Ontario Travel – Peterborough:
Lakeside Hospitality at Beacon by the Bay
My last few hours in Peterborough had started and
my three and a half day escape in the Kawartha Lakes
region was rapidly coming to an end. After a very
active day yesterday with lots of bicycling
and kayaking,
I enjoyed sitting on the lovely lakeside balcony
on the third floor of the Beacon by the Bay B&B,
having breakfast, watching the shimmering reflections
of the morning sun on Little Lake.
What a gorgeous place for a bed and breakfast!
I had already packed my bags but before my drive
back to Toronto I would still have an opportunity
to meet my B&B hosts, Jeff and Sheila Roberts.
I walked down from my third level self-contained
suite and sat down with them in their living room.
Jeff explained that the house was built in 1910
and is exactly 100 years old. Having worked for
many years as a draftsman for General Electric,
he retired a decade ago and bought this lakeside
house. Eight years ago he decided to start a bed
and breakfast and hired a contractor to renovate
his third floor attic.
Sheila and Jeff Roberts. sitting on their lovely
lakeside porch
Jeff himself did all the interior renovations and
equipped his self-contained suite with a kitchenette,
a bathroom with an air-massage therapy bathtub,
and a large bedroom with a king-size bed, a pull-out
couch and a balcony with a breathtaking view over
Little Lake in the heart of Peterborough. One very
unique design feature that is popular with the guests
is the star-studded blue ceiling in the bedroom
of the aptly named Cloud Nine Suite for which Jeff
hired a local artist.
The stars are twinkling on the blue night sky of
the Cloud Nine Suite
Guests have come from all over the world, including
places as far away as Switzerland and Oman. Sheila
added that this year they have had more American
guests than ever. Many of the guests at the Beacon
by the Bay come here on corporate postings as well
and leisure and business travelers alike enjoy the
central location of this bed and breakfast that
is just steps away from Del Crary Park and downtown
Peterborough. Del Crary Park, of course, is home
to the Little
Lake Musicfest which enchants locals and tourists
alike with free concerts throughout the summer.
The Peterborough Art Gallery is just a few steps
up the street, and restaurants and shopping can
easily be reached on foot.
The Beacon by the Bay Bed and Breakfast
Even dragonboat racers from Australia have stayed
here for a large international dragonboating festival
that was held in Peterborough this year. Jeff and
Sheila welcome all the guests with their warm hospitality
and are great local resources when guests need directions
to local businesses or when they are figuring out
what to do. When one of the guests had injured himself,
Jeff even drove him to the hospital. That’s
the kind of personal touch you get in a bed and
breakfast.
The kitchen is fully stocked for a continental breakfast
Jeff and Sheila then took me outside to their immaculate
front garden that faces the lake. A home-made wooden
lighthouse graces the yard and was the inspiration
for the name of the bed and breakfast. The corner
of an old canoe sticks out at the edge of the garden,
and the garage in the back has a huge wall mural
that features an ocean scene with a lighthouse.
Everything is in keeping with the nautical theme
at the Beacon by the Bay Bed and Breakfast.
Even the mural on the garage is nautically inspired
It was now mid-morning and I had to be back in
Toronto by mid-day, so I thanked my gracious hosts
Jeff and Sheila for their hospitality. Driving back
west through the lush hilly landscapes I reflected
back on my last few days in this city. I had long
enjoyed coming to Peterborough, as a matter of fact
my husband and I had spent our honeymoon 10 years
ago at a bed and breakfast just north of Peterborough.
People enjoy themselves in Millenium Park
So it was clear I was going to enjoy my time here.
But there were definitely a few things that surprised
me. Number one was the culinary diversity and sophistication
offered in Peterborough. My evening meal at the
Riverside Grill and Gazebo at the Holiday Inn, prepared
by Chef Hanuman Ramdoo’s crew was absolutely
first-rate. I had the same experience at my lunch
at the gorgeous Elmhirst’s Resort on Rice
Lake, a place that offers one of the broadest recreational
selections and opportunities I have ever seen. The
cultural offerings also impressed me, from the Canadian
Canoe Museum, to the fascinating lessons taught
at the Lang Pioneer Village, to the great barnyard
theatre action at the 4th Line Theatre. I had enjoyed
a wonderful cultural program that far exceeded my
expectations.
Flowers at the Peterborough Farmers' Market
Of course the outdoor opportunities are fantastic
as well as I experienced first hand in my bicycling
and kayaking adventure with Lloyd Graham from Pedal
and Paddle. My sightseeing cruise with the Lift
Lock Cruises Company really exposed me to Peterborough’s
most well-known engineering marvel: the historic
Peterborough Lift Lock, built in 1904. Last but
not least, it was the personal hospitality of homegrown
travel entrepreneurs like Cora Whittington from
the Golden Pathways B&B and Jeff and Sheila
Roberts from the Beacon by the Bay B&B that
made me feel really welcome and at home in this
city that is right in the heart of the Kawarthas.
There is absolutely no doubt I will be back again
soon in this area that is right at the doorstep
of Toronto.