Beacon Shore on Georgian Bay B&B, Midland, Ontario

BED & BREAKFAST, DEALS, Lighthouses, ONTARIO — By Milli Thornton on July 11, 2010 at 5:57 PM

Photos Copyright © 2010 Brian Williams

WE ARE LUCKY to be within reasonable driving distance of this B&B because we can’t wait to go back.

We’re not strangers to a good B&B. But this one truly is paradise from all angles: the gorgeous setting, the house and gardens, the extra features (how ’bout a lighthouse on the front lawn?), the private wooded acres away from the bustle of town—and our memorable hosts, Jacquie and Bob Black.

We’ve met some lovely B&B owners in our time but it was truly a wrench to leave Bob and Jacquie at the end of our stay.

(I jokingly applied for a job at Beacon Shore. On the morning when we had to leave I whimpered: “Can we live with you?”)

When it comes to the top two criteria for a successful B&B, the Blacks are experts: fabulous breakfast and the gift of making you feel at home. So much love, craftsmanship and sheer art goes into every detail.

Bob is a skilled woodworker and uses his talents to add many fine features; such as the garden structures, antique-style bathroom accents and furniture. Jacquie nourishes the cottage flower garden and keeps the house clean enough for a surprise Better Homes and Gardens inspection. The shower stall was so gleaming-white immaculate, I felt like I was the first person ever to step into it!

As we often do when Brian and I forget that a long weekend’s coming up, we booked at the last minute. The only room left was the Twin, but it looked nice on the BBCanada.com listing so we took it. The room turned out to be so charming and well-appointed, we did not feel any pinch of compromise. We were very happy with our comfy beds and our private bathroom. And we loved the view from our second-storey window of black squirrels playing in the forest.

Since the sumptuous accommodation was such a bargain ($90 per night for the Twin)—and since we were having an unforgettable time on and around Georgian Bay—we decided to stay an extra night. The Twin room was no longer available, so we moved next door to the Queen ($100 per night).

I say “we moved” but we didn’t have to lift a finger; the Blacks did everything. We came back tired and sunburned from our visit to Big Chute to find that (with a prior courtesy notice) everything had been carefully moved for us. Talk about service with a smile!

Even with moving to the Queen room we averaged only $101 per night; including taxes, exchange rate (which was in our favor, so that helped) and international POS fees. When you consider the value added by the breakfast—top-notch menu and personal pampering; two satisfying courses with bottomless coffee—this really frees up your budget for local activities. Much appreciated! The “steal of a deal” on our accommodation meant we could pick one or two high-quality activities each day.

Among other fun things, we took a float plane ride over 30,000 Islands, cruised the waters of Georgian Bay and watched boats being lifted overland at Big Chute.

With our busy schedule of activities, we didn’t have much time to linger in the garden, which was a shame. (But what a great reason to go back!) However, we did spend time relaxing in the party-colored Muskoka chairs on the lush lawn overlooking the bay. Or, should I say, the Adirondack chairs, depending on who’s doing the talking. (Bob and Jacquie have a running gag about this, based on their childhood origins.)

One of our other favorite pastimes was visiting the dock. We dabbled our tired city feet in the cool, refreshing water and soaked up the sun, while admiring the boats of many sizes that ply the waters of Georgian Bay.

If you’ve never been to Ontario, this would be the perfect place to start. So renew that passport and pack your suntan lotion. And don’t forget to order the pancakes!

Beacon Shore on Georgian Bay Bed & Breakfast, Midland, Ontario, Canada

P.S. Feast your eyes (and soul) on Bob and Jacquie’s amazing breakfasts in my special article: Best Ever B&B Breakfast.

Beacon Shore has been reviewed by Janette Higgins, author of The Best Places to B&B in Ontario: A Selective Guide. Janette says: “Every Ontario bed and breakfast receives my consideration. I travel incognito, pay where I stay and write reviews of the top 5%.” Read Janette’s review on the testimonials page for Beacon Shore on BBCanada.com.

Tags: B&B's, Beacon Shore B&B, gardens, Lighthouses, ONTARIO