Hit show Heated Rivalry has firmly pulled focus onto Canada’s longstanding cottage tradition – holiday homes embedded in nature for ultimate privacy.
With bookings opening via AirBnB today for devotees of the show to bag special rates for one of just four weekends at The actual Cottage in Ontario’s Muskoka region where the season finale was filmed, here’s how to create your very own showstopping holiday around the very same lakes, handpicked by the area’s leading rental company Jayne’s Luxury Rentals.
Whether it’s a secret hideaway for two or a larger group wanting to spend focused time together, a forest-wrapped lakeside home is the perfect place to ensure ultimate privacy.
All of Jayne’s properties come complete with quality white linens, barbecue, wifi, laundry facilities and premium kitchen equipment for maximum convenience, while Jayne’s concierge services include private chefs, daily housekeeping, yoga classes, personal training, car service, water toy and boat rental, provisioning and more. All guests need to do is to come to the cottage.
The Edge of Bruce, 4 bedrooms, up to 8 guests, from $912 CAD per night.
Why? Designed by the same architect as The Cottage where the Heated Rivalry season finale was filmed, The Edge of Bruce is another Trevor McIvor masterpiece evident in similar sleek and stylish vibes yet with plenty of wow factor all of its own.
Overlooking Lake Bruce, tucked into the granite bedrock of the Canadian Shield, the cottage rises to meet new arrivals with a deceptively discreet exterior that conceals a lower level which more than doubles its overall size. With two bedrooms on the main level and a further two below, the cottage sleeps 8 in total with shared spaces including kitchen, dining room and a Great Room complete with fireplace and oversized sofa.
Vast expanses of full height glass in every room give the feeling of a glamorous treehouse with contemporary comfort more akin to a five star hotel – including a sauna and private dock.
Islandview, 4 bedrooms, up to 10 guests, from $2,788 CAD per night
Why? Sharing a similar modern interpretation of the best of cottage living, Islandview is a spacious newly-built property with pine-clad interiors and maximum full-height glazing giving expansive views of Lake Joseph and surrounded by woodland.
Bright pops of colour against pale wooden clad walls and statement wall art make this a playful interpretation of the pared-back cottage aesthetic combining natural materials with retro touches echoing mid-century style. A separate Entertainment Room and the Muskoka Room ensure plenty of space for adults and younger guests to relax.
Complete with its own two-slip boathouse, private dock and lakeside hot tub, there’s room for up to 10 guests including one in the separate boathouse, with its own bathroom.
Modern Moose Lodge 5 bedrooms, up to 10 guests, from $4,855 CAD per night
Why? Designed and built by Alex Foreshew Design Associates Inc, another practice with strong credentials across Muskoka and located close to both Lake Muskoka (location of The Cottage) and Lake Rosseau, this expansive property was designed to slot perfectly into the existing geology of the region, including a sheltered patio protected by the untouched rock.
That thoughtful integration with the landscape is also evident in the use of local stone to create interior and exterior features including the fireplace of the Great Room overlooking Lake Rosseau, and granite steps leading to a large boathouse with room for 3 boats, outdoor dining for 6 and modern loungers.
Ideal for sunseekers and water babies, Modern Moose Lodge faces south east meaning all-day sun on the dock. Multiple outdoor seating areas, including a fire pit ensure that guests will spend as much time outside as they will indoors.
Bumblebee Point 6 bedrooms, up to 12 guests, from $6,174 CAD per night
Why? The architecture studio behind this newly-built property, Norwegian studio Snøhetta, also created the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion and the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. While on a much smaller scale, the design of this property follows the same principles to highlight and enhance a real sense of place.
Designed to appear as if it’s floating over its concrete pad, this modernist property has a huge 2,000 square foot terrace overlooking Little Lake Joe. Interiors are neutral, featuring natural wood, textiles, stone and glass with a joyous burst of colour in the upper level family room which looks back into woodland.
It’s also incredibly private, located on a spit of land giving a full thousand feet of lake frontage, with views out to the east, south and west. A huge boathouse has bi-fold doors on both sides, with an upper level that can be used for simple seating or opened up to become an incredible event and entertainment space. Added extras include a hot tub and fire pit, and Bumblebee has had its own sprinkling of stardust featuring in the latest season of Staycation broadcast on the Destination Channel.
Muskoka’s White House 6 bedrooms, up to 10 guests, from $3,434 CAD per night
Property video: https://youtu.be/YR60Z1CVQdU
Why? Named for its presidential connections rather than its colour, this cedar-clad cottage sits just steps from the water on Royal Muskoka Island, where 28th President Woodrow Wilson regularly holidayed in the early 1900s.
With stunning views throughout thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, the huge dock out into the lake is a major draw, with sun and shade all day long, a fully-equipped Cabana bar with outdoor sound system and TV (perfect for sports fans that don’t want to miss a match), sauna, hot tub and cold plunge, and multiple seating areas. There’s also a full range of water toys ready to use including paddleboards, kayaks and canoes.
Great for multi-generational groups, the main house has two bedrooms on the main level and a further two on the upper level – including the oversized primary suite which spans the entire width of the cottage. There’s also a separate Guest Cabin with loft, sleeping up to two adults and three children.
Getting there
The nearest international airport is Toronto Pearson. The journey to Muskoka takes around two and a half hours by car, or 45-minutes by float plane from Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport. Private planes can also fly into Muskoka Airport (Bracebridge) or Parry Sound Airport.
The region will also be more easily accessible by train from later this year, with the reinstatement of the Northlander service from Toronto calling at key stops across Muskoka including Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, and Huntsville.
