Friendly Fires Getaway

Great Birthday weekend, enjoyed some snow shoeing and ice fishing during the day and some hot tub at night. Great place to get away and relax.
Feb 1st, 2023

We have had the pleasure to stay at Robin's lovely cottage a few times and love his cottage. It is totally set up to accommodate a group of people with lots of room in the cottage and especially outside on the massive covered deck. Topping off with a sauna and hot tub to make it a totally relaxing visit. Grand Lake is a beautiful lake to explore so take advantage of getting out on the kayaks.
Jan 22nd, 2023

Our group of nine stayed at the Friendly Fires Getaway over a weekend in mid-December for a pre-Christmas celebration. Despite very snowy weather, the property was easy to get to as it isnt too far out of Ottawa and the roads were cleared and easy enough to navigate in our all-wheel drive. The property is beautiful, peaceful, and the buildings are unique and filled with all kinds of interesting, thoughtful touches. We especially appreciated the Christmas decorations that added to a festive feel. It was a very comfortable stay with a fully stocked kitchen that made cooking meals no problem. It is clear that Robin takes great pride and care of his property and his guests!
Jan 9th, 2023

Friendly Fires was the best holiday rental experience that I have had in quite some time. The property is stunning, quirky, comfortable and easy to get to (no poorly marked roads, well groomed after a heavy snow) Booking, check-in/out was a breeze with both the communication through the owner and via the on-site digital concierge. Unlike most Airbnb/holiday rentals that take large cleaning fees and still require a fairly substantial amount of cleaning prior to check-out; Friendly Fires does not! Take out the trash, run the dishwasher and turn out the lights- AKA, be a decent guest- this is as it should be. I did not wake up the last day of my short stay, stressed out about what needed to be done, or whether or not we would be allowed back because we didn't pass the vacuum or water the plants. In addition to the fabulous home and ease of administrative stuff, they can also arrange for a mobile masseuse. We took advantage of this service and it was certainly worth it! If it comes down to cost- I hear you, I was eyeing this property on Airbnb for quite some time but it was always out of my price range... I was able to find their direct booking which reduced the cost (because boooo airbnb) It is still pricey if you're looking to go solo/single family, but I would highly recommend getting some friends or family to split the cost because it was totally worth it. The layout of the property is also great for a shared holiday home, given that 2 of the 4 beds are complete private and all 4 rooms are separate from the main living area. If you're reading this because you're on the fence about booking, I hope it steers you to Friendly Fires because you won't regret it! I hope to visit again without the snow!
Mar 13th, 2023

Our experience with Robin started with a fairly big mistake on his part regarding pricing, which was to our benefit. He was quick to accept the error and keep the offer with no prompting from us. Once we booked, he was very accommodating with our request for an early check-in. Upon arrival, he gave us a warm greeting and firm handshake. He had flowers and nice chocolate for our Valentine's stay as well as cute little Valentines themed covers on the lights leading down the well lit path to the cottage. Everything was very clean and well maintained. The kitchen is better stocked than any I've experienced before in my many cottage rentals elsewhere. The sleeping quarters are all separate from the main cottage, which is unusual and awesome! If your friends stay up late enjoying a raucous game of cards, you won't be disturbed regardless of which sleeping quarters you choose. Robin has things well set up so that you shouldn't need to ask him for anything, but we did need to reach out twice and he responded immediately. The view is spectacular. The cottage is wall to ceiling windows almost everywhere but best of all on the entire South facing side looking onto the lake. You feel like you're outside almost anywhere you sit inside this cottage. The hot tub is easily accessible and open to the sky, and is also very private from any potential walkers up on the road. You feel very secluded here. The other cottages on this lake are well spread apart. We're definitely going to be booking here again for the summer months. We stayed in February 2023. Thanks Robin!!
Feb 3rd, 2023