This is the second time weâve stayed at the Black Lake Cottage in as many years. We love the area and all itâs happenings, and have become very fond of Black Lake itself.
The cottage is great, and shows even better in person. Emily is a solid communicator, and accommodating when required. We would love to return again for a three-peat.
My only criticism is there are very few places to put your clothes. Itâs a bit of a bother living out of your suitcase for the whole week. I recommend placing hooks in all rooms, where reasonable. This is a pretty minor issue, however.
Overall: amazing week, great cottage, great owner. Highly recommend.
This cottage was a great place to get away for the week. The cottage and property show way more impressively in person than the photos. Emily, the cottage owner was a clear communicator and welcoming host. We would book again with Emily and this cottage.
The cottage and property were very nice. However the huge ceiling fan in the living room was not working and it was very humid in the cottage when we arrived. We could not get the barbecue to light and it wasn't very clean so we unfortunately couldn't use it. The oven was so dirty that we didn't use it. I ended up cleaning out the microwave as it was not clean as well. We couldn't get the DVD player to work. There were no smoke detectors. The steps off the back porch need a hand railing.
Other than these inconveniences, overall it was a nice place for a vacation and Black Lake is a wonderfully quiet lake. The sandy bottom was a bonus.
We arrived in a heatwave! But the swimming was perfect- the little sandy beach area and gradual water entry was so wonderful. The water was cool enough to be refreshing and warm enough to stay in for a good soak.
The beds were a bit more firm than we are use to, but comfy nonetheless less.
The fan in the livingroom wasn't operating, but the fans provided throughout the cottage were plenty to keep us cool on the hottest days.
There were games, Puzzles and even a paddleboat- something for everyone, even on our rain days.
The kitchen was well outfitted and we ate in for every meal.
We did have some questions and Emily was so lovely to communicate with and she was very responsive whenever messaged.
If you're looking to disconnect, relax and enjoy a true cottage experience with the luxury of super shops in Gravenhurst, and Bala, I would highly recommend Emily's cottage!
The daily duck and beaver visits were a bonus :)
Thank you for a terrific week- we were so pleased to have found this gem!
Laura & family
Beautiful waterfront location. Had a great time, enjoying the small lake on the paddle boat and kayak, sitting by the campfire. Explored the local area including the nearby Beer Spa with live local entertainment, free water ski show in Bala, farmer's market and wharf in Gravenhurst, Kirby's beach in Bracebridge and Muskoka drive-in. Cottage is comfortable and has great view.
Our family had a wonderful stay at this lovely cottage. There were lots of activities to chose from and we had plenty of fun. It was also a great place to relax and enjoy nature. The owner was quick to answer any questions we had. We would definitely return for another visit!
We had a wonder week here! The cottage was lovely and clean. It was nice to walk on flat land to the waters edge! We would definitely look at renting this property again!
We had a great stay at Emilyâs cottage. Itâs perfect for our family with three young kids. A nice shallow entry where the kids could swim and we could relax. Was just what we were looking for. A great little lake for paddle boarding too.
We had a fantastic time at this cottage. Everything was neat, clean, tidy and easy to access. The cottage is the perfect size for our family of four. The beach was great for our two small children and the surrounding grass and woods were perfect for the dog too!
We would recommend this cottage to anyone and would definitely rent it again!
We thoroughly enjoyed our week at this cottage. Black Lake is warm, and not too weedy, so it was great for swimming. The small beach area provided sandy entertainment for our 4 year old, and the gradual, shallow entry to the lake really helped build her swimming confidence.
We had great weather during our stay, which meant the cottage was hot for sleeping, but fans were provided. We found everything we needed (except a kettle), and it was a nice change from other cottage rentals to have sheets and towels provided.
The cottage was tidy and clean when we arrived. The bedrooms are small, but the main living area is open and comfortable. The bunkie provided extra sleeping space when needed too.
There's a small General Store right at the end of the road, but Bala is just 7 minutes away when you need a bigger store.
The only thing that could've been improved was the email correspondence with the owner prior to our stay. Not every email was replied to, and we would've liked a bit more information offered about what was available at the cottage and what we needed to bring. Once we arrived at the cottage and had the owner's cell number, we were able to text her, and that worked out better.
Overall, we had a great vacation here, and we've finally found a cottage we'd like to return to again next year!
Great place to spend the week with your family ! Perfect cottage !
My family and I spent a week at this cottage and have nothing but great things to say. The small but cozy lake it sits on is perfect for swimming and cruising around on in our fishing boat . Loved the sandy bottom it was great for entering the water and was shallow enough for just waiting around in. Very clean and cozy cottage and enough room for my 4 kids, dogs and my wife and I. Would go back again for sure !!!
Thanks !!