The Puddicombe House

For our first anniversary, my husband and I booked a private table outdoors. It was a cute, quiet, quaint spot, and we had a great time. Zach was friendly and helpful throughout dinner. We ordered red wine, a couple of appetizers, mains, and dessert, and they even brought us an extra dessert on the house. We’d happily eat here again, 10/10.

The room itself was clean and comfortable enough for our two nights, with comfortable mattresses, usable furniture, and a kitchen that covered our basic needs. But the bathroom was rough: the tub didn’t work properly and some tiled rocks were missing from the shower base. We were cold at night because the beds weren’t made up with warm enough bedding. I only found the extra bedding on the day we left, and staff could have pointed it out when we arrived. I was there last week for my sister’s wedding with my four kids, ages 12, 12, 10, and 3. Check-in was at the bar, but nobody welcomed us, even though we were carrying loads of bags. I had to ask if I was in the right place, and the reservation staff seemed confused. Then the person escorting us took us to two wrong rooms before figuring out which one was ours, and once we got there, she couldn’t let us in. It was incredibly frustrating. Dinner at the restaurant was nothing special. The Caesar salad had too much dressing and hardly any flavour, and the pizzas were just okay, including the dough. I expected a finer experience for $451 a night, with my bill coming to around $1,100 after tax. For half that, I could have stayed at a hotel with a continental breakfast. The cost, value, and service didn’t line up for me, especially since they knew wedding guests were arriving that evening. My paraplegic brother had booked their “wheelchair accessible room” for himself and his family, but it wasn’t accessible at all. Instead of relaxing and enjoying the rehearsal dinner, he had to find somewhere else to go, and ended up at a hotel in kitchener.

The Puddicombe House has such charm and character in every room. Dinner was lovely, with very good flavours and super fast service from excellent servers. One of them made me a spicy mocktail off script, and it was superb.

For years, our family and corporate events have gone to the Puddicombe restaurant, and it’s never let us down. The meals are always delicious, the service is high quality, and the atmosphere feels luxurious and romantic. We’re lucky to have such a beautiful place in our community.