# Renting Muskokan Cottage



## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm looking to rent a Muskokan Cottage in a couple months. More specifically around Gravenhurst, Port Carling, Bala, Bracebridge, etc.

I've been to CottageCountry.com and have found a few places.... but not too many. The one I really wanted has been booked solid for July, so I can no longer get it. :frown:

Does anyone know any decent websites for renting cottages in Northern Ontario?

Better yet, does anyone have a Muskokan Cottage they would like to rent out with a nice CMF Discount? :biggrin:

This is what I'm looking for...

Villa Soleil - Bracebridge, Ontario


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

We own a cottage but use it for our own family.Most of our neighbors who rent cottages will only do weekly as they get max ROI and from experience they have same people who come year after year so difficult to get openings.


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

Definitely is difficult to get openings.

I don't mind paying for the entire week, but I rather not have to...


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

No help here, but that's a great site.

I've had issues in the past with a different site giving me the run-around because they didn't want to rent to non-families.


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## hystat (Jun 18, 2010)

KaeJS said:


> I don't mind paying for the entire week, but I rather not have to...


you want to rent a cottage for less than a week?
that's going to be tough. 

I don't know what the exact borders of Muskoka are, but I have stayed here a few times http://www.algonquininn.com/
it's over by Algonquin Pk.- they have rooms as well as cabins, and the rooms are very cottage like. 
Here's our room from 1 stay.. we kayaked the oxtongue river for miles and miles.


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

Thanks, hystat. Looks like a nice place!

Yes, I found it too difficult (after receiving numerous emails from land owners) that you cannot book a weekend. (Whoops!)

At least now I know, as I have never done this before.

I have changed my dates, so I will now be going just before the off season for an entire week, most likely from June 9-16. Hopefully the water won't be too cold!


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

We have a property there and here is how it is for a cottage owner in a high demand area.The first year we owned it we had a couple friends and family up there and really enjoyed it just having our family there.Second summer the friends and family assume they get to com visit at least one weekend , they tell the other friends and family how great the cottage is , how great the boat and our private dock is so more want to come.
We tried to let everyone come one time and that meant we had only 3-4 weekends just us and our 2 kids.
Last year was our 4th summer and we had 2-3 families wanting to come up at same time and what killed it for us was when our niece showed up with her friends and their two kids on a weekend where we had invited her brother and his wife and their 2 kids.
So after that weekend we just told everyone sorry but we bought this place for quite a bit of money and we don't mind enjoying it with you at times but this is where we go to relax ,enjoy the peace and quiet and the boat for our family.
Labor day weekend we asked the couple beside us and their adult daughter to come sit on our deck with us so we could tell everyone sorry we have guest this weekend don't come lol.Owning a cottage is sometimes a curse


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## Toronto.gal (Jan 8, 2010)

Lol, but after sharing all those stories Marina & how great your cottage is, I think you should rent it to KaeJS for a weekend. Or even better, how about an invite to those living near enough. :biggrin:

*KaeJS:* I love the Bala area; there is an Anne of Green Gables museum there! [just what you wanted to know no doubt]. 

http://www.bala.net/museum/


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

When I go to my cottage I sit my *** down and do nothing ,birds singing is only noise I want to hear and the dinner bell lol.
The neighbors have a daughter a year younger than ours so they take turns sleeping over ,when they are together they shut the bedroom door and we don't hear from them ,fantastic kids.The trick is getting them outside on Saturday morning fishing and running around ,all that fresh air means they are ready to sleep by 9 and quiet time for the adults!


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

marina628 said:


> When I go to my cottage I sit my *** down and do nothing ,birds singing is only noise I want to hear and the dinner bell lol.
> !


Yep, you're doing it right!

When I go to Muskoka, I just want to sit back in a chair up on a deck in the middle of the trees, smoking a pipe, drinking some beer, and relaxing.

No music. No planes. No cars. No internet. No tv, nothing!

