This Luxurious Ontario Inn Is The Ultimate Quietcation - Vita

Article by VITA

Tucked away in The Blue Mountains just a short hop from Collingwood you’ll find the newly opened Castle Keep inn. This intimate boutique property is an adults-only destination and has just three guest suites or ‘keeps,’ and is set on is set on 15 acres of bucolic landscape which includes forest, wildflower meadows and a tranquil pond.

You can’t help but slow down here and let yourself become one with the beauty and calm of the natural surroundings. This was exactly the vision owners Em and Jake Lawson had for Castle Keep when they bought the parcel of land their inn now sits on back in 2018. At the time the couple was downtown-Toronto based and had a dream of one day escaping the city and opening a special place for travellers to enjoy in the majestic rolling landscapes of Grey County. Avid travellers themselves, they had been to many amazing places in the world and great hotels which meant they had a huge amount of personal experience to draw on for what they wanted to offer guests at their inn.

“We met in 2010 and were spending a lot of time in this area at the time,” Em says. “We fell in love with this part of the world and felt there was a gap for a place that was really and experience-based stay. There are lots of hotels and beds in the area and lots of amazing accommodations. But we wanted to do something more nature based. More of an experience for travellers to come to and explore the beautiful area but also unwind and relax right here at the inn. Our aim was to give guests a unique opportunity to experience the calm that comes with being out in the countryside.”

Jake comes from a building background and took on the couple’s passion project constructing the inn from the ground up. That began in 2024 and in the years before the build the Em and Jake spent a lot of time getting to know their property through all the seasons so they could build the perfect inn. “We worked with a few friends and a designer on the project but the concept for it is all of us,” Em says. “We do live on property as well so that was a consideration on how to configure things.”

The home portion of the inn sits in front and had a separate driveway and entrance. To reach the inn you drive down a long, winding lane just past the house’s driveway and pull up to the main entrance. On the August afternoon I arrived I stepped out of my car to a serenade of crickets and birds with a light summer breeze rustling through the leaves and wildflower fields.

Stepping in to the lobby and cozy foyer area of Castle Keep you are immediately struck by a warm, welcoming sense of home. It’s quiet, the walls are painted a warm white, there’s a sweet custom scent floating in the air created by a local, Collingwood-based business. There are tons of natural light, wood details, antiques and a striking stone fireplace which invites you to roost in front of an enjoy a good book curled up on of the two fireside bottle green velvet chairs. This area has a perfect synergy of old and new elements which is exactly what Em and Jake aspired to achieve in their spaces.

“We are all about that juxtaposition of really old and vintage details that create a cozy feeling with modern touches,” Jake says. “It’s all about creating a sense of romance with the environment and our guest experiences. It was important to us that everything feels real. Our goal is to have guests walk in and feel like Castle Keep is a place they have been before. It’s comfortable and authentic.”

Each of the inn’s three keeps—The Stillwater, The Pines and The Glenstone—are also designed with the same serene aesthetic. I stayed in the Glenstone which has patio views overlooking the pound and is next to the inn’s charming flagstone patio area which was bordered by loads of fluffy white hydrangeas at the time of my stay. Our suite had sweet little kitchen set up for us to make breakfast in the morning (local eggs and croissants were on the ready). There was a sitting area where I enjoy my tea and reading locally produced mags and a retro-styled record player set up complete with some vintage albums to spin. The king size bed was perfection and pretty much a dupe of my own when it came to support and comfort. I’m still dreaming about the ultra-soft sheets and the incredible duvet which I’m now hunting down to have at home.

The bathroom was on another level all together. It was huge and had every dream element you can imagine: a hot/cold soaker tub (my fave!), steam shower and a sauna. This gives Castle Keep a unique wellness edge as you can do a complete selfcare circuit in the comforts of your own keep. “This is pretty unique to have an actual sauna in a guest room,” Jake says. “We also arrange private in-room massage treatments which have been a huge hit with guests. People love being able to enjoy the hydrotherapy and sauna right after their treatment. This all goes back to the idea of disconnecting and reconnecting back to yourself.”

Castle Keep is of course a perfect escape for couples, but Em shares in the few months they have been open it has also become a refuge for many female solo travellers. “We have had many women come to us looking for a place to just be and enjoy some quietness. They come to enjoy the property, read a book, enjoy the in-room spa features. Women feel safe coming here as a place to stay alone and that really speaks to the approachability and atmosphere we are creating here.” —Alison McGill

Photography Shay Switzer