Enjoying a group vacation, whether it’s a family reunion, a get-together celebrating a special occasion, or a group of long-time friends gathering for their yearly reunion, can be one of the most memorable, enjoyable occasions of the year. Planning it, however, can be a whole other story of frustration, confusion, and a challenge that seems unsolvable. CLRM is here to help! As vacation rental managers and cottage country experts representing hundreds of privately-owned cottages in Ontario, our specialty is matching you with the best cottage, starting with finding the perfect accommodations based on your holiday wish list. Here’s our ultimate guide to help you find the perfect group cottage rental for your Ontario vacation.
What to Know Before Beginning Your Search
Decide on Possible Dates
With a larger group, this can be the first challenge – finding dates that will work for everyone, or at least for most of the group. Keep in mind that most cottages rent weekly only during July and August, so unless you wish to stay for a week, you’ll have a lot more options to choose from if you choose dates outside of those months, when most properties are available for shorter stays.
Group Cottage Rental | How Large is Your Group?
Put the word out to the group that you need an idea of how many people will be able to join. Be sure to include all children in the total – most stated occupancy limits include children of all ages, and due to strict short-term rental licensing in many areas, these cannot be exceeded at any time. Even day guests are counted – the occupancy limit is not just those staying overnight.
Try to get firm commitments if possible so that the dream group cottage rental you choose doesn’t suddenly become too small once Uncle George suddenly realizes he can now join you, and really wants to come! If you’ve already booked a cottage too small to include him, it will be disappointing all around.
Group Cottage Rental | Are You Bringing Pets?
Dogs and cottages just seem to go together! Before booking, you’ll need to determine whether anyone in your group plans on bringing a pet, and if so what type/breed/size. Note that “pets” typically means dogs, although some will accept cats and other pets too upon request unless stated otherwise. Our cottage owners and our staff are animal lovers too – and with that in mind CottageLINK Rental Management will never charge a pet-fee. We do have a handful of cottages whose owners suffer some pretty severe allergies. With that in mind, please do check “pet-friendly” when searching, to ensure the group cottage rental you fall in love with can also be your pet’s favourite! Obviously the fewer pets you need to bring, the easier it will be to find accommodations.
If you do plan on bringing pets, besides searching for a pet-friendly group cottage rental you will need to pay attention to any pet restrictions noted on the listing. A maximum of 2 dogs is generally considered the maximum, but some owners will accept one or two more upon request, so please don’t hesitate to let us know how many and what kind of furry and feathered family members you have! We’ll be happy to speak with the cottage owners and see what we can do!
Now that you know the dates, the number of people expected, and any pets to factor in, you can move on to the next steps.
Group Cottage Rental | How Much is This Going to Cost?
First, you’ll need to decide on how the costs will be shared. Generally, people tend to split by couple, or family, so generally the larger the group the higher the budget, and that’s good because larger properties do tend to cost more. You’ll need to have the conversation with the other expected guests as to what their individual budgets are in order to come up with the total you’d like to stay within.
Keep in mind the rates quoted are generally the rental rate – but there are fees that will be included too – a booking fee and a nightly ADPP, which covers your group for accidental damages while you’re staying there. Some properties charge the cleaning fee extra, and others include it in the rental rate.
Some municipalities have an additional tax ranging between 2-4%, which will be shown on the “taxes” line, so if the amount of taxes seems to be higher than 13% it’s likely because the municipality requires us to charge that tax to all guests. On top of everything is HST – which applies to all charges.
No matter what the fees or rates, when you select any travel dates on our cottage listings, you’ll receive an instant quote for your holiday. CLRM is always more than happy to chat and discuss budgets and possibilities but if you’re simply looking at the numbers, you can see exactly what your dates will cost, without having to submit any forms, payment information or speak with anyone. We’re here to make your initial planning easy and instant, no hassle and less hurdles.
Budget Priced or Short Stays
The cost of everything seems to have gone up considerably over the past years, so most people are likely working with a limited budget, or at least part of your group is. If that’s the case, there are ways of saving money. Booking in June or September (or any month outside of high season or over the Christmas and New Years period can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Cottages are generally priced at their highest during July and August and over the Christmas and New Year’s period. July and August are considered “high season” in Ontario’s cottage country, and rates are sharply discounted throughout the rest of the year.
Another advantage to booking outside of high season is that booking dates are more flexible, and sometimes even arrival and departure times, as most bookings outside of high season are not back-to-back. You’ll get the same accommodations for a much lower price.
Short stays are almost always possible in the off-season too, so you’ll have a much greater selection that you’d have during high season to book for a shorter stay.
Group Cottage Rental | Summer HIgh Season Vacations
If your heart is really set on July or August, hoping for hotter temperatures and warmer lakes, there are lots of options even if you can’t stay for a full week. There are a limited number of cottages that rent for short stays even in mid-summer.
One such option for very large groups (up to 28 people) is Buckhorn’s Angelfire Resort, on Big Bald Lake in Kawartha – just outside the GTA. If your group is not quite that large, you can rent any combination of the 6 separate cabins instead, you don’t have to book the full resort and the cottages are spread out, while still enjoying some shared amenities.
If you’re able to stay for a week, there is no limit – other than your budget and the size of your group compared to the occupancy limit of the cottage.
Group Cottage Rental | Winter Vacations
Winter is an amazing time to come to Cottage Country! Enjoy pretty reliable snow cover, and iced over lakes, for several months. Imagine trekking across a frozen lake in your snowshoes or cross country skis, or ice-fishing on the lake. It’s a winter wonderland after a fresh snowfall.
