Our stay at the Elora Mill Hotel (Honest Review)
I was so excited to finally stay at the Elora Mill Hotel and Spa after years of fantasizing about it. My husband took me to the Elora Mill Hotel & Spa for my birthday for one night. There are a total of 30 guestrooms at this upscale hotel in Elora, Ontario and we stayed in the Couch House Riverview room, which overlooks the stream on the Elora Gorge.
Yes, staying at the Elora Mill (even for just one night) is really expensive, with rooms ranging from between $700 to $1500 per night. But, we also found the experience of staying here very special and had many perks that you don’t normally see in a hotel. As customers, we are not affiliated with the Elora Mill at all and can provide a complete, 100% honest review of everything it offers, pros and cons and different amenities. This will help you decide for sure whether spending the money on a stay at the Elora Mill is right for you.
In addition, we used the Elora Mill spa and swimming pool, and we had my birthday dinner at the restaurant, as well as breakfast on the morning of our stay. You don’t need to be staying at the Elora Mill to eat any meals in their restaurant or book spa appointments, so our review of these things may help you decide whether those things are worth it too. So here it is – our complete and honest Elora Mills Hotel review!
Complete Elora Mill Hotel & Spa Review
Our Room at Elora Mill
We stayed in one of the Coach House Riverview rooms, which start at $900 per night. It’s their second-cheapest room. One thing to know about the Coach House rooms is that they are not in the main Elora Mill building, but in the building right beside it. So, in order to get to the main hotel area (lobby, restaurant, etc) you have to go outside, and through the main gate. The door to our building was right near where the gate is. But this didn’t bother us at all really, I liked the location of our room and I’d 100% stay here again. The room was very spacious and gorgeous. I actually think I would prefer staying here over the main building, because in the evening, our balcony was in the shade.
In our room, there was a king-size bed, lots of extra pillows and blankets, a Nespresso machine, a walk-in shower, a soaker bath, a hair dryer, and lots of freebies! Since we were celebrating my birthday, they had a handwritten birthday card for me on a card with a sketch of the hotel waiting for me infront of the bottle of champagne sitting in an ice bucket when we arrived. As we looked through the room we found more provided items: free premium tea and coffee, ginger ale, still and sparkling water in clear bottles, and artisan chips, and caramel candies. (We texted the front desk to make sure it was all included, and they let us know that any food in our room was complimentary.)
Elora Mill is a very modern, fancy hotel, but I like that they’ve made an effort to use natural (or at least natural-looking) finishes, like wood, marble and stone. It gives the room a very cozy, rustic feel. It’s still very modern and fancy, but it feel like it’s maintaining some of the old world charm, as it is a historic building.
The only thing that I didn’t like about the room was the shower pressure – it was very light, especially for a shower of that size. Maybe this has something to do with the plumbing and the old building, I’m not sure. But its pretty much our only complaint. Everything else was perfect, and so special.
The Elora Mill Restaurant
We ate both breakfast and dinner at the Elora Mill Restaurant. The food at both was excellent – so, so good. They are also very accommodating to vegan and vegetarian diets – they have a whole plant based menu! I eat mostly plant based, while my husband eats meat, so we can speak to a wide range of their food. Everything was truly delicious and the portions were good too. The servers are all very kind, professional and make it special for you.
My husband booked us the Awaken Package which included breakfast in the morning. We had the option between eating the breakfast in the restaurant, or having it delivered to our room. I’m very glad that we chose to eat in the restaurant, because the views of the gorge from the restaurant (in the morning in particular) are amazing. The sun is behind the restaurant at that time, which I prefer as I don’t like being in direct sun.
For our dinner, we opted to eat on their patio outside, because the sun beams directly onto the tables by the window at the dinner hour in June. Many people don’t mind that, but I knew it would bother me, so they found us a spot in the shade outside, and it was perfect. From the patio, you can hear the sounds of the water rushing, which is so relaxing to eat dinner too.
