Our family went every year from 1970 to 1980, and have returned again the last three years. We love this place.
Really nice safe fun place especially for families. We visit with teens and really love our time there. The teens get to enjoy Mary Lou's because it's a fun place to play pool table tennis or arcade games well into the night since our accommodation is a quick walk away I don't worry about where they are. There is so much to do every day like SUP, kayaking, wake boarding,. Water skiing, banana boat rides they don't get bored. The staff is extremely friendly not to mention the great accommodations and delicious food. We will keep going back year after year.
What an incredible few days we spent at Fern Resort in Orillia! We love making the trip as part of our summer plans, and the weather was perfect to take in all the activities. As always, the staff was exceptionally welcoming, friendly, and ready to help at a moments notice. Special thanks to our waitress Marley who was extremely patient with some indecisive kids! My favorite part of our stay, in addition to the spacious room with spectacular view, was being able to spend some real quality time with my family. We all live such busy lives so it was a wonderful change to slow down, relax and really enjoy eachothers company. Fishing, swimming, pedal cars, and having a brief snooze on the hammocks by the water are annual "must-dos" for us. And the food! Where should I start? The fresh baked buns are always gone in just a few minutes. We are meat-eaters and the dishes we chose were cooked to perfection, with very little room left for dessert. (but trust me, we managed) We were thrilled when we found out Jamie Williams, the one man band, would be our entertainment on the Tuesday evening. He's so energetic and warm. Is there any song he DOESN'T know? Thank you to Scott and staff for another fantastic stay!
There for an event dinner. As always, The Fern provides an excellent meal. A great venue for such things.
This incredible family resort had plenty of activites for the whole family including a walking trail, game room, indoor and outdoor pool, basketball and hockey, trampolines and SO much more. It's sit down three course meals which are included are some of the most delicious meals I've eaten on vacation. The staff is super friendly and won't hesitate to go above and beyond for their guests. The rooms are clean and comfortable with beautiful views of the lake it sits on. It's open year round so there's always something to do in every season.
Wonderful place with lots of kids play areas to keep them busy the whole trip with free night babysitting or inhouse for just a low fee.
Nice Place, Spent many Christmas Parties there. Food is OK, Its good just not what is expected for the atmosphere.
Best spot for a family vacation, hands down. If you have kids, this is the place to go to get that authentic lake vacation. Boating, swimming, fishing, beaches, pools, sports, crafts, activities, you name it, Fern does it. There is so much to do you almost need 3 or 4 days to do it all. Staff are so friendly and accomodating. I have 4 kids - aged 2, 3, 6 and 8 and we never ran out of things do to during our 3 days at Fern. It is so clean, so comfortable, so organised and made for families with kids of all ages. They make it very easy and fun to vacation with your family. It is the perfect place to take your kids. My children were exhausted, happy and full at the end of every day. We loved it so much we already booked for Halloween and we got home this afternoon. Highly recommend. Will come back again and again. Couldn't of been happier with our little vacation!
Fern resort is a great family resort. Lots of fun activities for people of all ages. We've been in the summer and come every year and Thanksgiving, and plan to continue going for the foreseeable future.
Had a fantastic four-night couple's stay at the Fireside Inn. Everyone we encountered on staff was friendly and willing to help. They seemed willing to take extra care to disinfect and clean surfaces. The grounds offer a lot to do, and there's never a shortage of activities to do while you're there, and even more for families. Beautiful views and a scenic location. The buildings are a little rustic, it's not a luxurious place, but it's certainly cozy and comfortable. Make sure you try the falafel wraps!
Nice resort in a beautiful location. The resort and rooms are incredibly clean and very well kept, though a little bit dated. The facilities are great, and the staff is amazing. There is a wide variety of menu choices, all of which are great. The desserts are delicious. There is lots to do; I recommend taking a walk along the nearby trails and exploring the property. There is a small indoor pool, hot tub and gym, but your time here is best spent exploring the beautiful grounds and taking part in outdoor activities. I attend at least once a year for a convention, and those facilities are great. I always enjoy coming to visit Fernwood and feel well taken care of every time.
Love it here my family has been going for a long time and it's a great time for everyone
from what ive heard from staff, fellow workers are nice however little room to grow, no benefits for a while and the parking lot is full of potholes
Good place for a vacation. Lots of good activities and good food.
I got severe food poisoning after eating a sausage from the kids buffet. I'm happy it was me and not my toddler! It seemed a bit pink at the time. General manager takes no responsibility because it was an isolated experience during our visit. I had no prior symptoms, but was vomiting profusely on the way home. Buyer beware. First and last time visiting.
This is a great family resort. My family has been coming back for the past 12 years!
Been coming here with my family since the early 90's, and we still visits from time to time now that our kids are adults.
The food was very good, all the staff were very pleasant and helpful, the resort itself was in need of a lot of updating, the views are great, but for the price they charge for a night it should be a little more nice than it is.
