Indulge in luxury at Langdon Hall Country House, an enchanting retreat nestled in the heart of Ontario’s countryside. Discover the epitome of elegance, world-class dining, and timeless charm.
If you’re looking for a luxurious retreat where you can unwind and recharge, look no further than Langdon Hall Country Country House & Spa, located in Cambridge, Ontario.
The historic Langdon Hall was originally built as a summer home in 1898 by Matthew Wilks, who intended it to be used as a summer residence. He eventually grew the property to over 1,000 acres.
Driving up the winding road to this grand estate is a memorable experience in itself. Langdon Hall is located just about an hour west of Toronto, but as accessible as it is to GTA cities such as Brampton, Mississauga, and Hamilton, it feels as though it’s a world away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the Ontario’s largest metropolitan area.
Langdon Hall is just one of the fourteen properties that the parent company, Relais & Chateaux, runs across Canada. These select properties, who are invited to join the company, are chosen based on a mantra of creating a better world through cuisine and hospitality. Langdon Hall was invited to apply after meeting a strict set of formal conditions.
When you visit Langdon Hall, prepare yourself for a truly luxurious experience that has been vetted by world experts in opulence. And with this prestige comes a perfect Ontario romantic getaway or friends’ weekend spa getaway.
Those visiting Langdon Hall expect everything at their fingertips. The lavish on-site restaurant has been rated the seventh-best restaurant in the country by Canada’s Top 100. The restaurant serves up “seasonal regional cooking” at its finest.
The Langdon Hall Spa has been ranked among the seven most beautiful spas in Canada by Elle Magazine and molds bodies into the best versions of themselves through expert restorative and aesthetic treatments.
I had the pleasure of staying at Langdon Hall recently with a girlfriend. It was the ideal destination for escaping the city and enjoying some much-needed rest and relaxation. Read on to learn more about what makes Langdon Hall a must-visit destination.
The History of Langdon Hall
Langdon Hall was originally built in 1898 by Eugene Langdon Wilks who was the great-grandson of real estate magnate John Jacob Astor. The country home was meant to be a summer escape from Wilks’ other homes in New York, London, and France. Langdon Hall originally had 32 rooms and spanned over 25,000 square feet. The Wilks’ children inherited the property and lived in it until the early 1980s.
In 1987, William Bennett and Mary Beaton purchased the property. The couple renovated the buildings and landscape for over a year to create their vision of the ideal country house hotel. Langdon Hall Country House Hotel opened in 1989, and the estate we see today reflects its grand history while offering modern luxuries.
If you’d like to explore ways to book a stay at this modern yet luxurious property, click here.
Langdon Hall’s Beautiful Landscape and Grounds
Set upon lush and expansive grounds, Langdon Hall Country Inn and Estate is a stately presence set amid the Carolinian forest. Like any luxury escape, the experience starts with the journey. To reach this country escape, you’ll find yourself driving up a winding, tree-lined road to the impressive estate – a memorable and exciting way to begin the visit.
The main building houses an award-winning gourmet restaurant, a bar, and various game rooms. Sprawled across the grounds outside, you’ll find a swimming pool, tennis court, bicycles for guests, and walking trails. The main building houses a highly-rated gourmet restaurant, a bar, and various game rooms.
The guest rooms are all located within The Cloisters, a separate building just a few steps away from the main country house. Our check-in experience in the main building was smooth, and everyone we encountered was friendly, helpful, and accommodating.
Accommodations Fit for Royalty
My friend and I stayed in The Cloisters building on the second floor, where no detail was spared, even down to the ornate brass room key – no electronic swipe cards in sight!
The room itself was a dream and much larger than we had expected. The Cloister King room was kitted out with a king-size feather bed and twin-sized daybed, both high-thread count Italian linens. The room had a wood-burning fireplace, a separate living room, a dining space, and a coffee/tea hutch.
