We have all heard the phrase “You need to spend money to make money”, but the key to maximizing your return on investment truly lies in where you spend that money.

Your vacation rental is a great asset most of the time, and a thorn in your side for the rest – right? There always seems to be something lurking around the corner; maybe an area of your cottage that needs some extra TLC, or an unexpected problem that needs to be addressed swiftly. As a vacation cottage owner, or host, you know how important it is to keep your cottage in great shape to delight your paying guests. So, as the busy season has been and gone, it is a great time to be thinking about where you should reinvest some of your 2018 profits back into your property, as it will benefit you in the future.

The best way to evaluate what needs to be changed, improved or removed is to think about some of your best vacation experiences. What impressed you the most? Was it the spacious and bright kitchen? The comfortable bedrooms? Or maybe the stunning outdoor entertaining space? Put yourself in your guests’ shoes and try to see your cottage through their eyes.

There have been a lot of changes in the vacation rental sector recently, and what we have discovered from our conversations with guests might surprise you… they are expecting a hotel-like experience in a private cottage. We suggest that you think carefully about the following areas of your cottage and consider reinvesting in these locations. Your guests will thank you, and your rate may be increased to reflect the added value to your property.

1. Freshen up your kitchen.

The kitchen is the heart of the home and likely a place that groups’ will be spending time cooking together, playing games and organizing themselves for the days’ adventures.  Maybe your counter has seen better days, or your cupboards could do with another coat of paint. Ensure that you have place settings, cutlery and crockery to accommodate your maximum occupancy. These relatively simple and affordable updates can make your kitchen a more inviting space and even appear cleaner, brighter and bigger! Consider light tones to open up the space and create a feeling of warmth.

2. Rethink your bathrooms

It may seem like an area where you wouldn’t spend a lot of time, but an organised, clean and updated bathroom can make a huge difference to guests during their cottage selection process. Look around your bathroom and consider replacing old shower curtains and bath mats, providing more storage for the toiletries of your guests, or re-grouting your tiles if they’re looking shabby. It doesn’t have to be a rehaul – but a touch up is a great way to keep your cottage in top shape.

3. Create some luxury in your bedrooms

We often receive feedback regarding tired and uncomfortable mattresses or pillows and mattress protectors with stains and marks. This is not luxurious. Replacing your mattresses every 5 years is important to your guests and could be the difference between them deciding to return the following year or not. Comfortable beds with fresh pillows, new mattress protectors and comforters can make your cottage bedrooms feel like an expensive hotel room. Consider white comforters as they can be bleached and remember that matching bed sets can really create a luxury feeling. Limit the odds and ends that are left in your cottage so that it doesn’t feel cluttered.

4. Your waterfront is your money maker

It is important to remember that your guests have booked your waterfront cottage with the intention of spending time outside on your dock, sandy beach or boathouse. Invest some money here as often as necessary. Keeping on top of your landscaping is important. Don’t neglect the grass, or let weeds infiltrate your beautiful water view. Your outdoor space is your money maker, so make sure it ticks all of the boxes. Docks, decks and boathouses need to be safe and well-maintained. An ugly dock with tired wood and nails hanging out needs a lot of attention, remember you may be hosting kids and pets who are easily injured. Easy touches of luxury include sun lounges, well-manicured firepits, outdoor dining areas for maximum occupancy, or hot tubs for the perfect evening of stargazing.

Enhancing these key areas can take your cottage to the next level, and in most cases a higher rental rate. Don’t forget that your property is a small business!

Recently, Netflix produced an interesting series focusing on the short-term rental market in the US. The series is called Stay Here and has many valuable insights into the guest experience and how to heighten this for increased rates of occupation and increased rental rates. If this interests you, I recommend that you take a look at one of the episodes. Most notably Season 1 episode 3 looks at a professionally managed rental in Austin, Texas.

When I was planning my trip to Muskoka, I knew I wanted to experience everything Muskoka has to offer. So, when I was looking for a place to stay, I was looking at all platforms, Airbnb, VRBO, Ontario Cottage Rentals. From the start I was leaning towards choosing Ontario Cottage Rentals because it was a smaller, local company that seems to honestly want to make my experience as safe as possible. Luckily, I found a great place, Deer Bluff, on Ontario Cottage Rentals.

I chose Deer Bluff because it was in a really great location. It’s right next to Deerhurst Resort so my husband and I can visit one of Ontario’s nicest resorts. Also, my husband and I are really into golfing, so we got to play at Deerhurst and Grandview golf clubs, some of the nicest courses in Ontario (I’d say).

Honestly Deer Bluff was such a comfortable place to live, the place is newly updated and modern. It had all the conveniences of our house in Toronto, it just felt fresh, clean, air conditioned (which came in handy due to the heat Huntsville had during our visit).

Another thing we did was visit Algonquin Park, which is about a 20-40min drive away, depending on the trails you want to walk off Hwy 60. Algonquin is beautiful! It was our first time visiting and we did just a couple of the trails off the Hwy 60 corridor. But the best thing of all was being able to come home at the end of a hot and sweaty day of doing the trails and hopping in the lake with the semiprivate beach.

