If you’ve been thinking about spending a snowy New Year in Cottage Country, there’s still some availability for groups of up to 8 people.  Check our Festive Rental list and make plans for a winter getaway!  Most or our remaining cottages accept pets so there’s no concern about Fido either.  We even have a chalet at Hidden Valley so you can include skiing in your itinerary

As the weather we are currently experiencing shows, winter is inevitable and I look forward to it with anticipation of lots of outdoor activity, Tim Horton’s hot chocolate, and the smell of woodsmoke in the air. In cottage country, we prepare for it, expect it to be tough at times, and respect mother nature for the curve balls she occasionally throws. For visitors to the country, particularly those renting a cottage for the first time, it can be surprising how different conditions are, just an hour or so north of the city, particularly at this time of year.

Following these tips can help make your winter cottage rental a trip to remember – for all the right reasons:

Use winter tires. All season tires are OK in places, but many cottage roads are hilly, narrow and winding. You will need all the traction you can get and winter tires are the way to go. If a rental listing recommends 4WD, don’t book the cottage unless you have the appropriate vehicle.

Keep an emergency pack in the car. Preparing for the worst is always good advice. Some cottage country roads are pretty remote, even if they are ploughed. Our cottage is 4km down a road that is ploughed by the township, however it’s the only winterized cottage. If you broke down or slid off the road, it may be days before someone found you. Environment Canada has a list of what you should have in your emergency car kit.

Tell people where you are going and when you expect to be there. This is one of those pieces of advice we give our kids, but often ignore as adults, but it’s worth the extra minute or two before you leave on a trip to cottage country to let family or friends know your plans. Give them the contact phone numbers you have on your cottage rental information sheet, the address and phone number of the cottage you have rented, and your planned time of arrival. Phone home and let people know you have arrived safely, or if you are going to be significantly delayed.

Plan your trip thoroughly and give yourself lots of time to get there. Snow squalls are frequent in the traditional snow belt areas, and its not unusual to leave the city in brilliant sunshine and find blizzard conditions just an hour or so north. Make sure you have a good map with you, and know where you are going. Check the Weather Network for severe weather updates – you can get these downloaded to your cell phone.

Fill up with fuel before you get off the highway so you arrive with as full a tank as you can have. If there is an extensive power outage due to a winter storm, you may have difficulty in finding a gas station that has power to run the pumps.

Trust the owner of your vacation home. If the owner calls you to say there is a problem accessing the cottage due to snow conditions, trust him and do not travel. These people know their cottage areas and won’t get you to curtail your trip unless there is good reason. If you do attempt the trip after being advised not to, you are taking a real risk.

Winter in cottage country can be a magical experience if you spend some time getting prepared for the conditions you may encounter.

There was a neat article on the Fodor’s blog about running on vacation and it got me thinking about how great it is to exercise in cottage country in the fall and winter.

I love to run, and my favourite route is the 4km road that leads down to my cottage on the Crowe River. At this time of year it’s the most tranquil and peaceful route you could imagine. The only sounds might be a woodpecker tapping away at a tree, or a chipmunk rustling in the leaves. Coming around a corner to see a group of deer grazing by the roadside is one of those idyllic moments that are hard to forget. On a cool day there’s little that beats a good run finished of with a soak in the hot tub listening to the flow of the river over the nearby rapids. The few hills just add to the variety and interest of the run – not too difficult but enough to make it a great workout.

If you are a runner and want to get away from running in town; having to slow for crossing a road or maneuvering around pedestrians, why not give yourself a break and enjoy some great cottage country routes. Osprey Cottage is available for short breaks and so are many others in our cottage collection. Just give us a call and let us help you arrange it for you.

Photo of Shoe Tree on Highway 62, Ontario by 1ncognito

I asked our Account Manager for the Bruce Peninsula to tell me about some great cottages that have availability for the summer.  Glenn is our expert on the area as he has rented out his own cottage – Willow Bank – for many years. Here’s what he said:

“It appears that summer has finally arrived on the spectacular Bruce  Peninsula this week. The sky is clear, the sun is shining, the temperature is rising and there are cooling breezes blowing on shore from the crystal blue waters of Georgian Bay. We still have some weeks available this summer at two cottages located on the Georgian Bay shoreline.”

The Morning Mystification cottage is located on Dyers Bay just north of Lions Head. Bayside Retreat is located on Mallory Beach just north of Wiarton. Both these cottages have delightful waterfront and some availability remaining in August.

“Life can not get any better if you are spending time at either of these two cottages this summer.”

For availability in all our cottages check our calendars here

There’s some cottage gems available for the last week of July. Just check our July availability calendar to see what we have open. Here’s some ideas:

A weekend rental at Chandos Hill Top. Finding a weekend rental in the summer is almost impossible, but we have a great cottage sleeping up to 8 on Chandos Lake in the north Kawartha region.  There’s a choice of decks for lazing and viewing the lake down below, and for the swimmers in the group, a dive-off dock. $490 + booking fee for Friday 24 July – Sunday 26 July.

Green Acres on the Bruce Peninsula is a delightful cottage with great price tag for a premium week.  For $950 + booking fee you get a lovely open plan property that accommodates up to 6 people. It’s a short walk to a great beach and you can bring your pet

too.