We've gone for 2-5 days every summer for the past 4 years. The staff who look after the kids and supervise the kids programs are great. My kids love it and always run right into the kid area! It's so great to get bit of a break from them so the adults can enjoy other activities. The food is abundant, many kid-friendly options, very tasty. For adults, the food is kind of plain/British inspired fare. I've noticed they have introduced some more exotic and dietary conscious options on their menu this year. Lunchtime desserts are always great, but dinner time desserts are a bit plain. Outdoor activities for all ages are great. We always get a little two story 'cabin', it's dated, but clean. This year I noticed they had DVD players. We bought an HMDI-USBC adapter so we could play Netflix on our phone on their TV for some late night entertainment after the kids go to bed. If you plan on doing lots of water activities, bring your own drying rack! COVID adaptations: The staff all wear masks, even outside, showing great respect for the safety of their visitors. The kids had to wear masks in the kids program, all activities were outdoors, and they practiced distancing. Kids were temperature-checked and their hands were sanitized upon arrival and leaving the program. Most patrons wear masks too, though some are clearly reluctant with their noses poking out of their masks or wearing mouth shields?!? The dining room was well-spaced, we even got two clear 'barriers' placed between our table and others for an added level of protection. A lot of their check-in process and waivers are online now. The hand sanitizer in the lobby was abundant and traffic flow clearly marked on the floor. Great family-friendly resort!
Great location beautiful views lots of potential... starting to look a little run-down.. could use some sprucing up.. enhanced activities ..and a better organized event coordination
Resort was beautiful but terrible service in dining hall for dinner took over an hour and half to get our meal and they forgot my meal and forgot to bring my appetizer soup before
Totally worth the experience to make memories for life.
We took a 3 day trip to the resort, we had fun, food, activities and ambiance was excellent.
Perfect for family day weekend. Lots of outdoor and indoor activities. Staff is so accommodating. Lots of food options in restaurant (vegan, veg, gluten free, etc). A bit dated but it works. Reminiscent of Kellermans from Dirty Dancing!
Perfect place for summer with family and friends. So much to do
Great views and friendly staff! The meals were delicious. We're looking forward to going back.
Not a bad place. Wonderful warm lake! A lot of water activities, including fishing - the children were not dragged away, the fish is small, but they bite every minute! For adults there are catamarans, paddle boards, canoes, canoes and, the pearl of the water park is a small Hobby type sailing boat. The staff is helpful. Room cleaning quality. Of the minuses - in my opinion the price is somewhat inflated.
Very friendly staff, they were amazing. Lots of activities for all ages.
This place exceeded our expectations - great food, service and comfortable accomodations. The perfect family getaway. The perfect stay-cation! We will definitely be back!
I am staying for my second night... Yesterday went well... The food choices were good but the quality was lacking... The room is excellent and the staff are great.. the building inside is much better than the outside... In need of paint and repair.
This family reunion for June 2019 was planned and reserved in Oct 2018. Hotel staff was asked to accommodate our group of 13 at one table in the dining room, but was told this was not possible. Food service and quality was abysmal and it appeared nobody was checking what came out of the kitchen. Long waits for a simple burger, fruit and yogurt plate without the yogurt, cheese and fruit plate without the cheese, orders being omitted altogether. The buffet table ran out of bread and platters of fruit were not replenished. The hotel staff lacked hospitality expertise. When asked the day before our arrival if the Raptors game was going to be shown, there a vague response. Again I raised the question when we checked in and despite the fact we did eventually get to see the game along with 70 other people, it was an exercise in frustration just o get this arranged. One would have thought the hotel would have jumped on this event to add to the resort activities....
The room smelled bad. Great view. Lunch on the first day was just ok
Great resort, wonderful staff and service. Arcade machines for kids to play on.
Great spot. We've been here twice, annually in the fall, for 24 hour stays and were quite pleased on both occasions. We will be back in the future with a larger group as service is very good, there are numerous activities and ongoing improvements to the premises are impressive.
Thirteen years of vacationing here - our family's favourite resort - thank you for always providing us with a great stay!
Fun as long as activities are available. No snow in the winter makes for a less enjoyable experience but still fun! Food was good and service was helpful
another wonderful stay at the fern resort! we spent a few days, reconnecting with eachother, enjoying the r&r and scenery. as always, there's a whole whack of scheduled activities for both adults and kids. and just a heads up for fellow parents...you're not likely to hear "i'm bored!" during your stay. there's no reason for it! we had a wonderful pool-view room and it was so soothing to watch the sun go down over the water. the room was spacious and clean and well maintained. meals were fantastic! so much to choose from and everything we ordered was cooked perfectly. another big hit for us was the poolside bbq. there was something for everyone and we were able to dine outdoors and take advantage of the great weather. thanks to the wonderful staff for being so friendly, accomodating and always greeting us with a smile, no matter where we were or what time of day it was. it's those little things that mean so much. we hope to return summer 2020!
A place for retreats, ideal for relaxation, excellent service, good individual cuisine.
Plenty of activiteis for all age groups. The food is great. The staff is amazing
we were just there this weekend and had a fantastic time...fully relaxing. The food was extremely good and lots of areas to go over with our grand daughter to keep her entertained. The staff was excellent.
