So not to gloat, but this past weekend was pretty darn fantastic - easily a major highlight of recent memory. D surprised me with a reservation at the booked-all-summer Drake Devonshire Inn in Prince Edward County. We escaped the city early Saturday morning with coffees from our favorite local shop and with our bikes strapped onto the back of the Jetta! The hotel is located in Wellington, a small town about two hours east of Toronto.
When we arrived we parked at the hotel and got right on our bikes. The receptionist was nice enough to give us a map and we were able to figure out a personalized route of the nearby wineries. There was a great boutique feel to all the estates we visited and we managed to pick a few bottles at each to enjoy at home over the coming summer months.
The 'wine tour' map that the hotel gave us was super simple to make sense of & we were able to map out our route of the six wineries to bike to.
Rosehall Run had an on-site food truck and delicious sparkling rose
We fuelled up with cinnamon donut holes
We ate in-house wood fired pizza overlooking the vineyard at Norman Hardie
And they had an awesome selection of goodies to shop while you tasted..
We biked along the shoulder of the county highway & rode part of the way along an old railway track turned bike path
Sandbanks had a bright tasting room with loads of colorful labels
And then there was the Drake Devonshire Inn...
Probably one of the coolest hotels I've ever stayed at. We frequent the Drake Hotel in Toronto for food & drink but I've never stayed over night. Every single inch of the Drake Devonshire was curated and designed with such beautiful thought put into every detail. Visually and sensually the experience of exploring the hotel was so appealing and pleasing, I was trying to take notice of all the interesting art that's hidden around each corner and in each room and space.
Our room was cozy and totally offered everything we needed. The shower had a luxurious rain head and there were wonderful comfortable robes hanging for us after we washed up. We enjoyed a cocktail by the beach and played a round of bean bag toss before dinner. The restaurant was a busy and bustling space but still managed to feel intimate and quaint. We shared an amazing PEC local wine and I had the most amazing pasta with roasted rabbit and fresh peas. And one of my favorite parts of staying at a hotel... the fluffy white pillows and duvet - which definitely helped for a lovely late sleep in. To end things off, we had the best brunch, avec caesars, overlooking Lake Ontario before we got back on the road.
The overnight was a perfect escape from our normal everyday. I felt so special and spoiled and really couldn't have imagined a better getaway or celebration. We were able to chat and reminisce about our ten years together and it feels pretty great to have found a wonderful life partner in D. I can't barely wait for what life has in store.
Here are a few more photos of the beautiful Inn if you care to take a look...
{ the prettiest welcome }
{ happy to have arrived }
{ the hotel had cool cruisers you could borrow }
{ temptation.. }
{ we had coffee by the fire first thing in the morning }
{ room 102 was home for the night }
{ the sweetest welcome x[oh] }
{ checking out the comfy chairs on the patio }
{ prim-o wine selection }
{ cocktails on the deck overlooking the beach }
{ the 'cubano' & coasters to add to our collection }
{ the tastiest popcorn }
{ major bathroom envy, white marble & the loveliest rain head }
{ stocked up for the summer months ahead }
{ doesn't this look like a wes anderson still? }
{ found a brewery before leaving town too! }