So, it’s last minute and you’re trying to accommodate your large family or even two smaller families. Don’t despair….Birchview is just right for you! Not too far from the city and an upscale cottage with all the comforts of home.  Normally renting in the $3000+ range, we are able to offer this delightful home on Lake Simcoe at $2500 +booking fee, for the week of July 25 – August 1.  Don’t delay on this one – book now.

Another beauty, Spruce Hollow on Lake Vernon, is now available for the last week of July.  With 5 bedrooms, gorgeous waterfront and its own boat launch, there is no excuse for not getting out of the city to experience this Muskoka gem.  Close to Huntsville for shopping, yet with wonderful privacy, this is a fabulous location for that last minute vacation.  $3200 + booking fee gives accommodation for up to 10 people.

These are just a few of our available cottages for that week – check the website for more.

The owner of this cottage is just finishing up renovations and new photos will be uploaded soon, but it will look lovely. I particularly liked the painted wood floors which are in keeping with the history of the cottage which has been in the family for over 45 years. Chandos is a gorgeous lake and the water here is clean and clear and great for swimming.

Best features of Twin Birches: The screened sunroom, cosy dining room and lots of lawned gardens for play. The cottage sleeps 6 and rents for $1280 per week in high season. It’s open for booking now.

Spruce Hollow is a spacious property on one of the finest lakes in Muskoka. With accommodation for two families and plenty of waterfront and lawned gardens for relaxing and playing, young and old alike with love the space and surroundings.  We particularly liked Huntsville being so close (just 20 minutes) for shopping, eating out, and attractions such as the Algonquin Theatre and Muskoka Heritage Place. 

You can launch your own boat directly at the property and rent one from a nearby marina. Take your family or enjoy some time with friends at this lovely cottage.

Sleeps up to 12 at $3250 per week in high season

If you decided to take a trip by air, or wanted to book a package holiday, how long would you expect the airline or resort to ‘hold’ a space for you? Probably no time at all –unless you had put down a deposit. The reason for this is that once a hold is placed on a seat, or a room, then no-one else can book that space. The airline or hotel is at risk of losing any other clients who might be looking for availability at that same time.

The same is true of a cottage. If you contact an owner or agency to ‘book’ a vacation rental, they may place that property on hold for you while you complete a rental agreement and send in a deposit. This will make that property unavailable to other interested clients so if you take your time over completing the process and subsequently change your mind, that property has been out of circulation for that period and the owner may lose out on other potential bookings.

It is not surprising that most agencies will not allow a hold without a deposit of some sort, and expect all, or a portion of it, to be non-refundable. This covers their costs of generating a rental agreement, and the potential for lost income to the owner if the renter changes his or her mind.

Read cancellation policies very carefully. You run the risk of losing your deposit if you cancel and the owner or agency is unable to re-rent the period that has been booked. Even if they do, expect to pay a cancellation penalty in the region of $150.

Renting a privately owned property for a short term is very different from booking a hotel room, or an apartment owned by a resort, and for those who have never taken this type of vacation before, it can be a bit unnerving to be asked to sign a legal contract. However, you should be very wary if an owner does not ask you to complete a rental agreement. Booking policies and Terms and Conditions of Rental are there to ensure fairness for everyone, and are not generally designed to be restrictive. They protect all the parties involved in a rental agreement and make sure that everyone is aware of their responsibilities.

Vacation rental is a wonderful way to spend time with family and friends in a home-style environment in a fabulous location. It’s worth the extra paperwork to enjoy it to the full.

There is something entirely magical about sitting in a bubbling hot tub under a star filled sky with a balmy outdoor temperature of -15c.  If you’ve never experienced this, it’s just one of those things you need to put on your 100-things-to-do before next year list!  And with a cottage country vacation rental, you could bring this much closer as we’ve got availability in cottages with hot tubs right now.

Twin Lakes is close to Huntsville so you could add cross country skiing at Arrowhead Provincial Park, and downhill at Hidden Valley to your weekend activities. This great cottage will sleep up to 8 people.

Guests who have experienced the delights of Cherry Hollow just keep coming  back!  It’s a fabulous cottage that accommodates up to 10 people, has its own skating rink, and of course the tub which sits on a deck above the lake for fantastic moonlight views.

Mountain House is at the foot of the Blue, near Collingwood, and is just a walk to the slopes. Enjoy the spacious house, the proximity to skiing and the opportunity to just kick back and relax. Oh…and did I mention there’s six bedrooms?

The hot tub at Osprey Cottage overlooks the gently flowing Crowe River and since it’s the only winterised cottage on the road, there’s unlikely to be any neighbours around, so you can enjoy the privacy. There’s a warming wood stove too.

Call us if you have any questions on these great properties for winter fun under the stars.

Here’s a few winter festivals to warm up some ideas for a winter break in this cold, cold weather.  How about watching world class dog sledding at the Marmora Sno-fest from January 30th – February 1st.  Stay at Osprey Cottage on nearby Crowe River or Mapleview which is around 40 minutes to the east.

The Kearney Dog Sled races are on the following weekend 6th, 7th & 8th February. Come out for a weekend of fun and see the Jamaica Dog Sled Team! Take a break in Antler’s Rest or Twin Lakes or Skyhills House on Lake Vernon.

If you’d prefer to get involved and experience dog sledding rather than just watching, then book an intro, half day or full day tour with Haliburton Forest Dog Sled team. Stay in Emilie’s Zos for comfortable cottage accommodation near to the forest.

There’s plenty of ideas for winter fun on our winter activities page. Check it out and book today.