| ◘ Hotels | ◘ Motels | ◘ Camping |
|---|
In and around Orillia there are several options for finding places to stay. Right in town are motels and motels, a couple of bed and breakfasts, and for longer stays, places where you can find housekeeping units. At one time, there were quite a lot of active bed and breakfasts here, but maintaining a bed and breakfast takes a lot of work and time, and several have retired and no longer actively rent out rooms. Many of these that no longer run still have many references on the web. As far as I know, there are only a few left in active business.
I seriously believe it takes a special kind of person to run a successful bed and breakfast. These lodgings are people's homes, they live in the them, and they love them, so opening your home up to strangers, and then having them walk away as friends when their stay is over is, to me, the mark of an excellent host.
Bed and Breakfasts
Betty and Tony's Waterfront B&B
677 Broadview Ave.
These folks have been hosting their bed and breakfast for quite a while, and although mostly retired, they still accept the odd visitor, and they have regular clients they still receive. The fact that they do have long-time repeat clients that just keep coming back says a lot about what kind of hosts they are.
On a personal level, I haven't stayed here, but I have been in their home during a Tour of Homes that used to be organized by the Women's Institute. The home itself is located on one of canals on Couchiching Point, and it's size from the front is quite deceiving. The inside is much larger than it looks from the front. The rooms are beautifully kept and look out onto the "back" yard (lovely and well tended) and the canal, with a peaceful relaxing air.
Whether or not they have any availability during the period you need a room can only be determined by giving them a call.
Creighton Manor
74 Creighton Street
The Creighton Manor is one of the loveliest homes, even more so since the new owners bought it. I've been in this house when it was "just a home" owned by the family of one of my daughter's friends. Even back then, I thought it was one of the most charming places I'd been. I fell in love with the areas that still had their original fittings (including the tiny old butlers pantry, and the dining area), and it's location was just so perfect! So much so that when they decided to list it for sale (many years ago now) we tried desperately to buy it. It was a little out of our price range back then, and we just couldn't come up with the extra. At that time, there were many things that needed repaired or restored, and that too would take time and money to do right.
Fortunately, the people who did eventually purchase it have done a beautiful job, both with the property and the home itself, and now, Creighton Manor is a busy and popular bed and breakfast. The old wrap around porch with it's attached gazebo is fabulous, and the tower rooms are a unique feature of the home's design. It was built during the Victorian era, but it's charm has not faded over the years.
I don't know the new owners, but if you have a love of the romantic, and enjoy peaceful and lush surroundings, this would be the place to spend a weekend away.
Anne's Cranberry House
25 Dalton Crescent S
I haven't been into this home, nor do I know the owners/hosts, although the reviews appear to be all good for these folks.
For visitors to town looking for a place that's close to most of the events and summer "goings-on", their location would be good for that. Dalton Crescent is located just off of West Street (at Borland), which makes it walking distance to downtown (about 10 minutes maybe) and even Couchiching Beach Park (if you like to walk - that's a little further than downtown). We used to live in this area (not on Dalton, but one of the streets behind it) and Dalton Crescent was one of my walking routes back then and the neighbourhood is all residential, and fairly quiet for the most part.
Housekeeping Units
Eagle Inn Suites
493 Laclie St.
Orillia, Ontario
Phone: (705) 329-0983
- furnished housekeeping/motel suites
- not too far from Couchiching Beach Park, but you need to drive from here
Bayview Inn
391 Atherley Road
- good location at the edge of Orillia near Tudhope Park, the Leacock Museum and 5 minutes from Couchiching Beach Park by car
- housekeeping suits/motel units
Cabins
The Hammock Harbour
The Gables Cottages
(Lake St. George, outside of Orillia)
Resorts and Lodges
Most of these resorts and rustic lodges are not located in Orillia, but outside of town. Several are in the Muskokas, but for anyone looking for a different, mor rural and relaxing "out-away-from-it-all" type of weekend, or those looking for places to ski or snowboard may find these useful. We've stayed at a couple of these places ourselves, but for the most part, when you live in Orillia, you don't often need to use local lodgings.
I've been to Geneva Park for a couple of events (one, a training event and the other a friend's wedding reception); I've stayed at Bayview Wildwood and Fern Resort (one night at Christmas); I have a cousin who owns a condo at Deerhurst Resort (she loves it up there, and rushes away from Toronto area every chance she gets), and been out to Blue Mountain (for an event, so just a day trip, I didn't stay here).
Geneva Park Conference Center
(Ramara Township, just outside of Orillia)
- events, conferences, weddings, etc.
Bayview Wildwood Resort
(Port Stanton Area)
- events, weddings, weekend packages
I've been out at this resort. One of the companies I used to work for had our Christmas parties here, and booked out a block of rooms, which we stayed in. Very lovely, even in the winter.
Severn Lodge
(Muskoka, Gloucester Pool)
Blue Mountain Resort
(Collingwood)
- ski resort, but also has summer packages.
Deerhurst Resort
(Huntsville)
- several year round offerings, including spa
Fern Resort
(Ramara Township)
- on Lake Couchiching
- close to the Casino
- year round
I've stayed at this place too ... also a lovely relaxing place to stay.
Forest Glen Resort
(Port Severn)
Horseshoe Valley Resort
(Barrie area, about 15 minutes from Orillia)
- year round, but renowned for it's skiing and snowboarding
Snow Valley
(Barrie)
Mount St. Louis
(Moonstone)
Shamrock Bay Resort
(between Severn Bridge & Kilworthy in Muskoka)
Taboo Resort
(Muskoka)
Closed for 2015 due to a fire in late 2014, but are redeveloping with plans to reopen.