OverviewThis property offers an on-site spa, an on-site restaurant, childcare services and squash courts, making this a good choice for leisure travellers looking for more than basic accommodations with lots of amenities and recreation on site.
This hotel is 100% smoke free and offers rooms, suites, waterfront cottages and historic houses. All accommodations feature cable TV, a coffeemaker, a mini-fridge and free Wi-Fi.
All rooms and suites overlook Sparrow Lake and come equipped with a sofabed and fireplace. Some also feature wheelchair access, a jetted tub and/or a shared or private deck or balcony.
Cottages and houses may offer a fireplace, private or shared patio, wheelchair accessibility and/or waterside location. Some also feature a full kitchen, BBQ and screened veranda.
Free on-site parking is available and pets are not permitted to stay at this hotel.
On-site hotel features include an indoor pool, a hot tub, squash courts, a fitness room, a games room, guest laundry, childcare services, copy and fax services, meeting space and an on-site spa. It also features plenty of activities, such as supervised programs for kids, tennis, hiking, boating and water sports, a beach, basketball and archery. In the winter, there is free ice skating, tobogganing, snowshoeing and a guided snowmobile safari is also available.
Dining on site is available at Echo's Dining Lounge, which overlooks the lake and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Crusader Lounge, open 24 hours, features coffee, hot water, a microwave and a TV. Free Wi-Fi is available property-wide.
Galaxy Cinemas Orillia is a 23-minute drive away. Bonaire Golf and Country Club is a 37-minute drive. Sparrow Lake is 11 minutes by car from the hotel while Bear Creek Golf Club is a 53-minute drive away. (All driving estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with the front desk on April 4, 2013: free Wi-Fi, free parking, on-site spa and on-site restaurant.
The GoodGuests were generally happy with their stays and most reviews were very positive, with guests raving about the hotel, the staff, the restaurant and the rooms.
Many guests were impressed with the overall atmosphere of the hotel and claimed it had ambiance. They also enjoyed the activities offered and thought they were good sources of entertainment. One guest really enjoyed the games room while another described the hotel as charming. However, there were a few opposing opinions about the decor (see below).
According to many guests, the staff were trained well and seemed attentive and accommodating. One reviewer felt the service was impeccable while another described the staff as extremely welcoming.
The restaurant was a source of praise for several guests, who really enjoyed the food.
Several guests were impressed with the rooms and described them as spacious, comfortable and clean. However, there were a couple of complaints about rooms (see below).
The Bad
As mentioned above, guests generally were happy with their stays and would return. There were few negative reviews. However, there were some common complaints about noise, the furnishings and the room temperature.
Some guests were disturbed by the nearby train track and had noise complaints, claiming it trains passed by too frequently and too close for comfort.
While many guests were pleased with the condition of the hotel, there were some guests who criticized the decor and felt it was dated. They thought the hotel could use a facelift and thought the furnishings looked old.
Although the majority of comments regarding the rooms were positive, there were some guests who had issues with the thermostat and had difficulty getting the room temperature to their preferred level of comfort.
TripAdvisor.com ranked this hotel #1 out of 1 hotels in Severn Bridge with an average rating of 4 out of 5 based on 98 reviews.
The author called the hotel on April 4, 2013 to confirm some information.
