Make Yourself at Home
Our Inn is a beautiful, historic home with approximately 4,000 square feet of living space, two walk-out porches, one from a second floor bedroom, and original maple floors. Many of the bedrooms have cedar ceilings. Situated on approximately one acre of land, this large property offers over 27 professionally designed gardens and two ponds stocked with goldfish, Japanese koi and local frogs for our guests to enjoy. Our suites are colorful, large, and welcoming, with king/king-singles, or queen beds, with ample sitting space for a relaxing read.
Operated very much like an old English Country Inn, Whispering Pines provides its guests with a very comfortable atmosphere, where they are free to make themselves truly at home for the duration of their stay as the proprietors have their own private apartment. Hence, guests are encouraged to relax in the living area, light a fire, make themselves a cup of tea, and enjoy take out, BBQ, or a prepared meal in the dining room or outside in the gardens.
Our main house rooms are beautifully decorated year round for romantic getaways for couples, and will also appeal to families visiting relatives and friends in the area; our low season price applies for the winter season. Also during the ice fishing season, we have a selection of rooms which we re-decorate for the comfort and convenience of our fishing guests. For those that would prefer the solitude of their own residence, we also have private cottages available.
Our History
Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast is an historic home dating back to 1907, and is said to have been at one time part of the McLaughlin estates; this large cottage was then referred to as “The Pines”. The story goes that the home was presented to Mrs. McLaughlin, as a gift from her husband, to be used as a summer hide-a-way for herself and children at that time. Following the McLaughlins, the Walshes, the Pecoffs, the Sibbalds, the Bristols, the Sharp’s, and the Maurers were some of the other well known families who owned the “Pines” over the years, and who spent much of their summer vacations here prior to the present owners.
Birth of the Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast
It was the Sharp family mentioned above, who with a single dream give birth to the inspiration of the “Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast”. In the mid 1990’s, Bob and Diane Sharp purchased the then abandoned cottage on which they did major renovations to establish the building not only as their home, but also as a Bed and Breakfast. In the late 1990’s Elizabeth Maurer bought the building as a home and business, as she had hoped to make the transition from Austria to Canada with her husband and son to run it as a Bed and Breakfast. Unfortunately this became impossible and she had to make a decision to remain in Austria. Not being able to run it herself, and after many attempts to find suitable help, she rented the entire building to Connie Warner and her family who successfully operated it, catering mainly to the fishing clientele for four years. It was then that the Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast was once again up for sale; and it was during this time that the Bed and Breakfast era ended, and the building was assigned a caretaker until its eventual purchase by the present owners.
Having a large family, and with a longing for the country, solace and a dream to write, I immediately fell in love with the building and its name, paying little attention to its poor condition at that time. As a result, I purchased the Whispering Pines in 2003 as a home, and set to work to renovate and refurbish the cottage once again to its original splendor. It was while working in the gardens one day that I was approached by a local resident inquiring about my plans for the building. She stated that it had been a Bed and Breakfast for many years, and since there was a shortage of good accommodation in the area, suggested I consider reopening it to the public. Although it was not my intention at that time, the renovating and gardening became a passion that drew me in, and the more I did, the more I wanted to do. Over the years I have thoroughly enjoyed Whispering Pines as my home and also operating it as a Bed and Breakfast, meeting people from all walks of life and from many parts of the world. It has been an experience I would not trade for anything. I am truly blessed to be able to wake up every day in this beautiful place, surrounded by nature, and I thank God for those who have gone before and contributed to make it all possible.
In the Movies
Movie buffs may be interested to note that the Pippi Longstocking movie remake was filmed here in 1986 for ABC television network. Mrs. Bristow, who purchased the then seven-bedroom house one year prior to the filming of the movie, did so seeing the possibilities of renovating it and establishing a bed and breakfast operation. She was attracted by the large lot and the unique character of the home, and said that “it has an old quality attractiveness to it, which represents an era when many people used to live in Jackson’s Point for entire summers. It’s a touch of an era that’s long gone by.” Many residents now live in the area all year round, while there are still others who still spend their entire summers here, in an area that proudly describes itself as “Ontario’s first cottage country.”
Whatever time of year you choose to visit us at Whispering Pines, and however you decide to pass your time with us, the innkeepers can promise you a warm welcome, and a relaxing, comfortable stay at a traditional Ontario country inn.