Our group of ten family members stayed here recently and were sadly disappointed. The accommodations are not actually a lodge, but rather a hotel. The views were fantastic and our room was comfortable but certainly not a lodge experience as advertised. Our dinner in the restaurant was a disaster from the beginning. We arrived 15 minutes before our reservation so expected a slight delay in service. That delay eventually became on hour before the last person in our party was served a drink. The only wines available from the wine list were much more expensive than those unavailable. The vast majority of the beer selection was also unavailable. This was communicated to us after a thirty minute wait after ordering. The wait for food after ordering was two hours or more. When it did arrive it was cold and obviously had been sitting for quite some time. The staff don't appear to work together, while waiting for our meals, some servers were setting their tables for breakfast. We were told there was no manager available to speak to us but eventually someone came and comped some of the items. Breakfast was great the next morning with lots of options. Bottom line is don't expect a lodge and eat dinner somewhere else read more

The Keltic Lodge is very lovely, and the staff most attentive. We did enjoy the restaurants and the grounds. As a treat I had a 90 minute massage which was exceptional. My only regret was the quality of the bedroom at the lodge itself. Before making your reservation make sure that you have a room with a view. You are surrounded by the majesty of Cape Breton so it is hard to look out your window only to see a wooden staircase. read more

Keltic Lodge Resort and Spa - View from our room - Hotels Near Me - Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia

Brilliant setting, very peaceful place. Good breakfast options, can improve a bit on the entrance of the building which has Purple Thistle restaurant, as you enter the building you can smell the 'old'. Room was clean, with a walk in closet, coffee and the usual stuff, a fancy contraption of pipes jutting out of the air heater and then out the window. Giving an extra star coz of the surrounding, it's a pleasant place for spending few days read more

Keltic Lodge, "Where Nature Begins" and Service Ends! The old main lodge was a cross between a 1960's dorm room and a nursing home. Well, I had to change rooms. There were options available but there was no sympathy, morose or concern over their false web advertising or a disappointed customer. And, I had to pay double the price for a nicer room. Blank looks, no authority and certainly uncaring attitudes (hmm? Is this a government run op?). We saw this from the front desk, in the restaurants and with slip shot housekeeping. Not sure about the spa and golf Course because after the first night of horrors we decided not to spend another dime With them. I've never seen a "resort" that charges so much and delivers so little. read more

For our 5th anniversary, my wife and I rented one of the 2 suite cabins that are designed so that two different couples can each have their own locked room within the cabin. Essentially, the living space was shared. Not only were we told that the fireplaces in the cabins were not functioning but that if we did use it, we could start a huge fire. Considering there were charred embers next to the fireplace they either have not been used in a long time and the cleaning of what comes out of them into the shared living space, or the last person to rent the room had lit a fire the night before. Since there were matches next to the fireplace, I will assume it was the latter. The highlight of the trip was when the cleaning personnel arrived to clean our cabin a full 3 hours before checkout time. She sat in the living space and played on her phone waiting for us to leave so she could begin cleaning. She also brought a giant pile of dirty bedsheets with her and left them on the front step of our cabin. It was awkward. read more

This is not a 4 star hotel despite some sites ranking it as such. We stayed one night in a cottage 10/9/19. Beautiful location within Highlands Park. I liked the bed; it was comfortable, though the sheets weren't particularly soft. For that I'd give it 3 stars. Otherwise the accommodations were old and weary. Why only 2 stars? One word: bathroom. Zero stars. Not only is the shower/tub combo replete with decrepit tiles and water stains, there were pubic hairs in the back of the tub. Keltic must have been quite the place to be in its glory days, but just because you were once impressive doesn't mean you still are. Do some remodeling. The bathroom is a disgrace. And if you're going to charge $30 for a dinner buffet in a dining room with hard metal chairs slip covered in an attempt to appear less chintzy, keep the food hot. Most of it was barely warm. read more

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We thought this "Grand Dame" iconic, historic hotel would be the highlight of our 2 week road trip around Nova Scotia. While the location is stunning, the hotel is a disgrace. The rooms have not been renovated for DECADES (no exaggeration) and the paint is peeling off the facade at the entrance. The entire property is dilapidated and the staff seems oblivious to the issues. No air conditioning, the tub doesn't drain, and all for a mere $400/night!! But the best part was discovering that, because if their "Covid Policy" ... in a country where no tests are required to enter and nobody is wearing masks ... they DON'T CLEAN THE ROOMS DURING YOUR STAY!! Yup, they hang a bag of towels on your door and that's it, so it's "do it yourself" for $400/night!!! While nobody we talked to seemed sure who exactly they work for, it seems from some of the literature we read that the property is owned by the Canadian Government and run by Marriott Courtyard. It should be considered a crime to allow this to happen to such an iconic property. Avoid this hotel at all costs if you are planning to stay in this area. read more