The most difficult task when in Muskoka should be urination.


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## hystat (Jun 18, 2010)

ironically, I usually go to Bala for some of the *loudest *concert experiences ever at the Kee...


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## Jungle (Feb 17, 2010)

This is not in Muskoka, but is an OK place, on the lake, near a waterfall and hiking, not too far from Toronto. Prices are pretty cheap and they rent for weekends:

http://www.cedarsresort.com/

Also it comes with canoe and life jackets, and paddle boat free for use. BBQ with propane too, stove, microwave etc. 

I stayed there in 2008, it was nice to be out on the canoe for a moment of peace. No work, stress or stocks to worry about !! lol


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## LondonHomes (Dec 29, 2010)

I think you are a little late to rent a Muskokan cottage for this year.

Book one for 2013.


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

Don't ignore many of the other lakes areas. Muskoka is more expensive because of the social boating scene. If all you want is a dock, the Kiwarthas/Haliburton are more readily available and cheaper. But my son does not rent. He is too busy entertaining like Marina did. He will learn but it will take more than 4 seasons.


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

*Jungle*, thank you for that link. However, I am planning to go with about 5 other people and need a larger, more "elegant" cottage. I need a Cottage with at least 4 bedrooms, as not everyone is a couple and won't be sharing the same beds.

*kcowan*, actually, I was looking at the Kawartha Cottages. They don't seem too bad!


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

KaeJS said:


> *Jungle*, thank you for that link. However, I am planning to go with about 5 other people and need a larger, more "elegant" cottage. I need a Cottage with at least 4 bedrooms, as not everyone is a couple and won't be sharing the same beds.


Have you considered Prince Edward County?
e.g.
http://www.vrbo.com/112558

Or if you want West Lake on the water by Sandbanks, my son has this property for rent:
http://www.countyvacation.com/property.php?property=396
There is a huge loft over the double garage that can be used for indoor informal events.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

Glad I didn't invite Kaes now with his 5 friends lol.There are many places online who rent and my advise to you is try to look early in season and forget holiday weekends.You may find it difficult to get anything over 3 bedrooms so be prepared to adjust the guest list .We have A/C but most don't ,bring along a fan for each bedroom.You will either freeze to death or sweat your *** off on the water depends which breeze you get!


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

My son's place in Sandbanks has central AC but the loft over the garage is steamy most days (though cool at night). The breezes come in from the west then off the land at night. It is on an island that is connected to the mainland by a causeway.


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## Four Pillars (Apr 5, 2009)

kcowan said:


> My son's place in Sandbanks has central AC but the loft over the garage is steamy most days (though cool at night). The breezes come in from the west then off the land at night. It is on an island that is connected to the mainland by a causeway.


@kcowan - Your son's place looks pretty amazing.


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## Jon_Snow (May 20, 2009)

My wife and I will be building our cottage over the next several years. Seeing some of these gorgeous finished cottages makes me realize the scope of the work ahead of us. Just getting hydro to the site has been a challenge. I work harder on the weekends than I do at my real job these days. But the beer at break time is a nice perk. As a west coast guy, I would love to see what the eastern Canada cottage scene is all about...


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

Four Pillars said:


> @kcowan - Your son's place looks pretty amazing.


Ditto.


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

Jon_Snow said:


> As a west coast guy, I would love to see what the eastern Canada cottage scene is all about...


I am an east coast guy transplanted to BC. We have friends with properties in Whistler, the Okanagan, the Gulf Islands and Mt Baker. But when you think about Ontario, they have all the shoreline properties on Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Georgian Bay (where the family cottage was), Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and all the thousands of fresh water lakes. Oh yes and Lake St Claire and the St Claire river.

Estimates are that there is more money invested in personal property outside the GTA than inside. Prince Edward County and the Thousand Islands is one area that many residents of the GTA have never experienced. But then it is relatively popular with Quebec and NY residents.


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