The best things about a winter vacation is that prices are very reasonable, and there are absolutely no bugs!
Group Cottage Rental | What Amenities Can’t We Live Without?
Consult with your group about what requirements they have. Perhaps one of the people in the group will need to do some work, and they need to have unlimited internet. Or maybe it’s just that you want to be able to stream movies and TV shows without worrying about whether you’re exceeding the weekly data limit.
Most cottages have internet now, and many have unlimited plans. It’s not available yet in all areas though, and for some owners, they truly want to unplug, relax and enjoy their time at the lake with their favourite people so they choose not to have the distraction from the beauty around them. We understand you many need it through, so please be sure to include “internet” in your amenity list and then check the listing to see if it says it’s unlimited, or at least has a high weekly data limit that you’re unlikely to exceed – and ask us if you have any concerns!
Waterfront is possibly another “must-have” feature for many, particularly in the summer. If the idea of enjoying swimming, fishing, or watersports from your own private waterfront is appealing, you’ll definitely want to pick a waterfront cottage. Be sure to read the Waterfront notes too – if you hate weeds, look for one that says it’s either weed-free or mostly weed-free. If you require shallow, walk-in entry to the water, it will state that as well, or good deep water swimming for those who prefer to jump in off the dock.
If you’re booking in a summer month, air conditioning may also be a requirement. While more and more cottages do have air conditioning, unless it’s listed as a feature it does not. If this is important to you or someone in your group, be sure to tick “air conditioning” and check to see if it is AC available throughout the cottage or stand alone units that are able to cool specific rooms and spaces.
Group Cottage Rental |Where to Go?
It may be particularly important to be in a certain area of Ontario, or within a certain driving time of where you live, or where others in your group live. Or perhaps you live in various areas and hope to find a cottage that’s centrally located to everyone.
If you like to be near a town so you can easily go shopping, or to a restaurant, take that into account too. Once you get some properties to consider, look at the location on the map – you can view the map in Google Maps and see what’s “nearby” by clicking on that, or get directions to various places to see how far it is from everyone’s home address.
If privacy is important, view the map in satellite view – you’ll get a good idea of how close it is to other cottages, or how much tree screening there is to hide neighbouring cottages from view. You can see all of the map locations and details on each cottage listing page!
Group Cottage Rental | Mobility Restrictions?
Keep in mind whether anyone in your group has any restrictions – should the property be fairly flat, or are lots of stairs ok? Do they need to be able to drive and park right by the back door, or is a walk down from the road acceptable? Is there a need for accessible showers, or is everyone ok with having a shower over a bathtub?
It’s important to know before booking if any restrictions apply. You want everyone to be comfortable and able to enjoy the cottage and the waterfront fully.
All of our newer listings have an accessibility section, to make it easier for anyone with such restrictions. But if there are no notes on the property, and you’re not sure if it will work – reach out to our team. CottageLINK Rental Management staff visit every single cottage we represent and our account managers are happy to speak with you directly to answer your questions, send additional photos that we may have taken during our visits to show accessibility, right down to the number of stairs inside and out! If we’re not sure we’ll contact the owners to ask them.
Beginning Your Search
Now that you know everyone’s must-haves, the dates, and the number of guests, you can start searching. Plug your arrival and departure dates into www.clrm.ca and see what results come up.
Filter it next by entering the number of guests (be sure to include all children and day guests to find a cottage large enough for your group).
Next, plug in the features and amenities that you require – the ones mentioned above are all searchable – waterfront, internet, air conditioning – but there are others. Be aware that the more you tick the fewer options you’ll have, so you may have to remove any non-essential requirements in order to have more choices. If pets are a “must” pick the “pets” option.
Now that you have some options, it’s time to send them to your group, so you can make the important decision!
You can tick the heart besides the properties that you’re considering, and then share “My Rentals” to everyone in your group.
Can’t Find Anything?
If you’re getting frustrated with your search, reach out to our helpful team – we’re always happy to assist and answer any questions you have, before, during and after your stay!
Before You Book – a Few Important Things
Hopefully, one property is amazing and everyone loves it right away. But, before hitting the “book now”, be sure to do a few last steps, to ensure that everyone knows what they’re committing to.
- Carefully review cottage layouts – viewing the virtual tour (most listings have them) can help you “walk through” the cottage and see the actual floor plan. You’ll see a blue bar underneath the pictures – just click on that and take the tour.
- Ensure everyone in your group has seen the property listing and is in agreement – to avoid any disappointment. If you’re not sure if a cottage has a certain amenity, or if the waterfront is suitable, if the road is suitable for walking…we’re happy to answer all questions. If we don’t know the answer we’ll find out for you.
- Share the Terms and Conditions with the group too – since everyone is committing to these, you should know all the legal stuff too.
Taking the Big Step – Booking!
Once everyone is informed and on board with the decision, book it quickly so you don’t lose out on your preferred dates. Larger cottages tend to book up quickly, especially for high season weeks. Select your dates on the calendar within the listing and then click the “Book Now” button to start the process.
One of you will be the “lead guest” who will be the one receiving all the information and correspondence. It’s up to you what you share with everyone, but we cannot share any information on the booking with anyone but you, the lead guest. We can answer general questions about the property, but not about the reservation, without your permission.
After the lead guest receives the cottage’s digital guest guide, share it with everyone in the group – everyone should download it and keep it handy on their devices for reference as they’re heading there, and during your stay too.
Find your large group cottage rental with CLRM today, and start planning your group’s vacation!
