Elmhirst's Resort - On A Lake

“Nice secluded lake resort in Kawarthas”

Elmhirst's is a venerable old cottage resort, updated for the 21st century. There are many cottages, of various sizes and shapes, almost all with views of, and access to, Rice Lake. The cottages are comfortable and not too rustic, but not the height of luxury either. (The wind fairly whistled thoug… more

Elmhirst's is a venerable old cottage resort, updated for the 21st century. There are many cottages, of various sizes and shapes, almost all with views of, and access to, Rice Lake. The cottages are comfortable and not too rustic, but not the height of luxury either. (The wind fairly whistled though our back door in Cottage 5.) There's a full kitchen, and most things you would need for an extended stay. It's just a short walk to the main building where you can find the reception, restaurant, pub, swimming pool, gym, as well as conference facilities. There are trails around the property, as well as further afield along the lakeshore or through the woods. If you have kids, there is a playground, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, and of course the lake. We were there in the off-season, so it was nice and peaceful, but I can imagine it gets pretty busy in the summer and fall. The food is actually pretty good, with a better choice for vegetarians than most rural lodges; there are several veggie choices both in the restaurant and in the pub. If you're into sustainability, Elmhirst's is trying its best. The cottages use efficient electric heat pumps, and the main building has solar panels on its roof. It taps its own maple syrup, produces its own honey, makes its own cider, and grows what food ingredients it can, including eggs and meat. The resort website has a nice little video showing how guests can help its recycling and composting efforts. If you have an electric car, I couldn't see an outside socket on the cottage for trickle charging, but there are two free Level 2 chargers in the main parking lot (just ask for a key in reception to get it working). Great!

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“Wonderful location. A treat of a getaway.”

Undeniably gorgeous location with much to offer. We stayed in a 3 bedroom free spirit cottage. It was recently renovated and very cozy, but spacious. Each bedroom has its own bathroom which is such a great feature. The kitchen is perfect, complete with a dishwasher, coffee maker fridge and stove,… more

Undeniably gorgeous location with much to offer. We stayed in a 3 bedroom free spirit cottage. It was recently renovated and very cozy, but spacious. Each bedroom has its own bathroom which is such a great feature. The kitchen is perfect, complete with a dishwasher, coffee maker fridge and stove, kettle. The resort offers complimentary items in each cottage such as an sos pad, dishwasher pods and coffee whitener and cream and sugar to name a few. Quite a nice touch. The free wifi was excellent and made my team very happy! The lake view from the cottage is wonderful. There are 2 parking spaces per cottage which is also handy. The back yard which faces the water has a little dock, 2 chairs and a bbq with propane. The path that runs along the water from one end of the resort to the other is a nice park to walk. The sun rise was so pretty and I’m so glad I was walking early enough to catch it. The dining options are great. The onsite pup and the dining hall are simply delicious. If you can, try the brisket and the potato salad! The Sunday brunch although a bit on the costly side, is amazing. We stayed at cottage 2 and the location is excellent. The staff onsite are wonderful. Especially Karen at the front desk. Everyone was very attentive if you requested anything but you definitely don’t feel like you’re being monitored constantly. The outdoor pool area looks great. Unfortunately I didn’t get the opportunity to use it as we were there for our wedding. All of my guests loved the venue and many family members would consider hosting a family reunion on site. The only downfall here is the potential for up charges. An example, If you don’t take the garbage to the depot you will pay $75. Considering the price to stay for a 2 night minimum, I think garbage should be collected from each of the cottages respective containers. Guests shouldn’t need to drive their trash to their onsite depot. It’s a cottage rental, not a trailer park. This one thing had put a really bad taste is everyone’s mouth. It just seems crazy. Some of the cottages could use some work. There were a couple decks that are in need of replacement or repair. However, it should be noted that the resort clearly works hard to continually update the cottages so it’s nothing at all to worry about. The grounds are beautiful, the Clydesdale horses on site are beautiful and friendly- worth a hike up to see them for sure. Overall Elmhirst is great! I would like to return for a weekend in the future. I wish there as a place to bring my trailer and park if onsite as it really is a beautiful spot.

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“Sunday Buffet not as good as it used to be.”

This review is about the Sunday Buffet which is about $40. per adult. Attended there on Mother's Day 2024 with a group of 5. The staff are awesome and of course the seating and view are perfect. Younger piano guy but the same non-intrusive background music. I am sorry to say the food has gone downh… more

This review is about the Sunday Buffet which is about $40. per adult. Attended there on Mother's Day 2024 with a group of 5. The staff are awesome and of course the seating and view are perfect. Younger piano guy but the same non-intrusive background music. I am sorry to say the food has gone downhill. There used to be about 4 full size layer cakes you could slice your own and now it looks like a Mandarin dessert table. Tiny tarts, One inch pieces of fudge or Nanaimo bar, ONE INCH!!. A bunch of danishes. No chocolate dipped stawberries. No Bread Pudding. I could go on but if you knew what was there before Covid you will now see a severe downsizing. Only one chef cutting Beef portions, nobody making crepes anymore. Eggs Benny were delicious as were the sausages and bacon. So, prices up but selection down. I won't be going back anymore but for other diners this may still be the best Sunday Brunch in the Keene area. Downgrading by me from Excellent in 2020 to Average in 2024.

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