Overall, Deer Bluff was an incredible spot to visit to fully experience Muskoka.

Looking to make deliciously easy meals for the whole family around the campfire this trip to the cottage? Here are five great recipes we found.

Tin foil Surf n’ Turf

Want the luxury of surf n’ turf but around the campfire surrounded by loved ones and the view of a lake? Check out this great recipe that shows you how to cook the best surf n’ turf on an open flame of a campfire.

Skillet Ratatouille

Want to feel like you’re in Italy while you’re surrounded by trees, water, and wildlife? Check out this Ratatouille recipe we found using the flame from a campfire and a skillet.

Campfire Pizza

Pizza is one of the most fun meals you can make with your family since the range of toppings can in theory be endless. Learn what you need to make great campfire pizzas with the recipe provided.

Chicken and Bacon Ranch Packets

Want something a little more unique that the whole family will love? Check out this video recipe on how to make Chicken and Bacon Ranch Packets over the campfire.

Grilled Cheese

The classic grilled cheese is a king of lunch and could also be used for a lazy dinner or for any picky eaters at dinner. Checkout this great recipe we found to allow anyone to conquer the campfire grilled cheese

The kids have been put to bed and it’s finally time for the adults to have some fun. The bottle(s) of fermented grape juice start flowing, and the laughter starts arriving, let’s just try not to wake the kids, now shall we. Here are five of the best adult board games we’ve found.

Betrayal at House on the Hill:

Betrayal at House on the Hill lets a person star in their very own horror movie, but the twist is there’s no way to know if the person is the hero or victim of the story until it’s too late. This one key aspect makes the game great is that it is one of the most re-playable board games out there on the market. When you start this game, you will have no idea what is ahead of you. This is because you, alongside the other players lay down room tiles at random as everyone goes through this haunted house. As the game progresses, random creepy events happen. For example, a monster hungry for flesh wakes up in the basement. Throughout the game you will never know whether a player is on your side or while backstab you. Perhaps a teammate may try to sacrifice you in exchange for extra life. The game is super suspenseful and will tell you a whole lot about the people you are playing against.

Puzzle: Azul:

For the people out there who want a more relaxing game experience, Azul may be your go-to. The game is to place tiles on the board and score points, as simple as that. Some may even describe it as a “colour-based crossword’. You’ve still got to take care, though. The aim is to not waste tiles, this means there is much manoeuvring and competition to outwit your opponents.

Catan:

Catan sends you in a time machine back to the settling of the wild frontiers. Your goal as a settler is to inhabit this island and expand your civilization through trade. The trick is to know where to inhabit since resources are determined by probability of dice rolls, therefore quite scarce. Some locations supply greater resources which make for people to race and claim the best locations. Like Monopoly, players can trade for resources they need with other players, better trades mean better chances of winning. What follows is an intriguing balancing act.

Scrawl:

Warning, this game may bring out the immature adults. The game is described by www.gamesradar.com as a “A filthy-minded road trip through the weirder parts of your brain, it’s a delight at parties that’s best described as a cross between Telephone and Pictionary”. To play, a player receives a crazy prompt card, whatever it is, the player must draw it. (“photocopying your balls”). After, the drawing is handed to the person beside you who has to guess what it is.

Next, the picture gets passed down again and the next person has to guess what the thing the second person thought the picture was of and draw it. The original drawing will be unrecognizable and just downright hilarious.

The game is practically broken visual, inappropriate, broken telephone, and it is just so fun. It’s also very similar to cards against humanity since it is based off of dark humour.

Joking Hazard:
Like Cards against Humanity but with artwork. Players get a cartoon strip and a series of random cards from a pile; they must strategically place the best card from their hand that fits the cartoon strip the best in order to amuse the chosen player. The funniest selection by a player wins the hand and the player with the most hands won at the end of the game wins the game!
Easy to learn and honestly hilarious.

Hope you have fun at your next games night, adults!

Every summer it gets incredibly busy here at Ontario Cottage Rentals. Everyone wants to come up to a cottage and rightfully so, Cottage country is beautiful! However, this means many of our cottages get completely booked up and for the people who haven’t booked their cottage, yet it may seem frustrating when you are searching for a place, and nothing seems to be available. That is why we created the Last-Minute Rentals page where you can find all the cottages that are still up for rent until labour day. But wait, there’s more! To make these last-minute vacays a little tastier we will be throwing in a $150 gift  certificate when you book your trip.


Here are the cottages that are still up for grabs as of today until Labour Day:

All Star Retreat

Clover Cottage

Deer Bluff

Dragon’s Bay

Dun Roamin’

Hidden Treasure

Highbury House

Moonshadow

Oolong’s Lake

Whalley’s Way

If you have children who have reached that age where their phones have become the most important things in their lives, this blog post is for you. When your family is at the cottage the last thing you want are your kids on their phones the whole time. Cottages are for family bonding through laughter at the dinner table, story telling by bon fires, and outdoor activities you can’t do at home. Here are 4 ways that will help prevent phones from ruining an amazing cottage experience.

