Gatekeeper's Retreat

Beautifully decorated home with traditional charm. Lovely rooms with an amazing Suite downstairs for a weekend retreat stay. The three course breakfast demonstrates cooking is definitely David’s forte. His French roots come through in his cooking style and presentation. Great morning surprise and delicious ! Table for eight guests makes for an interesting breakfast conversation. Definitely a plan to return again !

What a pleasure staying here was! When we arrived David showed us around and each part was so well decorated. Then there was the surprise of the little speakeasy bar that was downstairs, it was so cool we spent a bit of time on both nights down there. David told us that he used to be a set designer and you can see he has a real talent for it! Our room on the first floor was a good size and had a very comfortable bed, so we had a great night's sleep on both nights. For the first day, we were out before the 9am breakfast, so David prepared us some pastries and muffins that we could grab and go, and they were delicious. On the second morning, we had breakfast with the other guests and that was great - the food was delicious and the company was fun. I would have no hesitation recommending this guest house at all!

Located only a few blocks from Lake Ontario and a short seven-minute drive from downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Gatekeeper’s Retreat is fine place to spend time while at this charming community. The highlight of our nine-day stay was breakfast. David, your innkeeper, prepares a feast for your first meal of the day. The breakfast is served at 9AM sharp; it is a leisurely meal, lasting an hour. If you have early plans, as we did for three mornings, he will readily offer a buffet of muffins & croissants with jams (made in the region), fruit, and coffee & orange juice. Fresh fruit and cheese are waiting for you when you enter the dining room. David explains the cheeses, which he buys at Cheese Secrets in downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake. Next is the main course, alternating days between sweet and savory, and always presented with a flourish. If you are traveling as two couples or a group of four friends, I encourage you to book the two rooms—The Chamber and The Boudoir—on the second floor. These rooms open out onto The Library, where comfortable chairs and a sofa serve as your private living space, helping to expand the area of the bedrooms; there is also a coffee room for your use on this floor. Our bathroom in The Chamber was spacious and clean. We got a good night’s sleep on the comfortable mattress. This B&B is a keeper!

This is a winner. The couple who run the Bed and Breakfast are both warm and welcoming. The rooms are well appointed, comfortable and quiet. The breakfasts were excellent and plentiful. We would certainly return.

We just returned two days ago and I want to go back! My friend and I of 43 years (college room-mate) came here for two nights and honestly I wished we booked 3 nights. David is warm, welcoming and has a lovely sense of humour. Attention to detail is key to this charming space. Our breakfasts were a feast for the eyes and very delicious- savoury one day, sweet the next all set in a lovely dining room. We stayed in the hermitage room and it was spacious, beautifully decorated. I felt I was away at 'home'. (meaning I was relaxed here and enjoyed the space so much we spent a-lot of time here). We walked outside the door and up the road along the Lake- a stunning walk into town. You will NOT regret booking here.

Just stayed 3 nights at The Gatekeeper’s Retreat. David is a wonderful host, with incredible attention to every detail, and he’s a gourmet cook, to boot. The delicious, innovative creations he served for breakfast were amazing. An excellent choice for a reasonably close stay to the historic downtown of Niagra-on-the-Lake, and all it has to offer.