Hotel Sacacomie

What a wonderful, authentic place. This is a hotel/resort, fashioned out of great big logs, in the middle of nowhere, by an owner who loved the area, and everything it has to offer. Don't expect Marriott cookie-cutter perfection, realise that you're in the wilderness with homemade signage that someone cared enough to make from scratch. The ambience smacks you right in the nose, the moment you walk in to reception, and smell woodsmoke and pine timber, and are surrounded by animal pelts on the walls, and stuffed owls over the bar. It's unashamedly what it is. The service is superb, with nothing too much trouble, and the guide for the nature trail and bear watching, Marty, was amazing (make sure you try the tea (I still need to know what the leaves are!). The spa is excellent, with top-notch facilities, and properly silent relaxation. Make sure you have enough time here for at least two full days to do trails (in the summer), and make sure you get out on the lake. The very realistic approach to things is refreshing: Here's where the canoe is, off you go... (personal responsibility required!). Breakfast was a very impressive, comprehensive buffet, and the dinner options are a very good standard (though tend to be on the slightly rich side). I hope this place never changes to assimilate to tedious commercial standards. It is exceptional, just as it is.

This hotel was a complete disappointment. The rooms are outdated, rundown, and smelled musty. To make matters worse, the staff was extremely rude and unhelpful whenever we asked for assistance. If you want to go to the beach, prepare to climb a thousand exhausting stairs every single time. There is only one restaurant and nothing around the area at all. The photos look nothing like reality. I would definitely not recommend staying here.

The location of the hotel is uniquely good, the rest uniquely bad: Carpets with stains, no air conditioning in the room, hardly any curtains for darkening, nails sticking out of the wooden floors (risk of injury!), mediocre breakfast buffet (already no croissants left by 9 a.m., orange juice from concentrate, only white toast, etc.). And all that at a high price!