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J.W. Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa: The Grand Tour

Muskoka is near and dear to my heart.

Going up north every year to my friend’s cottages. Swimming, sailing, boating.

It’s the place where you want to go to escape the big city and take on an entirely different mindset and stress-free cottage life.

If you are on Lake Rosseau, one of the best lakes and most expensive lakes in the area to buy, you would go around with your boat and just look at other people’s cottages, wishing you could live like them.

For those who can’t afford the $4.5 Million cottage, it’s tough to imagine living up north like that, rubbing shoulders with celebrities, sporting legends and the business elite. But now, you can enjoy that type of lifestyle through your hotel stay.

The Grounds

JW Marriott Muskoka-2Arrived early at J.W. Marriott The Rosseau on a bright sunny August day. Lots of activity and life happening from those who are staying and those who are boating in for a nice meal.

The scenery at the J.W. Marriott The Rosseau is layered. The top is the full of activity. New hotel attendees coming in, the restaurants are buzzing and guests are heading up and down the elevators towards their rooms and down to the layer below.

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The next level down is the indoor/outdoor pool, jacuzzi and spa. Along the same lines on the other side of the building are the conference rooms, with long wooden tables and chairs to make you feel powerful, perfect for those pre-post golf business meetings.

The indoor/outdoor pool is great, especially if you are looking for a nice balance of sun and shade (especially during this hot summer) and the view from the pool deck is very scenic looking down to The Deck (which is our next location). You also have the Paignton House wing, with beautiful guest rooms from studio to two-bedroom suites.

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The Deck is a great spot to bring family, friends, kids, whomever! It has a terrific restaurant, great for patio drinks and overlooking what I think (based on visiting the area for the last 15 years) the water.

The waterfront has a small beach, docks for your friends to come by and relax and plenty of water sports to enjoy. It’s a great spot to go for the day with a long book and little sense of what time it is.

Each level down to the water is both scenic looking up and undoubtably scenic looking down to the lake.

The Rooms

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The rooms have a nice, homey feel. The bathrooms have plenty of space and you even have a kitchenette with Miele kitchen top, perfect if you want a spot of tea or something more involved. Or you can use a microwave if you want something less involved.

The room is spacious, great for work, relaxation, reading or even if you want to get in the business zone for that quick set of emails before heading back to pool.

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Big beds are comfortable and you can sink in and not come out for a while. The bathrooms are spacious and well laid out.

The Restaurants

Unlike some resorts around the area where you have one restaurant that you have to keep coming back to over and over again, you certainly have variety at the J.W. Marriott The Rosseau.

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Lots of options if you want something more causal or if you want to dress up for a special occasion:

  • > Muskoka Chophouse – a wonderful steakhouse with flavourful steaks and great, shareable sides.
  • > Lakes – The great gathering place for all. Whether it’s lounging with a coffee and a paper, watching the Olympics with something bubbly or fizzy or a great meeting spot for friends, it’s heart of the J.W. Marriott.
  • > Cottages  – With views of the outdoors, the cottages brings you that cottage-y feel with a great menu.
  • > The Deck – A newly expanded outdoor restaurant, right by the pool, jacuzzi and kids’ play pool area with a great view of the lake water below.
  • > Country Market – Start your day here with a wide selection of Illy coffee or grab a quick snack before heading out.
  • > Teca – classic Italian cuisine but with a great selection of hard to find wines and some delicious food

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The Bottom Line

With the J.W. Marriott The Rosseau, it’s one of those properties that has a big presence on the lake, definitely more than most multi-million dollar cottages in the area. There are lots to do if it’s sunny, rainy or even snowing (I don’t want to think of that right now). It’s a great place to relax, bring your friends, have group events and even bring your family too.

We got here and there were weddings and business meetings and just about everything you can think of, but you turn the corner and looks like a different things was happening. Like I referenced before there are a lot of layers to the J.W. Marriott.

It brings back all of the great memories I have about being dockside at friend’s cottages and I would definitely come back.

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For more information, book your stay at the J.W. Marriott The Rosseau‘s website.

Here is where the J.W. Marriott The Rosseau is located:

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