Plume AirBnB: Idyllic European-Style Stay in Meaford, Ontario

Meaford is a charming town in Ontario, 2.5 hours from Toronto and 30 minutes from Owen Sound. Located on Georgian Bay, it’s popular for beaches and cottage country, including nearby Wasaga Beach. Meaford is a great hub for visiting towns like Thornbury, Collingwood, Tobermory, and the Scandinave Spa at Blue Mountain. And the best place to stay in Meaford, Ontario? Plume Guest House.

Location

Driving in this part of Ontario is easy. It’s off the busy 400-series highway, making it stress-free even for rural drivers.

For two summers, I’ve attended Choir Camp in Owen Sound, where singers from across Canada gather with guest conductors. Participants arrange their own accommodation, and this year I chose an Airbnb in Meaford, a town new to me. I lived for four years in Kingston, Ontario, but didn’t get much of a chance to see other spots.

Part of the joy for me of being at Choir Camp is getting to see another part of Canada. Owen Sound and its surrounding small communities were not on my bucket list, but twice now I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the beaches, restaurants, and walking trails. The proximity to Georgian Bay (a part of the Great Lakes) makes you feel like you are in a resort town.

The Hosts

Meaford was a joy to stay in – in not small measure due to the beautiful AirBnB I found this year. Mike and Emma own and operate Plume Guest House, a quaint garden house in their backyard perfect for two people. Emma is Canadian, and Mike is French. After spending many years in France, they have returned to live in Canada. But the French style is visible throughout the property, the garden, and even in the imported tile backsplash.

The property is in a quiet neighbourhood away from the main street, but very walkable. It was a 30 minute drive into Owen Sound each morning for camp, but an easy walk to downtown for breakfast.

Mike and Emma were lovely hosts, welcoming us in the driveway when we arrived, carrying in our bags, and showing us around. In the middle of July, Ontario is HOT so the offer of the backyard pool was pure bliss after a night of singing. They were so sweet.

The Property

The unit was clean and well-equipped: a queen bed, full bath, kitchenette, and divine back garden with a little solarium to take your morning coffee with an indoor/outdoor vibe. You can find more photos of the unit on The Plume’s Instagram: @plume_art.de.vivre

The best part was really how European the whole thing felt – from the patio to the pool to the fluffy visiting cat. They also had a stack of cookbooks and home decor magazines which just spells out ‘vacation’ to me.

Though I could not have found sweet Meaford on a map prior to this trip, I would happily go back just to sit another morning in that garden.

Planning to visit? Say hi to Emma and Mike for me and let them know you read about their place on this site!

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