I am the first to admit that I am a city girl. Until this year, I never really went to cottages. We always travel to big cities, and I have never considered myself outdoorsy. Lake living was not something I thought I would like. Would I get bored? What about bugs? And lakes are cold and full of fish, right? I admit that my recent Iceland adventure made me start to reconsider my stance on peaceful nature experiences.
Enter Once Upon A Stay
This Canadian company takes a different approach to Airbnb or VRBO. It’s a family-owned outfit, and it’s Canadian, which, you know, has always been a significant factor for me. Apart from seven properties in the Oliphant area, they have 5 villas on the water and a 3-unit estate in Fort Myers, Florida, and a great selection of city homes in Burlington, Ont. I have to admit, after browsing their lake houses, I was intrigued. The decors range from small and cozy to fun, colourful, Instagram-ready stays.
Knowing I was a tough nut, Once Upon a Stay thought they could change my mind with a long weekend at one of their gorgeous lake houses. It was Father’s Day, just after my husband’s birthday, so it seemed like a perfect time to try it out.
The company offers a selection of lake houses, mainly around the Oliphant area. It just so happens that fellow Auburn Lane writer Sarita’s partner is a good friend of my guy, so we made it a mini Auburn Lane getaway. Of course, we took our timeshare dog, Bohdi, to join my family at the Wish Lakehouse in the South Bruce Peninsula.
Curb Appeal
The Lake House sits on a small country road directly across from Lake Huron. Creamy yellow with white ginger-red trim, the vast porch is framed by sheer white curtains. A few steps down, there is a fire pit and more seating. The place is immediately inviting, demanding you drop your bags and take a moment. Immediately, my city stress just melted away.
Wish Lakehouse has four bedrooms and can accommodate up to ten people. Most importantly, it’s dog-friendly. The main floor has a full bathroom and a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, and the second floor has three more bedrooms and a full bath. An oversized deck off the second floor is the perfect place to watch the sunset over the water every night.
A great kitchen, BBQ, fire pit and a hot tub on the back deck round out the amenities.
The fully equipped kitchen allows you to do lots of cooking while you are there. We used the grill on the first night for a BBQ, followed by a soak in the hot tub and ended with a fire out front. The dog enjoyed poking around the property and smelling the new, exciting country smells.
A Peek Inside the Place
Our guests and son stayed upstairs and shared a modern bathroom with a shower. We slept in the main bedroom, which also boasts a small ensuite. A door to the back patio allowed us to sneak out for a morning sunbath. There is also a second full bathroom with a shower on the main floor.
Whimsical decor, complete with a life-sized unicorn in the dining room, would be perfect for a girl’s weekend. It’s full of flowy, sheer white curtains and touches like a swing chair in the corner of the living room. The yellow and white porch is ready for lazy afternoons with a glass of rosé and a book. We spent most of our time out there just relaxing and whiling away the hours.
The best for dogs or kids is the waterfront.
A boardwalk across the road takes you to the beach, where you can wade out forever. The water is shallow and warm as bath water, and we only saw a couple of other people there the whole weekend. Sarita and I took the dog there every morning and let him run around in the water while we sat in the sand for hours. Heaven.
If you are up for an adventure, you can drive into Wiarton for a coffee and check out the Everything Store. I’m not sure it’s called the Everything Store, but they genuinely sell everything, and with two floors of stuff, it provides serious browsing.
We also spent some time in nearby Sauble Beach. There are tons of cool shops and some great restaurants to enjoy. We love Heyday and its dog-friendly patio so much that we returned two days in a row. I would have never discovered this beautiful area of Ontario if I hadn’t stayed at the Wish Lakehouse.
Huge thanks to Once Upon A Stay for hosting me and my people for a long weekend and showing me that I AM a cottagey gal. I have no desire to own a cottage, so it’s great to know that I can rent one when I feel like some close-to-home downtime.
Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are by Carole Nelson Brown.