Marmora and Lake Inn

We didn’t stay at the B&B, so I can’t comment on it, but we had a good meal at the restaurant. My husband ordered Chicken Slovakia and I had the Terriky Chicken senior’s meal. Both dishes came out hot and tasty. The server was courteous and attentive, and service was good. We’ll come back and would recommend it to others. Thank you.

I booked without reading the reviews, then saw the mixed feedback and some recent bad ones afterward. I decided to try it anyway and wasn’t disappointed. For the price, our room was unreal: spacious, luxurious in an old money sort of way, with lovely wooden furniture. It felt like the kind of room that would cost at least $500-1000 a night in a Toronto hotel. We also had use of the dining area and pool. I booked to break up the drive between Ottawa and Toronto because an ice storm was forecast. Booking.com showed the whole house for the price of a room, and I assumed there was a mistake. It turned out we were the only guests that night, so the price was calculated for two adults and one baby. We only needed one room but got the common facilities too. There was no car outside when we arrived, just a porch light and no other sign of life. No one was at the front desk, but there was a form with my name, so I started filling it in. Then a voice came through a camera. It felt a little strange at first, but the gentleman on the other end explained everything well. He wasn’t on site, presumably because of the ice storm, which may explain why we had the house to ourselves. We were meant to be in Room #3 because the crib was there, but once we learned we were alone, we asked to switch to the nicest room, #2, and move the crib. He agreed, though the crib wouldn’t fit through that room’s doorway. It was so nice that we brought the Pack and Play bed in from the car instead. Since earlier reviews mentioned problems, here’s what we found. The sheets, bathroom, and kitchen were all very clean in the rooms we saw, so those rooms seemed fine. I swam first thing in the morning. The pool was a bit cold but fine for a relaxed swim, like Lake Ontario in midsummer. There was a realistic looking artificial fireplace nearby where I warmed up with coffee and watched the snow fall. That was awesome. Room #2 had a huge, comfortable king bed with antique wood, like something from a historical movie. My girlfriend and I had plenty of space to spread out. I can’t speak for the other rooms. Its ensuite bathroom was large, clean, and stocked with shampoos, conditioners, and body washes. There were a couple of ladybugs by the window, just sitting there, and they didn’t bother us. We saw no other bugs anywhere on the property. I dealt with Yatin, the owner. He was nice and professional, and was fine with our request for a late checkout. He seemed reasonable. There’s now a lock on the front door, so we could lock it from inside at bedtime. We had a wonderful, unusual stay, though I can see it won’t suit everybody. If you’re very particular and want a modern hotel with lots of staff and a predictable experience, a corporate hotel might suit you better. This felt like a family sleepover at your wealthy grandpa’s house while he was out of town. I meant to take a picture of Room #2 but left in a hurry and forgot. The photos I have are of the upstairs hall and Room #3.

The dining room’s rustic, old-fashioned look took me back to my grandmother’s house in the early 90s. Then the food arrived and the smash burger brought me straight back to the present. It was delicious, well seasoned, and full of flavor, like something from a pub that specializes in smash burgers. The soup on the side was flavorful too, and didn’t taste like it came from a can. Service was quick, though the wine list was limited. I’d come back for that same burger and recommend dinner to visitors. I do think they should offer a salad with it instead of soup, since salad costs an owner less than fries or soup as a side.

We booked the “holiday home” room for a long weekend with our two young children, and I’ve never seen a place this filthy. There was chicken in the sink, dirty cupboards and oven, stained sheets, marks all over the walls, and the advertised “garden view” was awful. I’d booked for the private kitchen, indoor pool, and in-house dining, but the lack of basic cleanliness meant I didn’t touch the kitchen, use the pool, or eat in the dining room. Through a window we could see mold all over the top of a freezer in the kitchen, and I was honestly worried we’d get sick. The man at the front desk said he disagreed and thought the room was clean. He also told Booking.com, which is where I booked and which is refusing a refund, that it was spotless. He offered to “give the floor another mop” and changed the sheets, which were stained too. Absolutely disgusting. This place needs to be shut down. Don’t stay here, and don’t book through Booking.com, since apparently this is acceptable to them. In response to the reply below, the photos speak for themselves. It’s shocking that the establishment thinks this meets basic cleanliness standards. I stand by what I wrote. Am I disappointed I didn’t get a refund? Of course. But I mainly want to warn people not to spend their hard-earned money on this filthy place, especially if they have children.