The classically styled, solid wood furniture and upholstered accents gave the room an elegant, austere vibe, while the Nespresso coffee maker, Bodum kitchen accessories, and Dyson hair dryer ensured that guests had access to modern luxury amenities.
When it comes to the details, there were chocolates on the pillows and complimentary bath accessories (bath salts, a bath bomb, and shower steamers), which were a sweet touch.
Serenity Now At Langdon Hall Spa
After checking into the gorgeous room, what was next on the agenda? Well, I was at Langdon Hall for a girls’ getaway, so we absolutely had to hit the spa.
The Langdon Hall spa facilities are housed in a separate building and include a hot tub and lounge area (insider’s tip – the baked goods in the spa lounge are to die for!).
A full range of services, from facials to manicures, are offered, so it was hard to choose, but we decided on the traditional massage and Vichy all-body treatment. All services should be booked in advance to ensure you get the treatment you are hoping for.
Before our sessions began, we were led to a serene waiting room with calming music. The entire spa was clean, calm, and comfortable. As far as the services, the traditional massage was so fantastic that I nodded off to sleep! The heated massage table was a bonus.
The Vichy treatment was unlike anything I had experienced before. The treatment consists of a full body exfoliation using sugar and your choice of aromatic oil while lying under the Vichy waterfall – that’s right, an actual waterfall! The treatment wraps up with warm towels and a relaxing hair treatment.
Put this on your list for the next time you want to be pampered like royalty – you’ll achieve next-level serenity and relaxation. For a full list of services, check the Langdon Hall Spa website.
Langdon Hall Dining
As a note placed in our rooms would say, a meal at the Langdon Hall restaurant is a reason to get dressed up! We were greeted with white tablecloths and a hushed yet friendly, unpretentious culinary experience.
Head Chef Jason Bangerter serves up dramatic dishes using ingredients from Langdon Hall’s very own gardens at the seventh-best restaurant in Canada. The property’s vast gardens had once served as a food supply to the estate’s original family and have since been lovingly revived to provide fresh herbs, honey, and vegetables to the restaurant.
Chef Bangerter works hard to ensure each seafood item on his menus is an ocean-friendly choice to provide sustainable seafood choices to the guests.
The dishes focused on highlighting local, seasonal ingredients and were beautifully plated. It was a delicious, artful dining experience. The restaurant specializes in regional cuisine, using the 75-acre estate as inspiration for the menus. The menu changes throughout the year. Everything was divine, but the highlights of our meal were the flavourful smoked beef with thyme jus and a delicate mille-feuille.
There was a good selection of cocktails and mocktails, and the wine cellar boasts over 1400 selections from around the world curated by Head Sommelier Faye MacLachlan.
The culinary delights don’t stop there!
At breakfast the next morning, we had the option of in-room service or dining in the restaurant, and I’m glad we decided on the latter. We were greeted with a sumptuous buffet laid out with culinary delights such as the most perfect croissants I’ve had (they take four days to make!), smoked salmon, and homemade granola. We also ordered soft scrambled eggs with lobster from the breakfast menu, which was absolutely decadent.
Rested And Relaxed
A final walk on one of the trails was an invigorating way to end our girls’ staycation. We didn’t get a chance to experience the other outdoor amenities, such as the pool, since it was raining when we visited, but that didn’t dampen our experience at all since there was a lot to do indoors.
We reluctantly departed but left with a grand and unforgettable experience at Langdon Hall.
Between the ultra-comfortable accommodations, delicious culinary experience, and deluxe spa treatment, we left feeling rejuvenated and counting down the days until we could return.
If you’re not already packing your bags to head to Langdon Hall, save this post for when you want to treat yourself to one of the best places in Ontario to indulge in top-notch hospitality, spa treatments, and award-winning dining.
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Jessica Gedge is a marketing, communications and PR professional who has worked in arts and culture, tourism and film and has a passion for writing. Jessica loves to explore and is always on the search for the best cup of coffee. She documents some of her adventures on her Instagram channel _letsgoxo_.