DEALS / Lighthouses / BED & BREAKFAST / ONTARIO / Reviews

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

Story by Milli Thornton. Photos Copyright © 2010 Brian Williams & Milli Thornton.

The 1901 lighthouse on the front lawn, night shot

The 1901 lighthouse on the front lawn, night shot


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.

The serene and colorful garden features a water fountain, cottage-style benches and a swing

The serene and colorful garden features a water fountain, cottage-style benches and a swing

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.

Our Queen room was pretty as well as clean and comfortable

Our Queen room was pretty as well as clean and comfortable

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.

The private dock, complete with flowers & Muskoka / Adirondack chairs

The private dock, complete with flowers & Muskoka / Adirondack chairs

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.

Milli Thornton

Milli Thornton


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Milli Thornton (aka Milliver) is the author of Fear of Writing: for writers & closet writers. She is owner of the Fear of Writing Online Course, where her mission is to put the fun back into writing. Milli blogs at the Fear of Writing Blog and coaches writers individually at Writer’s Muse Coaching Service.

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FTC Compliance: This is an independent review that I wrote because I enjoyed my stay at Beacon Shore B&B—a trip that was 100% paid for by myself and my husband. The accommodation deals that we received were offered to us as regular guests. The owners had no foreknowledge that I run a travel blog.


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6 Comments

  1. Pingback: Best Ever B&B Breakfast | Millivers Travels

  2. catherine says:

    Beacon Shore on Georgian Bay B&B sounds better every time you write about it! You and Brian are so lucky to live close enough for easy return visits! It sounds like a place you can arrive with a good book and rest awhile before exploring the area, which seems to offer a lot of fun things to do. I would sure want to head down to that cozy looking dock with my favorite mystery and wait for the sun to set. The room prices are right too! We’ve visited so many places – $200-$300 a night that pale in comparison. This one offers value, nurturing, pleasant accommodations, yummy food, good views of the bay! I can just hear Otis Redding singing “Sitting on the dock of the bay…” Are they looking for anyone to adopt? No wonder you wanted to go live there! Cheers Milli!

  3. Patti Stafford says:

    Simply mahvalous darhlin’. 🙂

    It sounds like a beautiful place Milli. Thank you so much for sharing more of it with us.

  4. Pingback: Big Chute! | Millivers Travels

  5. Charles Brewer says:

    My wife and I have been guests at Beacon Shore for 8 of the last 10 years, and will continue to return. We always go with the Suite. It is, by far, our most favorite B&B! Great photos, Brian!

  6. Pingback: Winifred Batzli

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