If you decide not to stay at the hotel, then I’d definitely recommend making a reservation in their restaurant, for any meal. The food and service are amazing and its perfect for special occasions or just because. Eating in their restaurant also allows you a view of the waterfall on the gorge which is something (sadly) that most people don’t get to see. The only way to get a view of this waterfall is from having an appointment (overnight stay, restaurant or spa) at the Elora Mill, or living in the condo across from it.
The Elora Mill Restaurant (interior) has an upper and a lower level. I personally prefer the lower level, because the stone staircase leading down to it is beautiful, and in my opinion, it offers a better view of the gorge because it feels like you’re ‘in the gorge’ rather than looking down on it. There are other guests at the balcony admiring the waterfall, and eating at the higher level puts you at eye level to them. Both levels would still be very nice but the lower section is just a bit nicer, in my opinion!
The Elora Mill Spa
We didn’t actually book any spa services during our stay at the Elora Mill, but as guests, we had free access to the pool, hot tub, sauna, and the spa area. So, we spent an afternoon at the pool, sitting on a lounger, and ordered drinks. We also went into the hot tub and sauna. The pool is a really relaxing area. I like how they have a greeter who assigns you to the chairs or loungers. It keeps things organized, so that people don’t fight over loungers. The pool is slightly heated in summer, so that its not chilly when you get in. I’ve heard that its open year round, which would probably make this a really cool Ontario winter getaway.
The sauna is a wooden dry sauna, with windows that look out onto the pool and the gorge. I really enjoyed the sauna, and oddly was the only one using it at the time even though there were many people at the pool. The pool had quite a few people, but it doesn’t get uncomfortably busy. I think they keep their appointments and bookings at a comfortable level so that its enjoyable and relaxing for everyone.
In the spa, they provide free premium tea, fruit water, and cookies. The cookies are delicious, very soft, I definitely recommend grabbing one. You can order drinks and snacks to the pool area, which costs extra at course. My husband ordered a cocktail and I ordered a 5 oz glass of wine. They were pricy, but it was part of the experience. I chose an Ontario wine, and even for 5oz it was $17. They have some very expensive, premium wines on their menu.
We saw a family with a young child enjoying the pool, and there were some couples that were expecting a baby. This told me that Elora Mill while mostly a romantic destination, can also be a really nice getaway for families, or a really special babymoon idea.
Customer Service at Elora Mill
The customer service at Elora Mill is top-notch. It really adds to the luxurious, special getaway. The staff is super helpful if you need something, and extremely polite. We were treated very well. In the way the staff treats guests, you can definitely tell its a step above most hotel experiences.
I forgot my bathing suit and brown lace pull over thing (to wear over a swimsuit) at the hotel. They called my husband to let him know that they were left there, and gave him the option of picking it up or mailing the items to our address. My husband asked them to mail it, and they’ll simply charge his credit card for the mailing cost. It just goes to show how they care for you at the hotel, its a bit more above and beyond from what you’d find elsewhere.
Is Elora Mill Worth the Cost?
I asked my husband on the morning before we checked out whether he felt like it had justified the cost. He thought carefully about it, and then told me that yes, it did. He acknowledged that it is very pricey, especially for just one night. But, they really do make it special for you. It felt like such a special night away. Usually, we go do romantic weekends away in Huntsville for our anniversary, and 2 nights usually costs less than 1 night at Elora Mill. But, we said that for one anniversary, we’re going to do 1 night at Elora Mill rather than 2 in Huntsville – because even though its fewer nights, its an above and beyond experience in a really nice location.
Elora is one of Ontario’s cutest towns, but it does get a little bit crowded and busy there, especially on weekends. It’s such a convenient day trip from Toronto, so the streets can get pretty full, and parking is a bit of a pain in the but. Staying at the Elora Mill made me experience the town in a more relaxed way. You get a premium parking spot, and they also valet your car. Having the room to go back to after being out in the crowds felt like being VIP visitors to Elora. I felt lighter and more relaxed after leaving here. Plus, there’s so many things to do in Elora, especially in the warmer months I think spending an overnight in town is highly worth it.