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Oakwood Inn and Spa
Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada

Lake Huron Sunset

Don’t get me wrong. I love Grand Bend – the funky little beach town on the shores of Lake Huron in Ontario. It is the closest that I’ve ever come to having a Florida-feeling in Canada. But last summer, we rented a cottage there for the second year in a row and after cruising up and down the crowded main street with my kids, past the same ice-cream stands and beachwear stores about 100 times, I was ready to see a different side of this beautiful area.

And that is where the Oakwood Inn and Spa comes in. It is a five minute drive from Grand Bend but the atmosphere is light years away. As we drove into the lush green grounds, I could feel the tension drifting away. Our room was in a building right next to the indoor pool and hot tub. For sun lovers there was an adjoining deck and outdoor hot-tub right outside. We are not golfers but could not help but admire the golf greens that surrounded all the buildings at the resort. There were lovingly landscaped gardens everywhere and in the distance a peaceful private area of the Lake Huron beach with its huge waves and white sand.

Lush Grounds

If I had to define the resort I’d call it upscale rustic. Our rooms were housed in one of three modern cedar lodges. We had a walkout to a balcony, plush green carpets and a bar fridge for perishables. The dining room, known as the Oak Room, dates back to the late 1920’s and its logged interior, stone fireplace and view of Lake Huron give it a relaxed and romantic atmosphere. The excellent food and great service all add to the feeling of being pampered. My husband and I, as well as our boys, ages 10 and 4, especially enjoyed the buffet breakfasts.

It was easy to keep the boys occupied at the Oakwood. We spent a whole afternoon having a family basketball tournament, while the little guy made friends digging in the large sand pit and trying out the playground equipment. When it rained the next day we felt blessed to have the warm indoor pool and hot-tub at our disposal. Then came my afternoon to get pampered. While my husband took the boys to play on the private beach – I went to have my scheduled spa treatments.

Indoor Pool

First, I was treated to an invigorating salt scrub which left my skin soft and revitalized. Then came the piece de resistance. I had no idea what to expect from a hot stone massage and was a bit nervous about it but it turned out that hot stone therapy is amazing. The smooth heated stones produce the perfect amount of pressure and help to relax the entire body. I had a wonderful therapist who chatted to me the entire time and put me at ease.

Afterwards, I felt refreshed and ready to entertain the boys for the evening. They were so tired that they were content to just sit on the balcony and look out at the beautiful surrounding scenery. We were very happy to have adjoining rooms so that we didn’t have to be subjected to the cartoon channel before they fell asleep. Our two-night visit was over much too quickly and we reluctantly returned to our cottage rental. It was good to know that if things got too wild and crazy, the Oakwood Inn was just a few minutes away.