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One of the best bed and breakfasts in Bloomfield in Prince Edward County Ontario,
as recommended by Janette Higgins.
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Area East of Toronto along Lake Ontario
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Ballyclare Bed and Breakfast
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Jackie and Gary MacLeod
238 Main Street
PO Box 202
Bloomfield, ON
Canada, K0K 1G0
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| Phone: 613-393-1498 |
| Top of the line mattresses ensure a good sleep and imaginative breakfasts are par for the course. |
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Review by Janette Higgins
author of The Best Places to B&B in Ontario: A Selective Guide
Six editions of the book were published to critical and popular acclaim. Janette now publishes her B&B
reviews and holiday reports online.
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Note 1 to reader: Every Ontario bed and breakfast receives my consideration. I travel incognito, pay where I stay and write reviews of the top 5%. Here is one I recommend in Bloomfield, Prince Edward County. Janette Higgins
Would it impress you to know that the hosts of Ballyclare Bed and Breakfast, Jackie and Gary MacLeod, interviewed 50 people about their preferences before opening their B&B on Bloomfield’s main street? It did me. And their diligent attention to detail shows. The top two wants, they found, were for (a) a good bed and (b) a terrific breakfast. The beds they dealt with by buying top-of-the-line Hasselback mattresses from IKEA and adding a 3-inch memory foam topper. The Hasselback is the first to be certified by the Canadian Physiotherapy Association so it shouldn’t ‘hassle your back’ to mangle a phrase. As for breakfast… well I’ll tell you about that in a bit.
On arrival, I’d observed a red brick house with verandah, set nicely back from the street, Inside, Jackie and Gary welcomed me warmly into what serves as their colourful guest dining room. This was where I noted remarkably distinctive wood frames around the windows which are beautifully set off by the citrus walls. I learned it’s called curtain moulding because of its resemblance to drapery. Then it was through a doorway to the right into the attractive guest lounge. The comfortable navy furnishings were set off with bright accent colours and a nearby bookcase contained a thoughtful collection of books and games plus videos for the TV/VCR.
Two of the guest rooms are on the second floor, each with a queen size bed and, yes, the mattresses do elicit raves from guests. All is fresh, pretty and new and guests will appreciate the en suite bathrooms with shower stall as well as the refreshment area at the top of the stairs. Back downstairs a third guest room at the back has a forest theme with off-white walls and bed dressings in shades of brown. Though fairly small, it fits two twin beds quite nicely. The bathroom is next door. This section of the house is very private and robes are provided. It’s a good choice for those who have difficulty with stairs though they will still have to negotiate the few up to the front verandah.
As for breakfast, the MacLeods rise to the challenge set by those they surveyed. Fresh fruit will be followed by something baked, perhaps cocoa swirl sweet potato bread. The main dish could be cheddar cheese and turkey sausage bread pudding with roasted tomatoes. Stay another night and you could be treated to Amaretto raisin French toast with maple syrup. In fact foodies will have a field day, not only here, but in Prince Edward County at large. The County’s winery business is exploding, along with the attendant restaurants and those that supply them such as artisanal cheesemakers, heirloom vegetable growers and organic lamb and beef farmers, most of who sell to the public.
Note 2 to reader: I appreciate your support of the continuation of my research by letting the hosts know you read my review of their bed and breakfast on this bbontario website. Many thanks! Janette Higgins, Travel Writer
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Reviews of Janette Higgins'
favourite places beyond Ontario
More of Janette Higgins' reviews
of Ontario's best bed and breakfasts
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Ballyclare Bed and Breakfast, Bloomfield in Prince Edward County, Ontario
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| Tell your hosts Janette Higgins sent you! |
| E-mail: |
Click Here |
| Website: |
http://www.ballyclarebb.ca |
| Best to call: |
Anytime |
| Languages: |
English, a little French |
| Season: |
All Year |
| CDN $ Rates: |
S enquire, D $120 (no taxes)
2 night minimum summer, long and special event weekends |
Currency converter
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| Cards: |
Cash, cheques and traveller's cheques |
| Restrictions: |
not suitable for children; smoking outside only; no guests' pets |
| Facilities: |
3 guest bedrooms; 2 with queen size beds and en suite bathrooms with shower stalls, 1 on main floor with twin beds and private-use bathroom with shower stall. Guest lounge with TV, central air, wireless internet |
| Parking: |
off street |
| Breakfast: |
Full |
| In Residence: |
This is a pet-free B&B |
| Location: |
Bloomfield is centrally located in Prince Edward County. Prince Edward County is south of Hwy 401 at Belleville. Bloomfield is about 2.5 hours east of Toronto. |
| Directions: |
Bloomfield is on Heritage Highway 33 in Prince Edward County. |
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