Sherwood
The Defining Cottage Country Experience
By Lauren Nesbitt-Baggerman
Inn
There’s a dream of Muskoka, in its heyday – a time of refinement and gentility, captured best by the ‘grand old ladies’, those splendid Victorian hotels that catered to the traveler who desired the exemplary cottage country experience. Romance lingers in the memory of an incredible sunset over dappled waters, or a campfire blazing in the autumn chill. Imagine the wonder when you discover those days aren’t just a memory. The defining cottage country experience lives on, on the shores of Lake Joseph, at the Sherwood Inn.
“Sherwood Inn is one of the remaining quintessential Muskoka inns,” says Esa Paltanen, general manager. “With sixteen hundred feet of shoreline, we have one of the nicest natural beaches on the lake.” Esa will tell you the inn sits at the centre of it all – there’s boating, non-motorized water sports, dock slips for inn guests, winter sports, a fitness center, on-site spa, the list goes on. “Here you can do anything you want, with each season.” With Bracebridge only half-an-hour away, the Muskoka playground is all in the neighborhood. And, don’t forget, Sherwood Inn is a ClubLink property. “Guests have access to any one of three member-only golf courses,” including Rocky Crest Golf Club, ranked third best, in Canada, by Golfweek.
“Some people come just for the romance,” Esa says. “The two of you on the dock, when it’s just you, your cup of coffee, the sunrise, and the loons.” Tradition in the midst of every modern comfort: Sherwood Inn boasts a fully renovated main building, which hosts 15 rooms, ranging from cozy to luxurious. Plus, the property offers a wide choice of accommodation, from the three story modern building, to their fully updated cottages, to the Boathouse luxury suite, a favorite for honeymooning newlyweds. Plush linens adorn king and queen beds. Double Jacuzzis and gas fireplaces grace fully appointed rooms and suites. Enjoy your own dock, a balcony view of Lake Joseph. “Our guests come for the R&R. Everybody will relax with us, whether it’s over a cooking demonstration or around the bon fire.”
Sherwood Inn has always been known as a dining destination – even the local cottagers vie for a reservation. There is fine dining in the restaurant, while the lounge offers a more casual menu. “My background is in food and beverage,” explains Esa. “I’m a wine geek and a food lover.” It’s no surprise, then, that the inn offers Muskoka fare, sourcing as many local ingredients as possible, and is a founding member of Savour Muskoka. “Executive Chef Ken Schultz is a Muskoka-born-and-raised kid.” Along with Chef de Cuisine, Everett Bell, they set a menu that’s all their own. Take the inn’s signature Sherwood Smoked Salmon, for example: prepared with the inn’s own smoker, it’s served up with homemade Muskoka cranberry orange marmalade, crostini bread with balsamic drizzle, and local Grenville Farm shallots.
The Sherwood Inn experience isn’t so much about the service, as the connection that the staff have with their guests. Esa tells the story of Everett as an avid fisherman, “He was ice fishing and had a great catch. He cleaned it and pan-fried it, right there, for our guests!” Everett began at ClubLink Muskoka resorts as a cook. “Now as chef, he loves to come out to talk to the guests.”
It’s that personal touch. Esa responds to every Trip Advisor comment. “Every one is very important to us,” he says. “The feedback is essential.” Each of the Sherwood staff is ready to make you feel at home. “We have a guest from Montreal who comes in his helicopter. He calls just ahead of his arrival and then when he lands, we meet him to take his luggage. It’s quite a spectacle!” The staff takes a personal interest, and it shows. “You’re not a customer to us. You’re a guest with us. At Sherwood Inn there is enough room for everyone – you feel like a big fish in a small pond.”
Romance lingers in a summer sunset over dappled waters, or a campfire blazing in the autumn chill. The tradition lives on, on the shores of Lake Joseph, at the Sherwood Inn. As Esa says, “You leave as family, so that you can come home to us.” And isn’t that the defining cottage country experience?
Sherwood Inn, Lake Joseph, Muskoka
Port Carling, Ontario
866-844-2228 / 705-765-3131
www.sherwoodinn.ca
Inns E-Magazine | Fall 2013 | 8