1. The first thing and perhaps the most important thing of all to note is to not force your kids from not using their phones. This then makes them resentful of you and creates passive aggression and moodiness. Instead, allow the kids to still have their phones, however set boundaries for when they can use it. For example, not allowing your kids to use their phone when the family is playing a board game, whether your child wants to play the board game or not. Then no phones during meals should become mandatory, since these are times when the greatest bonding moments occur
2. Next have enough activities planned that makes the experience stimulating enough so your children don’t feel “bored” and want to use their phone all the time. Family activities like walking in Algonquin Park (which has no reception, bonus!), or going for a boat ride and maybe even tubbing are great fun activities to keep the kids off their phones. In a sense, the more fun you can jam pack into a vacation, the less time the kids will be bored and on their phones.
3. Stay off your phone! If the kids see you on your phone they will go on their phone or become envious if you have prevented them from going on their phone.
4. Have times during the day when the whole family shuts down their phones, so that means no notifications at all distracting you. You could even make a game out of it, if someone catches a person sneaking a peak at their phone, the person has a negative consequence. This could be monetary or nonmonetary like having to run for a kilometre.
5. If you want to go cold turkey, you could go to a cottage with no Wi-Fi and possibly no reception so there is no possibility anyone can use their phone. Or if that is not an option you could, in a sense not find out the Wi-Fi password, which would at least keep the kids off social media in most cases

As golf courses across Ontario begin to open for business (with strict safety measures in place), we wanted to share our thoughts on some of Muskoka’s most memorable golf holes.  There are many reasons a particular golf hole will stick with us.  From the historic walk across the Swilken Bridge on the 18^th at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland to being awestruck by the magnificence of the Rockies on almost every hole at Fairmont Banff Springs or Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta.  Or for some, it could be the memory of your first birdie, eagle, or how about a hole-in-one!

Moving a little closer to home, you will find Muskoka is one of the finest golf destinations in the world, offering an incredible variety of golf courses from family-run nines to some of Canada’s best.  With that in mind, we have put together our list of 8 of Muskoka’s most memorable golf holes for you to consider and hopefully get a chance to experience in person!

1. Muskoka Bay – Hole #1
2. Bigwin Island – Hole #18
3. Deerhurst Highlands – Hole #1
4. Taboo – Hole #18
5. The Rock – Hole #12
6. Rocky Crest – Hole #18
7. Grandview – Hole #1
8. Lake Joseph – Hole #8

Of course, if you simply love getting out on the fairway with good friends, any hole on any course might just do the trick!

At time of publishing, Parks Canada has stated the Trent-Severn Waterway has a target date of June 1^st to be open for navigation. This is subject to change, but our fingers are crossed with hopes that people will soon be able to enjoy the wonders and beauty of Lock 44 – The Big Chute Marine Railway which remains the only marine railway of its kind in North America still in use.

While the entire Trent-Severn is vital for navigation from Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay, Lock 44 has also become a popular place to visit and witness this engineering marvel.

Located east of highway 400 near Honey Harbour, Ontario the lock operates as an open carriage that runs on rails, physically lifting the boats out of the water and over 60 feet of elevation before launching them back into the water where they can continue their journey. While gatherings are not yet permitted, the area also has grounds for picnicking and boater camping and some Parks Canada places will begin to offer limited access and services while maintaining physical distancing measures. For now, we hope they will be able to operate for through navigation June 1^st.

For updated information on scheduled openings and limitations, please visit here.

Hello Cottage Lovers,

As we continue to navigate these unknown times, we want to reach out and update you on how we at OCR are approaching the situation.  Our hearts go out to anyone who has been impacted by the virus, directly or indirectly.

As an online business, some of our staff are able to continue to work from home, while some are now able to return to the office, ensuring that we fulfill our commitment to keep you, the customer, informed. While things may be done differently during this time, please know that our team remains dedicated to treating everyone with care and respect.

While we are dealing with the COVID-19 situation, we understand that it will be important to maintain a positive outlook, while preparing for a virus-free future.  With that in mind, here are several points to convey:

• Now that our web system is automated, clients are able to book and use credit cards online with no physical need for paper.
• Our cleaning staff have been instructed to do a thorough cleaning, and then a disinfecting (2-step system) for any cottages that require cleaning.
• In the spirit of optimism, we are continuing our hiring.  So, if you are interested in any of the positions posted, please drop us a line.
• We are excited and inspired about our rental management program and are continually bringing new cottages into the OCR family.

We applaud those committed to staying safe and ask that everyone to continue physical distancing, which is critical to slowing the spread of COVID-19.  Choose knowledge over fear.  Please remember to be kind and support each other, especially our most vulnerable.  Stay safe and healthy.

S.M. Givens, Managing Director, Ontario Cottage Rentals (OCR)