Welcome to Lakewinds! Step onto the verandah of this elegant Victorian manor and return to the tranquility of the 1880's. A special and unique experience awaits you at Lakewinds, a recently restored Victorian manor with fabulous gardens, offering the best of bed and breakfast experiences. Our Lakewinds commitment is to your total satisfaction and enjoyment during your visit with us. Our philosophy of service is comfort and hospitality of the highest order, provided in a warm and friendly style.

Situated on a quiet acre of extensive flower gardens and mature trees, Lakewinds offers you unparalleled views of the golf course beside the lake. A short walk away is the centre of the old town where you will find the theatres, wonderful shops, and restaurants to suit every palate.

Beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake is rich in history and home to the ever popular Shaw Festival theatre from April through November. If you are a theatre buff, we post comments and reviews from ourselves and our guests for the latest Shaw productions. Tours and tastings are offered at many estate wineries so all can appreciate the area's deserved reputation for fine wines. Golf, tennis, and miles of walking and biking trails await theactive visitor. Just a short drive along an incredibly scenic road along the Niagara River is one of the natural wonders of the world, the extraordinary Niagara Falls. Other area attractions include Casino Niagara, the Butterfly Conservatory, and historic Fort George.

Our Lakewinds commitment is to your total satisfaction and enjoyment during your visit with us. All guest rooms have ensuite bathrooms and are individually temperature controlled. Common areas are elegantly appointed with an eclectic mix of antiques and other period furniture and wireless Internet service is available throughout the Manor. Our grand dining room and living room with log burning fireplace are especially inviting in the fall and winter. Play billiards in the games room or cards in the solarium. Treat yourself to a refreshing dip in the heated outdoor pool or seek out a rocking chair on the verandah and let the "lakewinds" soothe you. Sumptuous breakfasts, using herbs and produce from the garden, are served in the grand dining room or you may have a continental breakfast delivered to your room. Of course, breakfasts are complimentary.

Lakewinds has been filmed for TV and used as a setting in a major Hollywood movie. We've been featured in the NY Times, Getaways for Gourmets, the Discerning Traveler and in several magazines and guides. We were even chosen as the cover article in the classy Canadian House and Home magazine. But it's the comments from our guests we cherish the most: "You are the jewel of Niagara! You are all graciousness" ... "We have stayed at many inns and rarely encountered such friendly, elegant, studied perfection". Whether you stay a few days or many, we will provide knowledgeable advice and personal service to maximize the time you spend with us.

Historical Background

The house was started in 1880-81 and became the summer home for Mr. Gustav Fleischmann, a wealthy distiller from Buffalo N.Y. and member of the famous Fleischmann's yeast family. Originally named "Clarette" (in tribute to his two oldest daughters, Clara and Thornetta), the house stood on the entire 4-acre block with gardens and stables at the rear. Staff cottages and a guesthouse can still be found on properties adjacent to the original manor. In 1912, Clarette was purchased by Conrad Wettlauffer, a Buffalo physician, who carried out extensive alterations. The home has glorious views of North America's oldest golf course, where play started in 1875. Even then people wanted to build a home on a golf course!

Over 100 years later, Jane had a dream that changed both our lives and the destiny of this manor. Jane recalls: "I saw myself in the home in which I would grow old! In this dream I saw my eldest daughter as a young mother, children in tow, walking up a garden path lined with peonies with myself and Steve standing on a large white verandah, welcoming them." The search was on! Several months later, while cycling through Niagara-on-the-Lake, the then empty house was discovered and the conversion to Lakewinds began.

Starting in early 1994, Lakewinds underwent extensive restorations. Great care was taken to enhance all that could be preserved. Original curved glass windows and mouldings remain. Antiques and other period furniture are blended to create a wonderful year round living environment. In fact, every surface in the house, inside and out, was restored.

Lakewinds, which now sits on over an acre of land, opened for guests on July 15, 1994. Our philosophy of service is comfort and hospitality of the highest order, provided in a warm and friendly style.

Lakewinds is licensed by the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, is Service Excellence Certified and is a member of:

Stay Niagara-on-the-Lake
B&B Concierge of Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce
Grand Estates of Niagara-on-the-Lake

We are delighted to have been selected as one of the Best Places to Bed and Breakfast in Ontario, a website based on Janette Higgins popular Canadian travel guide to Ontario bed and breakfast inns and homes of the same name.

A great B&B should offer a great experience, it should not simply be just a bed and breakfast with great surroundings and food. We believe story-telling and humour are a great part of a happy life.

We do our best to live up to our commitment and philosophy. We are fortunate to have many favourable comments written about us. Some of them follow here.

"You have created a warm, aesthetic & extremely comfy B&B - the best we've experienced in 26 years of coming to NOTL. Thank you." Florence and Bill, Ontario

"In combined musical careers of over 20 years, covering travel experiences and hotels of every sort all over the world, we have never had such a restful stay in such completely beautiful surroundings. Thank you for your warm hospitality and for allowing others to experience this slice of heaven!! P.S. Breakfast was extraordinary!!" Kerry and Melody, Ontario

"It is in this place
That we start to trace
All the days of our lives together
As man and wife
We will remember
This beautiful B&B
As we proceed happily
Ever after... "
Jennifer & Jason, Massachusetts

"In the trees whispering outside our windows
In the wind chimes tinkling beside the pool
In the gathering darkness as we sat on the porch
In the gracious conversation and delicious breakfasts
In the sounds of Vivaldi, Mozart, Brahms,
We found the serenity that we sought
And left savouring the peace of our uncluttered minds."
Mary & Bernie, Alberta

The Persistant Lover

In a pond hidden
by hostas
a throaty frog
har-umph har-umphs
disturbing
my effort to read
The Da Vinci Code in
the apple-green garden of Lakewinds
my summer Eden
in Ontario

His syllables are
as carefully orchestrated
as the notes of
a Cole Porter lovesong

Day after day
grunts his haunting
mating call
though no mate ever answers

Why such a perky
patient fellow?
I think I've guessed
his secret

He knows he's just
one kiss away from royalty

by Jean Chimsky, Cincinnati, OH

We wanted to make sure you knew how much we enjoyed our stay with you at the Lakewinds this past week. Your hospitality was out of this world, and continued to exceed our expectations. The manor and the grounds are stunning and elegant, yet comfortable and welcoming. You delivered everything promised and much much more. The only surprises were good ones like complimentary bicycles for lend, and treats left for us at night. We appreciate the attention to detail and hard work it must take to provide such a wonderful place for people to unwind. We will recommend you highly to anyone traveling to Niagara-on-the-Lake and look forward to returning ourselves. Thank you again, and all the best!
Chris & Leigh, Ontario

We had a perfect weekend at The Lakewinds. We appreciated how accommodating both of you were as hosts, and what a first class facility you have.
The Lakewinds has everything for us; our room had Victorian charm with all the modern amenities; your breakfast was delicious and your personal touch was evident in many ways, (even the local theatre reviews were in the entrance!). We loved the fact that The Lakewinds had a resort "quiet" and was still only a 5 minute walk to the restaurants, shops and theatre.
That was our first visit to NOTL and when we return, we will definitely hope to stay again at the Lakewinds.
Mary & Brooke, Ontario

YOUR PLACE IS THE BEST!!!
Helen & Jack, New York

We greatly enjoyed spening our honeymoon at your well-established bed and breakfast. Tour hospitality was generous, your breakfasts fabulous and the overall atmosphere superb! We hope you have many more successful years.
Matthew and Laura, Massachusetts