The Little Inn of Bayfield History and Luxury in a Perfect Romance

When I was looking for places to stay in Bayfield, Ontario for our summer roadtrip along the shores of Lake Huron, one place kept popping up in my search, The Little Inn at Bayfield.

The romantic notion of staying in the oldest inn in Ontario with its double verandahs and big old willow tree out front, grabbed me at first sight.  I knew I had to stay here and explore the history of the inn as well as the pretty little town of Bayfield.  More on the town later, but let me tell you about this gorgeous inn and its incredible story.

The History

The original structure was built in 1847 to house the post office, and it wasn’t until the 1850’s after a fire that the hotel came to be, rebuilt around the existing stone building that survived.  The double verandahs were added in 1891, but had to be torn down in the 1960s due to a land dispute with the town.  They were reconstructed again in the early 1980’s when the presiding council understood the heritage value of the inn in its original format, and today the verandahs look just like their original design. 

The Little Inn at Bayfield has been serving customers for well over a hundred and fifty years.  Those early stagecoach and rail days are now roadtrip days to those of us following the Bluewater Highway along the shores of the Great Lake Huron.

The inn along with the town of Bayfield has been designated a heritage district, and thankfully that will preserve the history of this gorgeous place.

Though there is great history in this place don’t be fooled, the inn is not dated.  The Little Inn has been exquisitely renovated and updated, offering luxurious amenities that make for a superbly comfortable stay filled with glorious memories and historic elements.

Accommodations

Some rooms are on the main floor, while others are on the upper floor.  I think there are about 16 of them, based on my own counting during my self-guided tour with camera in hand (video at end of this post). 

What drew me to The Little Inn was the image of those glorious verandahs.  The verandah on the main floor offers an opportunity for outdoor dining at the in-house fine dining restaurant perfectly named, The Willow Room.  The Four in Hand Taproom offers more casual fare, seated indoors, outdoors, or at the bar.

The upper verandah is accessed via a common hallway for some rooms, and directly by others.  We stayed in Room 12, which offers direct access to the upper verandah (my romantic dream).  It is a bright, beautifully appointed room with some furniture that takes you back to an earlier time yet is designed with modern day comfort and luxuries.  The deep luxurious bathtub, rainfall shower, and sumptuous bedding made for a truly enjoyable and plush stay.

Allow me a few minutes to rave about the design of this place.  Rooms are unique in design and the classic modern white hallways with black guestroom doors are perfectly coupled with historic art and vintage pieces lending a peaceful, charming ambiance to this beautifully appointed inn.  I was entranced. 

The Little Inn is located towards the end of Bayfield’s Main Street that leads towards Pioneer Park overlooking the Lake Huron shore with its beautiful sunsets just a five minute stroll away.  If the wooden stairway isn’t gated, you can walk down to the beach.  A marina is also just a few minutes walk from The Little Inn if you prefer to travel by boat.

There is plenty to see and enjoy in this pretty historic town of Bayfield, Ontario.  I’ll share all that in a future post.  For now, let’s revel in the romantic splendour of history and luxury at The Little Inn of Bayfield.

Here’s a video on which to feast your eyes.

Book directly with The Little Inn of Bayfield using this link The Little Inn | Bayfield, Ontario, Canada if you choose to stay here.

Do you prefer staying at romantic historic inns, modern hotels, or people’s homes while on your travels?