Big Tub Harbour Resort — Hotel in Tobermory

(please read until end). My family and i travelled here to stay for the long weekend and for how expensive the rooms were we were deeply disappointed by the lack of amenities and services available. BBQ: There is a barbecuing area on the premises but no photos present on the website. After contacting the resort the assured us there is a barbecuing area- to our surprise when we arrive the bbq spot was no more than a small tucked away cubby with a singular park bench and 2 grills. Aside from that you can bring your own grill for the small gravel area thats no larger than 4 cars. It us first come first serve basis. Rooms: The rooms were clean but did feel quite humid- lots of water damage marks on the ceiling. They don’t have room service but instead you had to leave a hanged checklist on your door of what amenities you will need. Interesting to say the least when youre spending $250+ per night. Activities: There are not many things to do in the resort itself. The one activity they offer is relatively expensive. Rental kayak/canoe. There are no vouchers that come with your stay here but you will have to pay $40 (before tax) for 1 hour of kayak or canoe rental and your time ends the moment you come back to land (so you can not switch with another person halfway) Hospitality: Overall most of the staff were very nice and welcoming. There was one lady from day one that prompted this bad review because the way she treated us was absolutely unacceptable and there ate families that weekend who felt the same but choose to not speak up. This is particularly for the attendant with short blond hair and black rimmed glasses (didnt catch her name) On the first day arriving we decided to rent a canoe and double kayak :$40 each. We go down to the rental area to hand our cards and begin the safety/use demonstration. During the demonstration she showed us a typical whistle and simply said not to mess around with it. My 14 year old cousin gently blew on the whistle that was attached to the life jacket (keep in mind it, the whistle on the life jacket looked like a chip clip NOT like the one in the demonstration, she didnt even point out we had one on the jackets and quite frankly we assumed we were getting a bucket with a whistle in it). The lady immediately turned around and demanded he take off his life jacket and his session ended there. I understood what he did was wrong but also she did not explain why she was revoking it and did not give him a chance to apologize and walked away as if nothing happened. We did not receive how to use the paddles and made us get into the canoe/kayak right away. ( she didnt even give me any instructions but pulled the kayak into the dock and stared at me and i stared back at her because?????) She completely soured our first day with the incident but it didnt stop there. My family was the only family using the barbecue and she would constantly patrol back and forth looking at us as if we did something wrong - complained we were too loud but because the bbq area was in a cubby, by the distance you walked back to the hotel you couldnt hear anything. She told us our kids that were playing volleyball on the gravel were too loud (at 7pm - bright as an afternoon outside) and proceeded to continuously walk by the and shushed loudly at them!! The absolute audacity and rude behavior. We tried to keep it civil with her by saying good morning but she would walk right back past not acknowledging us at all. I understand working with people is hard but this lady was an absolute nightmare of a person with ZERO hospitable manners or decency. Her behavior was consistent in the two days we saw her. Completely unacceptable.

On one of the days we met a new attendant named Amanda and she was a saint of a person. An absolute joy to be around and was the prime example of good hospitality. She would ask us if we needed anything and gave us our space.

TLDR: the short blond hair staff member with glasses was the most rude person ive met in a while and needs a...

I recently had the pleasure of spending three delightful days at the end of June at the Big Tub Harbour Resort in Tobermory.

Nestled away from the typical hustle and bustle, the resort enjoys an enviably serene location. The tranquility is a welcome departure from the cacophony of traffic and crowds found in busier hotels in town. Despite its quiet locale, the resort is conveniently a short drive away from town.

The accommodation offered by the resort was impressively clean and tastefully appointed. Our room on the second floor offered stunning views of the Big Tub Harbor. Waking up to the mesmerizing sight of the harbour was an experience that left us in awe every morning. Notably, the standard of the rooms far exceeded that of other facilities we've tried in Tobermory.

Adding to the overall charm of the resort was the proximity to the Lighthouse – a short, leisurely walk away. The resort also provided kayak rentals, which made for an adventurous day exploring the harbour and coastline. Their docks are well-maintained and offer a great spot for leisure.

What stood out most during our stay was the friendly front desk staff. They were always ready with a smile and provided prompt assistance and a fresh cup of coffee, making our stay that much more comfortable and enjoyable.

However, no review is complete without pointing out room for improvement. On some nights, we did experience disturbance due to loud guests. Additionally, there were instances of cigarette and cannabis smoke, which can be off-putting for non-smokers. While I understand these are things beyond the resort's control, it did slightly mar the otherwise exceptional experience.

Despite minor inconveniences, the Big Tub Harbour Resort delivered an enchanting escape. This property embodies Tobermory's tranquility and beauty and is certainly a gem worth discovering. For those looking for a serene, beautiful spot in Tobermory, I would highly recommend Big Tub...

This is a great resort in a quiet, secluded area by the northernmost point of the Bruce Peninsula. It's a 3 minute walk to the Big Tub Lighthouse, 8 minute bike ride to Tobermory, and around the corner from the Sweepstakes Shipwreck.

We had the waterfront queen room and the view was great. The deck appeared to be new with beautifully cleaned glass partitions. We were outside alone most of the time so privacy wasn't a concern, but if everyone was outside at the same time, things might get a little noisy and impersonal with the glass partitions. There was a lot of seating on the deck, but it was missing a small table to put drinks down.

The room itself was very clean and stocked with your standard amenities - towels, soap, shampoo, conditioner, a drip coffee maker, mini fridge, hangers, storage, and a TV. There was also WiFi, a dehumidifier and an AC unit, as well as a communal: kettle, microwave, and toaster.

Shout outs to the person who chose the towels - they were very plush. The TV was small and picture was somewhat grainy, but we weren't there to watch TV so it wasn't a big deal. The coffee maker also dripped some crud despite running a "cleaning cycle" a couple of times, but we found a workaround by using the communal kettle. There were also a lot of places to get coffee in the heart of Tobermory, so we weren't bothered with the coffee maker. The showerhead had great pressure, although it was a bit low even for me considering I'm average height (5'10").

The staff was very friendly and helpful throughout our 3 night stay. While some of the services weren't available (probably because we arrived right at the start of peak season, I believe there are canoe/kayak rentals and outdoor activities like lawn darts and horseshoes to play.

I 5/5 recommend Big Turn Harbour Resort for anyone that wants a quiet, relaxing stay in Tobermory while still being a stones throw away from the hustle and bustle of the...