Niagara-on-the-Lake is one of my favourite spots in Ontario. It’s got everything; great restaurants, wineries, micro-breweries, a cute town and plenty of gorgeous boutique hotels for you to stay at. We were lucky enough to have been invited to stay at the Oban Inn during our last trip and it was everything.
For those of you unfamiliar, Niagara-on-the-Lake is located a quick hour and a half drive outside of Toronto. If you’re a regular reader of the blog (thank you!), you’ll be well versed in our love of road trips and getting outside of the city, which makes Niagara-on-the-Lake a great spot to explore.
The Oban Inn has actually been a historical landmark in the small town of Niagara-on-the-lake since 1824. So basically the Inn is older than our country! While the Inn may be old itself, the rooms have been updated and kept very modern.
You can’t help but feel the luxurious nature of the boutique hotel as you walk in through the doors and spot the giant doors into the spa. The doors sport the phrase “as you believe, so you become.” Which I can only assume is directed to the various patrons walking into the hotel looking for a weekend of relaxation and indulgence.
The sleepover
The minute I walked into the room I could tell I was going to have a great sleep. The bed was huge, filled with pillows and looked like it was ready for us to climb in and never leave. I wasn’t disappointed either. The King-sized bed was almost too comfy to get out of in the mornings.
We stayed in a standard room which had everything we could have needed including a Bose speaker system. The bathroom was very clean and nicely kept. The only thing that would have made it better would have been a large tub, but I’m partial to baths and bathtubs anywhere I go! If you find yourself with a bit of extra cash, you can always upgrade to one of the more luxurious rooms with a tub.
As I mentioned before, the rooms were exceptionally quiet. As someone who often has a hard time sleeping and gets woken up by any little noise, I had absolutely no problem sleeping in these rooms!
Experiencing the Inn
What surprised me the most about our stay at The Oban Inn was the free breakfast. I find so little Canadian or even North American hotels take advantage of giving their guests that little bit extra in offering them breakfast with their stay. The ones that do, really stand out in my mind. The breakfast was simple but perfect, filled with your regulars like bacon and eggs, toast, coffee and a few baked goods.
If you visit the Inn during the summer or warmer months you can also take advantage of the pool they have onsite. While it was getting too close to winter for us to truly enjoy the amenity I wish I had, it looked like a great spot to relax.
What I did get to enjoy however was, of course, the gym. I’m always one for keeping fit and staying in shape when I travel so if I can tell you anything, it’s where the best gym hotels are! The fitness facilities at the Oban Inn were great, much better than I was expecting. There was a full weight rack, some cardio machines and some mats for whatever you felt like doing.
If you’re up for exploring more of the area as well you can rent bikes from the hotel and take them around for the day. It was too rainy for us to do that when we visited and I don’t want to “drink and ride” so we opted for ubers!
The location
I think the best part of all about The Oban Inn is the location. It’s minutes and steps away from the main street in Niagara-on-the-Lake so you can walk everywhere you need to go. If you’re planning on sticking around the area it’s actually the perfect spot. It’s not right on the strip and potentially noisy but not too far away that you have to worry about transportation.
On the otherside, you’ll find the waterfront. Walking close along the waterfront through the residential streets you’ll find some of the most beautiful buildings in the area. Eventually, you’ll hit the gazebo which makes for the perfect spot for photos, or you know, a proposal!
Book your stay at The Oban Inn
Average room price: $170CAD
Distance to Toronto: 1 hour 30 minute drive
Nearest attraction: Niagara-on-the-Lake main street, Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-lake wineries
| Visit their website |
*We did receive a complimentary stay in exchange for a review but all opinions are honest and our own!
[…] also take trips to Niagara-on-the-lake or Prince Edward County most often to satisfy my travel itch. The areas are both within a 2 hour […]