Sunny Rock B&B Haliburton

For a romantic getaway, this charming old-fashioned lodge is a must-stay. Be sure to choose the room on the waterfalls. Sally, Jan, and little pooch, Cody, add lovely personal touches, with the occasional appearance of Justin Beaver and blue heron. Sally’s lovingly prepared gourmet breakfasts come with her “what’s it game.” You’ll need some previous Pioneer life experience to do well! Nicky & George from Burlington.

The location is peaceful, there’s a nice little dog roaming around, and the shower in our room was decent. Those were about the only bright spots. We were supremely disappointed and couldn’t wait to leave. I take no pleasure in writing a review focused on a person, but after hundreds of hotel, Airbnb, and Bed & Breakfast stays, this was by far the worst because of Sally herself. From the start, the owner greeted my wife and me with “who are you? where are you from? have you been socializing with people?” instead of welcoming us. I understand she’s clearly not in the best of health and may have had a reason for asking, but it’s a poor way to greet people paying $300 / night. The rule book came out at every turn. Sally told us which firewood we could take, the wet pieces, while keeping the dry ones for herself. She showed my wife how to wash dishes and imposed an “internet free zone,” despite the place clearly having wifi. It seemed like an excuse to avoid overages on her internet bill. The public living area also had a cordoned-off TV section just for Sally and her friends. The space seemed arranged mainly for her own convenience. The first morning, we’d slept in on vacation after a circuit breaker alarm went off at 4am, then repeated and kept us awake for another hour. Sally sat with her head in her hands. She didn’t apologize or ask how we slept, just curtly said, “that’s what happens when the power resets,” and “you said you were going to be down here at 8:30”. She clearly doesn’t have the social capacity to be a good host.

We stayed in the Pine Studio, where we fell asleep each night to the gentle sound of the river rocks. Sally, Jan, and Cody were excellent hosts, and breakfast was delicious every morning.

Our nerves were frazzled after the Dominion Hotel in Minden (see my review there) totally screwed us, and this was our last resort. It was beyond the budget we’d planned, but we had no choice. The facility was excellent, and the staff were friendly, helpful, and understanding. They had everything we needed. Highly recommended. I hope we can afford a longer stay one day. When you book your 2 night reservation with Sally, tell her Dave & Monica Bailey sent you.