Nottawasaga Inn Resort (Honest Review)
Thinking of staying at the Nottawasaga Inn Resort in Alliston, Ontario? Below you will find a full, complete and uncensored review of the Nottawasaga Inn.
I have a lot of experience with this hotel and resort, and come here very frequently.
I’m a member, and am at the Nottawasaga Inn often to use the pool, spa and eat at the restaurant – so I can tell you quite a bit about:
- the amenities and services offered at the Nott
- who the hotel is best suited for
- pros and cons of the hotel to keep in mind
- what else is in the area
- other useful tidbits
So, here it is – everything you need to know + my full review of the Nottawasaga Inn in Alliston, Ontario!
What You Need to Know About the Nottawasaga Inn
The Nottawasaga Inn makes a great little getaway – especially with kids, but also for couples on romantic getaways, and its a great wedding venue.
It’s popular for hockey tournaments, dance competitions, but also weddings and conferences. The Nott (as we call it locally) is a great venue for events; every year they host the Sugarplum Fair which is one of the largest local Christmas events.
If you stay overnight here, I recommend trying to get a room that looks out onto the south side if you can, because then you’re facing the golf course/natural area – you can wake up to some really pretty views.
Because of all the indoor activities, the Nott can be a good winter getaway destination, but it is a popular place in summer too. They have an outdoor pool that they exclusively open in the summertime.
Pros and Cons of the Nottawasaga Inn (In a Nutshell)
Pros
It’s family-owned and operated. The Nottawasaga Inn opened in 1968, and is still owned and run by the same family. In the age of countless chain hotels, its so nice to have this unique, independently owned hotel
The indoor pool is amazing. Lots of hotels have pools, but the pool at the Nottawasaga Inn is by far the best pool I’ve ever seen in a hotel. In addition, they open an outdoor pool as well in the summer months
The jungle-themed mini putt is a lot of fun for kids. It’s attached to a small arcade and has windows that look out onto the pool.
The landscaped surrounding grounds. In addition to the golf course, they have a walking trail that you can walk through. They also have a beautiful outdoor courtyard area called “the wedding garden” (I got my wedding photos there.)
Great spa services. There’s a wonderful esthetician who does facials and other beauty treatments (Peachiee Beauty, who is amazing by the way!.) The hair salon is wonderful and used for many local weddings.
Cons
They require a 2-night minimum stay on weekends. This makes it hard for some to justify if they don’t ‘need’ it for 2 nights. I’ve known some people who decided not to stay there for that reason.
No sauna. There used to be a sauna in the pool area, but they got rid of it a few years ago and there doesn’t seem to be plans to restore it. Unfortunate, as it would be a really nice addition to the hot tub and pool
Their website is not the easiest to navigate or get information from. Sometimes, its easier to just call them with any inquiries.
The pool can get busy on Friday nights. This likely goes for most family-oriented hotels, but the Nott is so popular for hockey and dance competitions that Friday evenings at the pool can get pretty busy, as its full of kids. I’d probably choose a quieter time to use the pool if you’re here for a romantic getaway
Full Review of the Nottawasaga Inn, in Alliston, Ontario
1. The location
The Nottawasaga Inn is located just outside of Alliston, Ontario (about a 5-minute drive from downtown.)
You would need a car to get to downtown Alliston from the Nott, as it’s not within walking distance to anything. However, the Nott does have quite a bit of land for golfing, trails, and landscaped gardens to roam on. So, its a decent place if you want to be able to just walk around outside!
Things to Do near the Nott include:
- Visiting local-owned shops, cafes and restaurants on mainstreet Alliston. The Pink Peony is a really nice place for lunch, tea, baked goods and coffee
- Circle Theatre, a historic cinema on Victoria street, or Imagine Cinemas for a more modern experience (has reclining, comfy chairs)
- Hiking, we have lots of decent trails in the area
- The city of Barrie is only 30 minutes north of the Nott; it great for a stroll along the waterfront, there are also more ‘fun’ things to do like escape rooms, ax throwing, etc
Planning to spend a couple nights at the Nottawasaga Inn? Check out my article on things to do in New Tecumseth for more suggestions of local gems, restaurants, hiking trails and other things to do near the Nott
2. The Riverview Restaurant
We really enjoy the Riverview Restaurant in the Nott. Its has large windows that look out onto the golf course, and serves modern, every day North-American style cuisine like burgers, sandwiches, fish and chips, salads.