This place is old and not kept up for the money they charge. Stayed in one of the cottages. Rotting wood at the entrance that was painted over. Paint on ceiling is peeling. Stains on the blankets, like shoe polish. Chair in room is stained on the headrest where someone sweaty has been leaning his head back. Old is okay but you have to keep a place maintained, especially by the ocean. On a plus note it's a beautiful location and has a nice trail. Staff is super nice and helpful. But suggest walking the trail and find a camp site. read more

Upon arrival, this place is awesome. The views are unsurpassed. What a setting .... right on the cliffs. Water on both sides... the ocean and bay. The pool is set below the resort right on near the ocean. Check-in went fairly well. Our friends were checking in at the same time next to us - their person couldn't have been nicer and detailed. Thankfully!!! Ours was unfriendly and basic... no details shared. So.... then we get to our room. Stuffy!! Wow!! No air. Windows closed. Immediately tried to open bedroom window, which opened easier. However, it did not STAY open. We all tried it; finally I removed a piece of plastic that was used as a support and crammed it in. But, the screen was bent on the outside leaving a gap. And, let me tell you, they have mosquitos. I crammed a piece of a plastic . bag in the crack and told the front desk. Since it was late, they told me someone would be around to take care of it the next day. This NEVER happened. The bathroom window would only stay open by a block of wood. And, our view was only fair - we did have a view of the bay, however, we also had a view of a noisy parking lot. And, with the window open, the parking lot might well have been in our room. The bed was comfortable - woo hoo. That raised it up from a 2 to a 3. Let's talk restaurants. That was such a disappointment. The servers seem young and inexperienced as well as overworked. We made a reservation well ahead of time for dinner at the main restaurant. So, here's how the evening went...... Upon arrival we were directed to the same view as my room. We asked for a view of the ocean and was told that the table was reserved. Asked for a different table ... that one was reserved. What?! They said they were all reserved and it was done ahead of time. Reminded them of our reservation - we were moved one table over... BIG deal. Ordered drinks. Our server was young and didn't know wines. She was reading from a scratch pad. We finally ordered .... and waited and waited...... Then she walked by our table and said "OH your drinks!" .... uh... ya... our drinks. Our wine, a white wine was warm. More angst. So... apps come out fine. Scallops were the worst we'd had on the trip after a week and a half. Tough. Pretty presentation but meh. Entrees arrive.... The server says - "I'm so sorry....they forgot to cook your pork belly" to me. The promised it won't be long. In the meantime, the other 3 are nearly done with their dinner. I continue to wait and wait and wait. Now the other 3 are totally done. She makes eye contact with me - runs in the back and comes out and says "Someone else picked up your pork belly order - I am sorry. They will be making one now and will bring it out to you in 2 to 3 min." My thought 2 to 3 min??? I was still hungry or I would have just cancelled it but told her to bring it and obviously I would not be charged for it. The skillet came out so hot - was there any comment of "hot plate"??? uh... NO. Needless to say, this was a less than memorable last night dinner with our friends from the states. I would have normally anticipated a manager coming out to apologize or have a dessert on the house or better yet, the entire meal compensated. None of this happened. Also of note - the hotel did not have an elevator. This is important to take into consideration with bags, handicapped, etc. read more

The setting is beautiful, right on a narrow spit of land with water all around and at the head of the Middlehead Trail, which is a wonderful hike--we saw bald eagles along the way and then popped out at the end of the spit with amazing views. But the hotel has not been updated in decades and is incredibly overpriced. Very basic, run down accommodations. No coffee available in the lobby in the mornings. The restaurants on-site were ok but neither food nor service were up to the prices being charged. read more

Would not go back. The resort is not too bad in terms of accommodations (the beds were comfortable) but the bathroom was dark and outdated. Our room opened up on a grassy area and we were lucky to see shooting stars after supper. The issue was the service. The staff were very nice, but we were looking for a higher level of service and more SPEED. We waited 45 mins for a table for breakfast, and then another 45 minutes after ordering to get our food. At dinner, our glasses were empty and the wait staff were seldom checking on our table. The food service was extremely slow. The views are nice, and the hiking was fun. We could not get a tee time and the spa was fully booked weeks in advance. It did not seem anything was held for guests of the hotel. read more

Shame on Keltic Lodge for not notifying us that they could not accommodate our booking in the main lodge until the day of our arrival at the end of May. We had booked for the view and they offered us a room in a building with a view of parking spaces and trees. We had no trouble finding a cabin with a fantastic view a few minutes away. read more

