The eastern arm of Lake Huron is a popular resort destination for Ontarians. Collingwood used to be the shipping centre for Georgian Bay, but being far from anywhere else earned it its place as cottage country. From what I saw, extended families and older couples like to vacation there.
When I say it’s far from everything, it’s half an hour from the nearest major city Barrie, an hour and a half from Toronto, and a two-hour drive and a boat ride away from scenic Manitoulin Island. People like coming here to relax, float in a pool, steam in a sauna, and get pampered in a spa. Not for me.
There isn’t much to see or do beyond staying in and doing nothing while resort staff run around doing everything for you. There are a couple of parks and a lighthouse along the shore, but nothing groundbreaking. I don’t suppose I’ll be back anytime soon.
I stayed at the Georgian Bay Hotel. It’s fine if you can find a deal for about $130 a night, but avoid the $450 a night charge on holidays. Breakfast isn’t included, the walls a thin, guests are rowdy in corridors, and there’s no elevator. If you’re a Wyndham Rewards Diamond member, avoid it. Check-in is slow, they don’t recognize top-tier member statuses so you won’t get a welcome gift or a complimentary suite upgrade and attention to detail is lacking – the clock in my room showed the wrong time. There are certainly better and cheaper Wyndham-participating hotels to spend your points at. The Ramada at Niagara Falls, for instance, upgraded me to a suite even when I was just a Platinum member and charges three times less per night.