I have been coming to Fern since I was 3yrs of age in 1965. Had my honeymoon at Fern in 1983..and followed our family tradition of returning to Fern every summer with our son. Unfortunately I missed 6 summers at Fern, but have returned each summer once again. Once again, following our family tradition my son and his family were there this past February. Beautiful, comfortable rooms, absolutely decadent meals (the chocolate peanut butter pie is a must), wonderful activities days and nights, lovely outdoor pool areas, terrace bar, staffed with the best bartender around, Lou..make sure you get Lou's famous Chocolate Monkey! My little bit of paradise every summer! I have always said that if a guest at Fern doesn't enjoy themselves then...well...probably they wouldn't be satisfied anywhere. Thank you to all the staff that put their all into making each and every guest feel like royalty!
You will never be disappointed at Fern Resort. The activities are a original and the staff are amazing.
At fern for the Orillia Sun City Swim fundraising event. Great facility. Well kept.
Very nice location. Decor could use a little updating
The resort is in horrible condition. It is very run down and looks like they haven t maintained it over the last 10 years. Food was cold and bland at dinner. We had lunch with a staff member who was brutally honest. This individual said all summer staff believe the resort will go under soon. Also that the staff felt bad for how much people pay and what they get for it. That is a staff member s perspective. Im sorry that I have to write this review however it s the sad truth.
It was great but the breakfast is my only complaint everything else was great
Wonderful experience. Great food, excellent staff, clean and spacious accommodations and exceptional customer service.
A bit expensive but has so much to do and great food
Location, cost, foods, view, outdoor activities, customers service everything is 10 on 10. Best place for anyone specially during warm weather
Very disappointed this year. We specifically asked for rooms on the main floor as we are three old ladies with luggage and shopping and they still put us on the third floor told us that's all that was available yet we were not told that when we reserved. The food was mediocre the soup was always served warm not hot and I had light bulbs that went out in my room that were never replaced. The staff was friendly the service was extremely slow. We come every year but I don't think I will join them next year.
Was my first visit. It's a good place to relax and the kids are taken care. Food is abundant. Staff are nice.
Just bad. Food was average at best. They even try passing off cool whip as fresh cream. And who knows what for lamb.
We are staying on Thanksgiving Weekend and this place reminds me of Dirty Dancing resort that they stay at in the movie just newer stuff. The place is beautiful and you have your choice of hotel like rooms or little cottages by the water. There are tons of pre planned activities that you can sign up for for young and old. The people running the activities have a great time helping the kids do their activities At night there is always a show of some kind and there is pool and singing or entertainment at the bar. Meals are great and servers are dedicated to your table so you can get to know your server. They have some nice shirts and sweaters to buy (prices are a little steep for sweaters but it is what it is) Almost everything can be billed to your room which makes it easy to order drinks or pay for activities. Loved the place and will return again!
This place is a must try, so much fun to be had at Fern Resort. One might say it was Ferntastic!
Classic fern is always a good time for the family to go and spend a week being active and together.
The food was absolutely horrible. Every meal was served cold, even the soup was barely warm that my husband and I went off the resort to eat. They have menu that cannot uphold it's vision or standard. Lots and lots of up grades are needed within and around the entire place. Appeared very run down and the smell from the old carpeting was horrible. The beds definitely need an update or new mattress. If you have bad back it will make it even worse. The indoor pool lining was folding in a bunch of spots I'm not sure how anyone would think at maintenance is actually happening The only good positive experience was the staff. They have great customer service, will help you and are doing there best! The sad part is the owner or upper management who have lost there ways and don't necessarily see what customers are seeing. I have already told friends and family I would not recommend.
A great place for a group or conference You must meet Raymond he is a server in the dining room and what ever else he can help you with His Customer service skills are on point he sets a standard on how to serve customers and bring them back And the stories!!
Forgot to mention this place has a lot of charm and history behind I also thought it was a nice touch to have a book in the room about the history behind the resort
Nice friendly atmosphere with very helpful staff. Good range of activities. Room was spacious and comfortable. Food was great too.
Our Family had a lot of fun at the resort this past Family Day weekend. Activities all day long for all. Lots of outdoor activities like skating the 1.5km path through the forest and skating on the lake. Dog sledding was a challenging experience. Worth trying once. Games room was fun and the nightly entertainment at the theatre was excellent.......comedic juggler and illusionist. All inclusive food and accomodations. Excellent choice of food for both adults and kids. Family friendly resort. All sorts of room sizes and lake front cottages available. Some rooms have been updated some have not. We would consider going back for sure.
I've been here multiple times for conferences in the spring and fall. The location and rooms are beautiful. The best part about Fern is the staff, they are always friendly, helpful, and accommodating. It really doesn't matter which room you get, they are all very nice but it's always nice to have a room with a view of the lake. Some rooms have a wood burning fireplace and others have a gas fireplace. I prefer the wood ones because of the smell and it's very relaxing. They provide composite logs in the room. In the summer it looks like there are many many activities for kids. Check this place out, you won't be disappointed.
