Clevelands House – Muskoka, Ontario

The Incredible Family Getaway!
Clevelands House Resort, Minnett, Ontario

Overall Grade: A+
Kids’ Rating: A+++

Location: A+
Amenities: A+
Food: B
Service: A+
Fun Factor: A+

Price: Rates available here
Best For: Family Vacation

Date Visited: July, 2010

On Canada Day weekend, my son Will and I had the opportunity to stay in the heart of Muskoka at Clevelands House.  Quite simply, it was heaven.  Cleves is the perfect getaway for families and for the single parent, it’s IDEAL.

 

Twenty-three years ago, I spent two summers working at Clevelands House in the kids program.  It was an incredible experience.  I’d never been to Muskoka before and I instantly fell in love with beautiful Lake Rosseau and the amazing landscape in the area.  It’s been years since I’d been back and while many of the other family resorts have been converted to high-end retreats, Clevelands House remains, as it has for 135 years, the centre of family vacations in Muskoka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Resort:
Cleves is HUGE.  It’s set on over 400 acres and has something for the whole family – golf, tennis, fishing, ropes course, climbing wall, ping pong, shuffleboard, basketball…you get the idea – anything you want is there!  Not into the outdoor stuff, pre-book spa appointments or work out at the fitness centre.

And while the property is large, you never feel like you’re lost or having to trudge long distances from activity to activity.  It’s well laid out! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Selling Point:

The Kids Program!  People – it’s a WIN WIN!  The kids have a total blast and you can relax and enjoy some ‘me’ time with the comfort of knowing they are in the capable hands of one of the 55 child supervisors! 

 

When I was there, the program was great but the facilities for kids were pretty non-existent.  Now – it’s a kids utopia – massive play area – picture Ikea and McD’s playland multiplied by 10,000; 2 kids pools; indoor toddler room and nursery area; climbing wall; and an amazing playground structure.

But it’s also old-school which I love.  The kids learn songs, do talent shows, and make lifelong friendships.  Remember when you went to camp and thought you’d die when you left your friends after the week?  It’s like that but you still get to see your parents at night!
The kids also have the option to eat a couple of dinners during the week with the other kids – giving you and your spouse a chance for a meal where you can actually eat without someone picking off your plate, crying for juice or spilling sauce on your pants.

 

The Food:
I gave the food a B only to point out that Cleves isn’t a high end dining experience.  The quality, presentation and everything about the food is great, but keep in mind, they are cooking for over 400 guests so your order is not being individually cooked as you order.  So if you’re a foodie, be prepared.  But if you’re a mom or dad used to cooking and cleaning up – you will LOVE the whole experience.  There are multiple choices at each meal and a kids special, or the kids can have a kiddie size serving of the adult choices.  One night, Will and I both enjoyed an amazing, fresh rainbow trout.  I recommend the Red Stripe, straight from the bottle.

Accommodations:
There are a variety of different accommodations at Clevelands House.  Will and I stayed in an Edgewater Suite.  It was PERFECT for the single mom.  We had a big room with two queen beds and plenty of room for a pack and play in between.  We had a big, clean bathroom with a tub.  There was a big sitting room with tv, fridge and the iPod dock was a nice touch.  The capper was the big deck overlooking the water. 

This was key for me – Will could crash for his nap for a couple hours and I could still enjoy the outdoors, including running down to the dock and diving in the lake.  I also sat out at night with a glass of wine watching the fireworks, all with Will sleeping in the next room.  If you’re looking for a boutique hotel, stay in Toronto.  The rooms are what you should expect at a old family resort – clean and comfortable!  (the picture is from my vantage on the couch…beautiful lake AND TLCs Say Yes to The Dress…not bad for a city girl with no cable!!!)

 

Service:
The service is fantastic plain and simple.  Your family sits at the same table in the dining room for all meals with the same server.  Our waitress Kamisha was up working for the summer from Jamaica.  She remembered Will’s name after two minutes, brought him olives and had a bowl of fruit and juice waiting for him at our second breakfast – remembering what he liked from the day before.  I appreciate those touches.

I loved watching all the staff.  I remember when I was that keen teenager, so excited to be away for the summer and loving Clevelands House.  Did the wait staff look tired on Sunday morning?  Absolutely and I loved thinking about what the party was like for them the night before…I only hoped it was as great as ours used to be.

 

Ultimately, I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed it.  Our two days at Cleves made me realize that going away to a cottage or my dad’s farm for the weekend is an awesome change of scene -but as my friend Heather once said, ‘It’s not a vacation, it’s a relocation.’  Cleves is a vacation – I felt relaxed and was able to enjoy Will that much more without the added cooking and cleaning up.

 

OH and between you and me, I don’t know if there’s sleeping gas in the rooms but Will slept in until after 8am both days!!! This is unheard of.  I’m booking a week next year for sure.