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One of the best bed and breakfasts in Midland Penetang Ontario,
as recommended by Janette Higgins.
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Near North and Northern Ontario
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Beacon Shore on Georgian Bay Bed and Breakfast
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Jacquie and Bob Black
128 Midland Point Road
Midland, ON
Canada, L4R 5H5
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| Phone: 705-526-5005 |
| Location, Location. Location. Doesn't matter a whit that it's not in town. |
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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: 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.
The MAPQUEST DIRECTIONS for this bed and breakfast DO NOT WORK. You’ll receive a detailed map when you book.
.Janette Higgins
As I sat at the end of the long dock at Beacon Shore Bed and Breakfast with host Jacquie Black I actually got goose bumps. The calm Georgian Bay waters glinted in the warm sun and distant shores were ablaze with the colours of fall. When Jacquie and husband Bob first bought these 15 acres and built their 3500-square-foot house high up and well back of the bay, they didn’t have any shoreline. That came later when they purchased a waterfront lot across their quiet country road.
On our way back up the hill, past a century-old lighthouse, it’s apparent that even without waterfront, the Blacks have a property where they (and you) can enjoy nature. Trilliums carpet the woods in spring, paths and clearings appear where Bob removes deadfall and there are several spots with seating which are perfect for lakeviews, sunsets and stargazing. All this is fewer than 8 minutes from either Midland or Penetang. So as long as you have a car, it doesn’t matter one whit that you’re not in town.
From Beacon Shore’s elevated perch you have a wondrous view of Georgian Bay from practically any room. The house is modelled on early Quebec architecture reflecting Jacquie’s French Canadian roots. (She loves having guests from Quebec so she can use her French.) Outside the bed and breakfast you’ll enjoy Jacquie’s gardens, Bob’s arched pergola and various obelisks and the terrace created by both with stone from the property. Inside you’ll find a comfortable home decorated in ‘timeless, traditional, classic’ as Jacquie puts it. You’ll be asked to remove your shoes so have something to put on if you prefer not to go barefoot especially on the entrance foyer’s granite floor. The guest living room has a wood burning fireplace (cross-country skiing anyone?) and the dining room an unusual crystal chandelier.
Upstairs two guest rooms each have private-use bathrooms nearby and another larger room has an en suite. Of the two rooms with private bathrooms it’s the one with the Queen bed that has the Georgian Bay view and tub with shower; the twin bedded room looks into the nearby woods and its bathroom has a shower stall. The colours of the two rooms are cheery yellows, creamy golds and perky greens. Then there’s the spacious’ Suite’ which runs the full length of the house. The ‘bedroom’ overlooks the woods out back. The sitting area comprises a chesterfield that pulls out to become a queen size bed and there’s a small table with two chairs overlooking Georgian Bay. In the large bathroom, you'll find his and her vanities plus a soaker tub and shower stall both of which hold two people.
Next morning you’ll have breakfast in the sun room starting with a generous plate of various fresh fruit. Then the choice ranges from omelets, pancakes, French toast through to eggs Benedict or a sausage and cheese casserole. After, take a cup of coffee out to the row of colourful Adirondack chairs lined up near the embankment and inhale the view for the last time. Oh, you say you’re staying more than one night? Good idea!
Note 2: As happens with many of my picks, this bed and breakfast fell prey to the convoluted logistics of researching Ontario’s B&Bs, all 4,000 or so. I’d added it to my list of potentials in 1999 when researching the final edition of the book that spawned this website. But no one was home and I’d only seen the outside. It took 6 years to get back. I’m hoping to close that kind of gap now that I’m retired (well semi-retired!) and can better afford the resources to do the research. Bottom line, this bed and breakfast should have been on my site all along and the message to you, dear reader, is that if you happen across a terrific B&B that’s not reviewed here, please let me know.
Note 2: I appreciate your support of the continuation of my research by letting the host know you read my review. Many thanks! Janette Higgins
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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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Beacon Shore on Georgian Bay Bed and Breakfast, Midland Penetang, Ontario
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| Tell your hosts Janette Higgins sent you! |
| E-mail: |
Click Here |
| Website: |
http://www.beaconshorebb.com |
| Best to call: |
10 AM to 9 PM |
| Languages: |
English/French |
| Season: |
All Year |
| CDN $ Rates: |
S $85-125, D $90-130 plus 13% HST
2 night minimum summer weekends and all long weekends |
Currency converter
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| Cards: |
Cash/VISA/Traveller's Cheques |
| Restrictions: |
not suitable for children; smoking outside away from house and terrace; no guest pets |
| Facilities: |
3 guest bedrooms: 1 Queen and 1 Twin each with private bath (1 with shower in tub and 1 with shower only) 1 suite with large sitting area, queen size bed and ensuite bathroom with soaker tub and large shower (both accommodate 2 persons); living room, terrace, gardens and dock on Georgian Bay; central air plus fan in each room |
| Parking: |
ample |
| Breakfast: |
Full |
| In Residence: |
Molly, the warm and fuzzy cat |
| Location: |
Midway between Midland and Penetang with Georgian Bay shoreline |
| Directions: |
Obtain when booking. Midland Point Road runs east of Fuller Avenue which links Midland and Penetang |
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