Room was overrun with earwigs. Beds are approaching 8 years old, need to be replaced long ago as they sag under their own weight. Priced like a 4 star, looks and feels like a 2 star. Only thing this place has going for it is location. read more

Wow, what a transformation. The new general manager has really updated and turned this place around. I went for my wedding, which was a perfect venue. However, I would love to go back for a staycation because it is absolutely breath taking. So picturesque :) The property is immaculate with beautiful gardening. The rooms are all very updated with flat screen tvs, new beds, and beautiful flooring. The suites in the main lodge are insane!!! They are huge and beautiful. Definitely a must stay for special occasions. The restaurants are all beautiful with delicious foods. The Atlantic Restaurant has a very delicious menu, and the Purple Thistle has a delicious breakfast buffet with comes in the price of the room. They also have an outdoors rental place, where you can borrow a bike, kayak, boogie board, to head to the near by Ingonish Beach for a day in the waves. The Spa is gorgeous and a great way to relax, but their prices are a bit high and depending on the amount of people in your group- they do book up fast and are understaffed. And their golf course is one of the best in the world. Overall, it is a fantastic venue for a vacation and celebrations. read more

I've read that everything is too "dated" in this hotel, so first of all I have to say that it's really more in a quaint way. The place reminds me of the camp on Dirty Dancing. In regards to the person who reviewed below me, I have heard that the restaurant food was awful last year, but they have redone it. I still didn't eat in the formal place in the main lodge, but the Atlantica side restaurant was ok. All in all, a beautiful location, but otherwise a rather utilitarian night - it was nice, but not amazing. I don't think it would be worth the money, but I got a pretty good deal on it, so I felt like I got my money's worth. I should also add that we went here on a TravelZoo deal, but upgraded to an oceanview room. When we arrived, they said that room was under construction, and that we would have to be in a smaller non-oceanview room. No big deal, but they were not forthcoming with a rate reduction for that. Make sure you ask, because it appears that they won't offer. read more

An amazing resort! The Keltic is located on a beautiful ridge jutting into the North Atlantic. They have two restaurants, one great for a bowl of chowder, the other a nice meal. They have a day spa with an incredible staff! Several nights a week, they have a cahliegh (a Gaelic sing-a-long) played by a local musicians. Check in and see if they are, because folks, this IS the nightlife in Ingonish. Come down, have a pint, and sing with the locals, it is worth it! Just past the lodge is a hiking trail that is absolutely fantastic! The views are amazing and worth the hike. There is a parking lot right there. The lodge is nice and is often filled with weddings and family gatherings. Most importantly, it is super close to the top rated public golf course in Canada, the Highland Links golf course. If you want some fun, a hike, or the best rooms not in a cabin, you will love the Keltic! read more

We only stopped in for dinner during our honeymoon. Beautiful dining room, awesome views. Was looking forward to a gourmet meal. The reality: the food can only be described as: geriatric. I mean it was beyond bland. The vegetables reminded me of airplane food. The only thing that was good was the coffee. Service wasn't great either. Wish I could say otherwise. read more

This is not a 4 star hotel by any means . We stayed in the executive cottages . The heat didn't work , the water didn't work and all you get from guest services is maintenance knows. The doors slam when guests come and go , they don't fix that either . They don't clean your room if your staying for two nights , you are on your own , need towels or anything walk to the Main lodge and get it yourself, I've killed two bugs OFF the BED! What kind of bugs I don't know. The service is 1 star and the accommodates as well. Don't waste your money or time staying here ! They have a note saying if you are happy let us know when you are here, guess they're trying to save themselves from the terrible reviews. We did let them know they do not care, they got your money when you checked in . Also if you want to go for a drink at the lodge , they charge double what the cost of a beer is in the liquor store down the street . $10 for a can of beer , food takes forever to be ordered and when you get it , it's cold and small servings . I will never come back here again and certainly as you can tell I won't be recommending it . read more

Our stay at the Keltic Lodge May well have been one of the worst hotel experiences I have had in my entire life. I won't repeat all of the other comments about how tired and broken down the property is or waiting for 45 minutes to be seated for breakfast. But on our final night we went to the main lodge for dinner only to be advised there would be no dinner served that night. This is a destination hotel in a National park. There are very few easy alternatives when your hotel decides at 6:00pm that they aren't going to open for dinner. THEN when I snorted at the fact that the actual manger was unavailable to speak with, the next manager stated he was at his father's funeral. This is entirely unprofessional of the staff to say to a paying guest, whether is is true or untrue. Tacky, tacky, tacky (... plus, the smell of weed wafting from the staff residence behind us was pungent). I felt sorry for the golfers who may have had a couple of beers after their round and had the difficult choice of going hungry or driving while possibly over the limit. Premium pricing for a horrible facility with inadequate, poorly trained staff; Covid or no Covid. read more

