Situated in the middle of a private, 500-acre forest on the shores of Lake Maitouwabing, two hours north of Toronto, The Inn At Manitou is an intimate resort of only 35 rooms, each with spectacular, sparkling lake views.

Awaiting you in your room with its natural cedar cathedral ceiling, and log burning fireplace is a split of champagne and fresh green apples. Lush king beds draped in fine linens and Aveda toiletries complete your home-away-from-home.

The Inn provides ample opportunity for rest and relaxation. Try a little yoga on the floating dock. But, if you’d rather sharpen your backhand, then get out to one of the 13 tennis courts where novice and expert alike get personal instruction from top-notch pros. In addition, there are activities far from the crowds for just the two of you. Book a dawn horseback ride, swim off a secluded stretch of shore, cruise the lake in a sailboat or just take a romantic walk through the woods.

Oh, the food!  In Chef Bernard Ibanez’s capable and creative hands, appetizers and entrees with a focus on fresh ingredients will remind you how food is supposed to taste. If you are lucky enough to experience one of Ibanez’s cooking classes, be sure to come with a hearty appetite as all students participate in the eating as well as the learning.

At our class conducted in a private residence “Treetops”, we learned how to make scallops with asparagus to perfection, duck to die for and a simple but tasty raspberry frangipane. We wowed our friends back home with our new culinary talents!

If tennis, yoga and swimming aren’t enough to whet your appetite, then the spa will certainly do the trick. The first-class staff offers over 30 different treatments including oxygen facials, Vichy showers, shiatsu and Thai massage. A founding member of Premier Spas of Ontario as well as a member of Ontario’s Finest Inns and Spas, the Inn’s spa is an oasis of tranquility and definitely just what the doctor ordered.

One of the Inn’s most charming assets is its staff. Now in its 36th year of operation, this family-run resort employs warm and caring professionals who are attentive without being overly fussy. Owners Shelia Wise and Jordanna Wise Lipson ensure that standards of excellence are maintained throughout the resort.

The Inn offers a romantic setting for weddings and can accommodate parties of up to 80 for a sunset ceremony in the Gazebo or the Tea Room overlooking the lake. Dinner and dancing in The Manitou Room or high above the lake at Treetops are also popular options.

A wedding or honeymoon at The Inn at Manitou is one of the most fortuitous ways to start a marriage, and to keep the spark alive when you return on your anniversaries.