreshing dip in the water.

Take a sunset yacht tour of Lake Joseph with your sweetheart and you’ll see that the Sherwood Inn’s Muskoka setting is as pretty as a postcard. There are also public cruises available on summer nights to let you view the scenic shorelines and rugged outcroppings of the Canadian Shield at a leisurely pace. If you like appreciating nature at higher speeds, take your partner on a Bear Claw ATV tour and traverse the Ontario wilderness on a four-wheeler. After working up an appetite you can wine and dine at the Vintages dining room before you and your better half retire to adjoining Muskoka chairs and dip your toes in the cool lake.

Getting away from our daily routines is how we learn about ourselves and the ones we love. After a trip to one of these great Ontario destinations you and your  partner will be replenished, refreshed, and ready to take on the world together. Whether you and your sweetie are drawn to adventure or are looking to sit back and relax on a sandy beach, Ontario has you covered. The only problem will be that you won’t want to leave.

Gananoque, 1000 Islands Resorts

Two of my favourite Ontario drives are found in the 1000 Islands. Hwy. 2 is the old stagecoach road between Montreal and Toronto and the 1000 Islands Parkway hugs the St. Lawrence River between Brockville and Gananoque. Both routes take you to the town of Gananoque, a riverside community dating back to the late 1700s. The 1000 Islands is also where you’ll find two Resorts of Ontario properties – the Gananoque Inn and the Glen House Resort. View of the 1000 Islands area from the air.

View of the 1000 Islands area from the air.

Originally built as a carriage factory, the Gananoque Inn first began welcoming guests in 1896. It was a heady time for the 1000 Islands, which was fast becoming a summer playground for the rich and famous. Millionaires like George Boldt, owner of New York City’s Waldorf Astoria hotel, and the Singer family of Singer sewing machine fame were building their palatial homes back then. The area was becoming known as the “Venice of the North”.

The Gananoque Inn has been welcoming guests in the 1000 Islands since 1896.

 Today, the Gananoque Inn is a relaxed place to spend a couple of days. I stayed here a while back with a British TV crew that was scouting locations for a Survivor-type TV show. I’ll always remember the crew and my first meeting with Chad, a survival expert who ran a wilderness school in the wilds of eastern Ontario. In the parking lot of the Gananoque Inn Chad wowed the British TV crew (and me too) by rubbing two sticks together and igniting a small handfull of dried bullrush in a matter of seconds. He was hired on the spot as the outdoor resource guy. During our five-day stay at the Inn, the crew and I ate most of our meals on the fab deck overlooking the St. Lawrence River and the Gananoque Boat Lines. The Gananoque Inn is also just down the street from the 1000 Islands Playhouse. Many theatre-goers arrive by boat at its two theatres, one a 1909 canoe club, and the other an old fire hall. 

The Glen House Resort in the 1000 Islands of Ontario.

The Glen House Resort is on a picturesque piece of St. Lawrence riverfront just east of Gananoque. Its idyllic setting is popular with wedding parties and often families will book the entire resort for their celebration. The resort has a 180 degree view of the St. Lawrence at one of the river’s widest points. You can explore the waterway in a Glen House boat, canoe or kayak, or for landlubbers, bicycles are available for cycling on the path along the parkway. I’m itching to play the resort’s Smuggler’s Glen, a championship 18 holes that has had rave reviews. I checked, and the Glen House Resort has some great mid-week and weekend golf deals for it.

A peaceful moment on the St. Lawrence River from the dock of the Glen House Resort in the 1000 Islands area of Ontario.

In fact, if you plan on touring the 1000 Islands, check out the Gananoque Inn and Glen House Resort’s summer and fall packages. In addition to golf, both include Gananoque Boat Line cruises and Thousand Islands Playhouse Theatre. The official tourism bureau of the 1000 Islands region. Gananoque Gananoque Inn & Spa Glen House Resort