Up first in our Love Where You Live series is the province of Ontario. You see, Ontario is my hometown province and with stricter lockdowns being announced this week, it seems like a good place to start as it will be the first place that will truly open up for us, outside of our homes.
Before we get started, I wanted to touch on COVID; rest assured, Ombi Travel is NOT encouraging travel of any kind, now or in the near future. With a state of emergency and a stay-at-home order in effect, our only encouragement is to stay healthy in the safety of your home. But we weren’t given orders to stop dreaming or to stop finding things that inspire us, were we? That is where the Love Where You Live series comes in; it allows us to dream about seeing new things in a realistic way. Realistic because our province and our own country is where we will be able to safely and legally explore first. Don’t get me wrong, I am still dreaming of see Petra or seeing the Great Wall of China one day, but ‘travel Canadian’ may come to fruition faster.
If you are from Ontario you know all about it being ‘Yours to Discovery, ‘A Place to Grow” or “that good things grow in Ontario’ but during my research there were a lot of things that came up that I never knew. Here are just a few that stood out:
Our focus this week is unique accommodations throughout Ontario. It should be noted that I have not personally stayed at all of these locations but during my research they were accommodations that resonated with me and are places that I would love to stay at in the future.
It should also be noted that at the time of this post, these accommodations were not all open due to COVID lockdowns or due to their seasonality. Ombi Travel cannot verify the future status of these unique accommodations at this time but hope to explore all of them after we get through this pandemic. With that being said, let’s get started!
Located in Smith Falls, this museum offers the chance for you to stay overnight in a caboose. A unique railway experience where it will feel like you are stepping back in time to the early railroading days. While your there, you can also learn about this national historic site.
A unique, one-of-a-kind boutique hotel in the heart of Chatham, ON. Their 45 individually-designed suites make use of all the architectural features of a century-old building including exposed brick walls, loft-style ceilings and large custom-built washrooms. Room themes range from Paris, Rock n’ Roll, Log Cabin, Wild Wild West and many more. I had the experience of staying in the Ruby Red on a business trip and recommend this hotel to anyone that is visiting the Chatham area.
A ranch B&B getaway for adults, located in my hometown of Strathroy, that offers a unique experience of staying in a private & unique covered wagon. Frank and Gail Cahill offer a place where you can unwind, relax and be a little pampered all while ensuring a healthy and serene escape from everyday demands. While there you can partake in some horseback riding, cycle or visit the many golf courses in the area.
We leave my hometown and come a little closer to my current hometown, in Kitchener, to look at Homegrown Hideaway located in Norfolk Count. My friend, Christine at Buzz Tour Company, piqued my interest with this newly opened space this past summer. Homegrown Hideaway is a glamping experience designed to help you escape and reconnect. Their luxury tents are a mix between camping and cottage and were built from all Canadian raw materials and repurposed wood. I cannot wait to get back to nature this summer and Homegrown Hideaway seems like an idyllic location to do so.
A previous winner of the Ontario Tourism Sustainable Tourism Award, this lodge was created for the wilderness enthusiast while minimizing their impact on the environment. Ombi Travel has a Sustainable Travel Policy and accommodations like this are very special to us. Located in the remote Algonquin Park forests, it is completely off-grid and even creates alternative energy from a waterfall. This sounds like heaven to me and is near the top of my lists of places to stay in Ontario.
I am throwing this one in, not only for its Instagram worthy appeal, but because of story behind the motel and how two women took a dingy roadside motel in Prince Edward County and turned it into what it is today. Their renovated motels have that 1970's beach vibes that keep people going back. If you are interested in supporting a women-run business, take the drive to Prince Edward Country or their second location in Sauble Beach, I don’t think you will be disappointed.
There are a few more places that I want to call out because I have stayed there and my experience was memorable. Be sure to check them out.
It is hard to come up with a short list of unique places to stay in Ontario because we have them in abundance and as I visit more and more locations, I will come back and update this post.
If you know of any unique accommodations in Ontario or perhaps you own a location that you would like mentioned, please reach out. We are only truly connected when we share are experiences and help our neighbour.
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Until next week, stay safe, smile and know that we will get through this.
Ombi Travel
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