The food and service are always good. I even had a pre-wedding lunch get together here the day before I got married.
We enjoy sitting by the window, looking at the foresty landscape and the river running through the golf course. The restaurant, while large, also has a cozy feel. There’s a large fireplace in the middle of the restaurant, which they often light in the mornings for breakfast.
Important tip: Reservations are needed for dinner; especially on weekend evenings.
3. The Rooms
I’ve stayed overnight at the Nottawsaga Inn a couple of times for special occasions, despite living locally. Each time, staying overnight was a positive experience with no complaints whatsoever. The rooms are cozy, decent size. Some of the more expesive ones have a hot tub right in the room.
Any complaints I’ve heard about the rooms at the Nott have usually been the ‘datedness’ of the rooms. Truthfully, they aren’t modern-looking rooms and they’re a bit old-fashioned looking.
This personally doesn’t bother me. The beds are comfortable, the rooms are spacious with large windows and black-out curtains. I slept well and comfortably both times.
4. The Fitness Centre
There is a fitness centre at the Nottawasaga Inn; it’s in the downstairs of the Sports and Leisure complex, near the pool.
The fitness centre has treadmills, ellipticals, lots of weight-lifting machines, and floor space to exercise on.
Some of the equipment in the fitness centre could use some upgrading; it isn’t the newest. However, they are pretty good about fixing anything if it’s out of order. I go there often with my husband to exercise. A good workout pairs nice with jumping into the hot tub afterwards.
5. The Spa
The Nottawasaga Inn offers spa services, but it doesn’t really have a distinct spa area. For spa services, you head to the Sports and Leisure Complex which is the east wing of the building.
There are separate spa-related services offered in different areas such as:
- Infinity Hair Salon – fantastic high-end looking salon, with a nice location in the Sports and Leisure complex with windows that look out onto nature. Very popular for weddings
- Peachie Beauty – amazing beauty services, from one of the nicest service providers I’ve ever met. Vanja does facials, makeup, waxing, lashes. For a weekend, definitely book her in advance as she’s very sought after, especially during wedding season
- Massage services – haven’t tried any massages at the Nottawasaga Inn, but they seem to have dedicated customers who keep coming back
6. Mini Putt
The jungle-themed Mini Putt is part of what makes the Nottawasaga Inn such a fun place for kids.
This mini putt area has been here for 30 years, but is still in good shape. It’s so creative and intricate and a fun experience for a group of friends, or family fun.
Attached to the same area where the mini putt is, there’s also a small arcade, and an open area with tables and chairs, and windows that look down into the pool.
The machines in the arcade area are a bit dated, but they still work and my daughter still enjoys playing them.
7. Swimming Pool
The swimming pool is the highlight of the Nott. It’s the largest most elaborate hotel swimming pool I’ve ever seen. It has a waterslide (runs on certain schedules), large hot tub, and big windows that look outside onto the landscaped grounds.
There’s also a mushroom tower that they turn on upon request, and they have many water toys for kids that you can ask for – as well as lifejackets that can be borrowed.
The pool is a haven for kids, but many adults use it too. Their hot tub is probably the biggest hot tub I’ve ever seen (its a large rectangle shape)
My only small complaint about the pool is that the sauna was turned off years ago, and never came back. I wish it would – but at least they have the hot tub.
8. The golfing/driving range
The golf and the driving range at the Nottawaga Inn are both very popular, and part of what draw people here, from all over. the Nott does have a beautiful course. The grounds its on are well-groomed, and its a scenic place to play golf for the day.
I’m not a huge golf person myself (the pic above was my first time at a driving range) but the view times I’ve done the driving range there, I really enjoyed it! It can be combined with a stay at the hotel, or you can drop in as well.
Review of the Nottawasaga Inn, in Alliston, Ontario
I hope that this review of the Nottawasaga Inn in Alliston, the amenities it offers, what is available there has been helpful. The Nott is a great getaway for families and couples and it’s still one of the nicest hotels in Ontario.