Telegraph House

Cathy (not sure of spelling) at reception was extremely helpful with suggestions for cafes, activities, and places to view the Northern Lights. The rooms were very clean and well set up, though our double bed felt quite small and was really squeaky. The bathroom floor squeaked too, and having the sink right in the main room was a bit odd. It’s a historic, very nice place to stay in Baddeck. The onsite restaurant serves delicious food, but it’s very expensive, and you should book ahead to get a table.

The Cable Room fine dining at the Telegraph House deserves its own listing. For a big family reunion, I asked my cousin Shirley where she’d always wanted to dine, and she chose this place. The dinner felt like a Royal affair, with impeccable white tablecloth service, divine food plated elegantly, and down home hospitality from a group of women who all reminded me of my mom from here. Highest recommendation!

The shower made our stay at the Telegraph House & Motel especially miserable. Its temperature kept jumping without warning from extremely hot to extremely cold, and the faucet did the same. After a long day in Baddeck or before a long day in Cape Breton, a nice warm shower is a simple pleasure, and not being able to get one was the straw that broke the camel’s back. If you’ve booked already, beware. Stay elsewhere if you can. We stayed in the main house, where the room left a lot to be desired in quality, size, and basic amenities. The old 1900s decor had none of the charm. Floorboards creaked, doors wouldn’t close all the way, and we could hear all the neighbours. The layout was awkward, and the renovations seemed poorly thought through. There weren’t accessible plugs near the beds, so unplugging a nearby lamp meant crawling around. The Wi-Fi was basically unusable, so expect to burn through mobile data. I don’t expect much from a cheap stay, but this place still shocked us. The interior design felt ancient and awkwardly put together.

We slept well in the motel, which was clean enough. It was early April and the off season, with ice and snow everywhere, but luckily there was a shovel handy. The location is good, and the host was friendly.