Merrymeet Essential Details 

RENTAL AGREEMENT

  • Once your registration is approved, a rental agreement will be emailed to you for signature. It is signed and returned to us along with 50% e-transferred  for  your stay.  
  • 30 days prior to your rental Saturday, the final 50% of your rental is e-transferred  plus $400 damage deposit.
  • Number of guests is limited to 6. No additional guests in tents and camping in RV's, vans, etc. are permitted for safety, wear & tear, and septic reasons. If your family is listed as 5 people and you invite a guest, there is an additional charge of $30/day per additional guests up to a total of 6 people.

Pet Policy

We welcome ONE friendly dog, which will not disturb the peace by barking and will not wander into the neighbouring properties. Your dog  must  not be left in the cottage when you are out. Pets are  ‘four on the floor’ and not be on furniture or beds. Please no cats due to  renter allergies.  

$400 DAMAGE DEPOSIT*

* It's refundable if you leave the cottage, inside and out,  BBQ, stove. fridge, microwave, bedrooms, kitchen  etc  clean as the day you arrived. We deduct a cleaning fee of $150 from your deposit otherwise.

* the $400 deposit will not be refunded if there is any physical damage to the property including inside and out. If the repairs will cost more than $400, we will require additional funds to cover the repairs. 

How to get to Merrymeet

  • Access to the cottage is via well maintained Hutcheson Road, off of Muskoka Road 8. The hosts will give you directions. It's a picturesque one-lane road, with a 10mph speed limit. If you meet another car, you may have to back up a bit, so both can safely pass each other.


  • GARBAGE AND RECYCLABLES  - you can leave your weeks garbage in sanitary bags  inside rear cottage entrance -
    • alternatively,  on Saturdays the transfer station is open from 8:30 am  until 5:00 pm (its a left turn and about 3 km down muskoka road 8 from your Hutcheson Road entrance). The transfer station has pubic access and accepts two bags of garbage and unlimited recyclables. There is also a local charity shed at the transfer station that gratefully accepts alcoholic beverage containers. It even has an exchange shed where items are left by visitors who think they might be of use to someone else- the likes of books, plates, glasses, old CDs, treasures 
  • Merrymeet is a non-smoking/vaping cottage. Any smoking must be 5m from any cottage opening, and done with utmost care, the woods are very dry
  • FIREPLACE - unfortunately the flue was damaged when a renter had a chimney fire this spring - it now needs to be re-lined before a fire is approved  by the fire department. 
  • Merrymeet is far from streetlights, making stargazing spectacular! Please  bring flashlights, headlamps, and minimize use of outdoor lights
  • Wifi is available via Starlink - the password will be in our welcome binder on the kitchen table 
  • It is the renters’ responsibility to bring towels, sheets, pillows, extra toilet paper and paper towels for the rental period. Merrymeet's bathroom has a starter set of toilet paper rolls.
  • Fully equipped galley-style Kitchen with sink, potable water spigot, refrigerator, coffee maker, toaster, kettle, microwave, skillets, pots, plates and cups.
  • We recycle. Bottles and plastics have their separate bin. Garbage is collected weekly if you are renting for more than one week.
  • BBQ and a full cylinder of propane is provided. It may be refilled in Dwight or Huntsville (both about 20 minute drive)
  • Cottage water is lake-fed but it is advisable you do not drink the water
  • Potable water is available out of a sink-mounted spigot through a ceramic/charcoal filter, located under the sink.  We clean the cartridge between renters, but if water stream slows significantly, you will find cleaning instructions in the cottage binder. 
  • Swimming is from the dock to your own private raft - caution, water is deep, so supervised strong swimmers or life jackets are required. Diving is only from the raft, the water off the dock is only 3 feet depth. You will notice huge rock submerged near the swimming raft; the rock has a float marker near it, please be cautious when diving near it, it is usually 1-2 feet below the surface in the summer months. We call it "the pear".
  • Parking - behind the cottage
  • There is a 10' aluminum row-boat moored at the dock-  There is a small selection of life-jackets hanging on pegs in the hallway - to be sure of proper fit, please bring your own and your children's life-jackets.
  • There is a fibreglass canoe near the water for your use. Paddles are in the cottage.
  • Plenty of lounge chairs
  • Cleaning supplies
Cancellation Policy
  • Fifty precent of each rental period is required for each week reserved (50% of full rate) and may be fully refunded if reservation is cancelled more than 30 days before arrival date.
  • Final 50% payment (due 30 days before arrival) will only be refunded if cancellation occurs more than two weeks before arrival date. We require a $400 *refundable damage deposit along with the final payment. 
  • Within two weeks of reservation arrival date there are no refunds unless there is a medical emergency.

COTTAGE LAYOUT

  • Six entrances. Stone stairs down to the dock, a deck off the main bedroom, where the BBQ is located.
  • Working smoke detectors
  • Working fire extinguisher in kitchen
  • Queen size bed in main bedroom
  • Two single beds in adjacent bedroom
  • Double bed in separate bedroom near living room
  • Dining area that opens into the living room and kitchen
  • Laundry: Washer, dryer, and clothesline
  • 3 piece bathroom with tub/shower
  • Fire-pit near water's edge. There are frequent summer bans on outdoor burning when the woods are dry. 

WATERCRAFT SUPPLIED:

*****ALWAYS SECURELY WEAR YOUR PERSONAL FLOATING DEVICE WHEN IN A WATERCRAFT REGARDLESS OF YOUR ABILITY TO SWIM*****

You are encouraged to bring your own floating devices, including kayaks, paddle-boards. 

  • Aluminum boat  seats 4 passengers with one passenger in the middle rowing with their back to the bow so they can propel the boat in a forward direction. It comes with a set of oars.
  • (you are welcome to bring your own (max 9.9hp) motor and fuel,  please remember Ontario requires a boating licence for each operator.) Rebecca and Bella lakes are frequently checked by authorities.
  • Fibreglass canoe that can take three passengers. One person in the middle and two others at bow and stern.
    • A SINGLE canoeist sits in the middle of the canoe and paddles alternating left and right side. **this is challenging for an inexperienced canoeist** practice in shallow water 
    • TWO canoeists: passenger sits in the bow facing forward. Paddler sits in the stern, paddling on left and right side to keep the canoe going in a forward heading. The forward passenger may paddle the canoe, generally dipping their paddle into the opposite side from the stern paddler.
    • THREE canoeists, One passenger in the bow, one in the middle and and paddler sits in the stern.The forward passenger may paddle the canoe, generally dipping their paddle into the opposite side from the stern paddler. 

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Hutcheson Bay is a small body of water with many neighbours who value quiet.  As with most lakes, personal powered watercraft are in the bay. Your neighbours are respectful of your privacy and safety in the water, but please keep a lookout for powered craft and wave to signal your presence when they are nearby.



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