Best spot so beautful. Just don't get keeping a the people at this new ugly restaurant when the main lodge is dead quiet and such a bueqitful lounge and singer ... no food ??????? Shut down that new ugly place and open up here make it a keltic dream spot to come. read more

Lived in CB all my life and have travelled all over the world but had never stayed at the Keltic Lodge in our own back yard. Well now I wish I hadn't. Very underwhelmed, we had booked a cottage, but got put in a two story "suite" as if it was better. It sounded like a herd of elephants on the second floor, this building was definitely not built for two floors to be used for this purpose, and it was apparently just totally renovated. We asked to be moved, which they did no problem to another suite building but at least no upstairs. Again not impressed by the room, it was very roomy and clean but just average. The worst was the restaurant, not great food, service was quite sketchy, no plates with bread or appetizers, mismatched wrinkled table cloths, asked what sauce was on a pasta dish and was told a white cream sauce and it comes with a tomato based sauce, etc etc. Definitely not what we were expecting from a supposed first class resort. Won't be back again that's for sure. read more

I did not stay here as a guest, but I did end up here twice for dinner. The first night was great, we just came out of the near by Middle Head trail and this was the first place we hit going back. I had a lovely citrus flavoured beer, and fish n'chips. Some of my companions had the same but also Pizza, and everything was good. When the music started we stayed for a bit and left. Service that night was fantastic and we were totally happy! The next night we ended up here again because most of the other places in Cape Breton close by 7 pm. We knew this one is open... so we were sort of forced back here (we wanted to try something else, but were content coming back). Service the second time around was less consistent. It appeared as if the entire staff that was here during the weekend changed, and the new staff was still learning the ropes. Once we got our order we were quite happy with the food. That evening I had the fish tacos, and the same crusted haddock that I had with fries on the night prior, has reappeared in tacos. We really didn't have another choice that second night, since everything else was closed, but nevertheless it was good. read more

Stay one night at Corson House. Room was great ,ocean view off the Charts beautiful. After that not the greatest. We spent $378 which included ridiculous taxes. At that price you should be at a first class resort. For starters the main lodge needs a serious paint job. Looking out my window from my rooms i see a fence along the cliff edge that needs repairs in 3 places. Walking up to the entrance the interlocking bricks were separated along the edge where someone could get hurt. At the restaurant we had a beautiful window view of the ocean but had to look out dirty windows. At check in the first front desk lady was anything but warm and fuzzy. The hostess at the restaurant never spoke one word to us. She looked at me, grabbed two menus and walked into the dining room. I asked my wife if we were supposed to follow her. They have the best location on the island but they don,t act or show like a first class resort but they do charge like a first class resort. read more

I thought the hotel was a hoot. We had a funny old-fashioned room at one of the corners, so we had a huge oddly shaped bathroom, and a huge walk-in closet. There was a "fireplace" in the room, and a canopy over the headboard, and corner cabinets complete with tchotchkes and Proust. The room decor smacked of Palm Beach circa 1960, but it had a certain kitsch appeal. The grounds are lovely, the staff was fine, the pool was fun, and the included breakfast buffet was great. That said, the sheets were awful thin polyester and the hallways are a little down at the heels. Worst though was the on-site restaurant, the Ardan Rum. It was so bad - the food was seriously mediocre, verging on inedible, and the staff was amateur to a fare-thee-well. read more

Just spent two nights here with an old friend of mine and his dog. Indeed for all you dog lovers this historic(ish) landmark hotel has pet-friendly cottages available. Located on a beautifully situated peninsula, the grounds are sprawling! There is a very easy and beautiful hike one can take to the point of land with breathtaking cliff top views of the Atlantic Ocean, complete with crashing waves on the rocks and if you are lucky, accented by a brilliant blue sky. It is about 30min each way, and a Must Do if you plan to stay here. The cottage we rented was old, but well maintained, however it should be noted that each cottage bedroom with ensuite are rented SEPARATELY, which means if you and your companion rent one of the rooms, it could happen that there could be strangers in the other bedroom, with both rooms sharing the common area where the sofa chairs and wood burning fireplace are located. It's fine, but as the rooms are fairly smallish, it would make for some pretty close contact with potential strangers, and awkward fireside time if not everyone gets along or has romantic intentions for a fireside make out session. Thankfully we were two buds and a dog, and it being early in the season we had the places ourselves. It should be noted that they take a deposit for the dog, and charge an extra 25 bucks cleaning fee if you do indeed bring an animal. This was not made clear to us, so they waved the fee. It is also worth noting that the firewood provided was a tad wet, there was no kindling and no matches. I managed to scrounge tinder from just down the trail where dead trees abound along with plenty of very combustible birch bark. Though try not to strip a tree raw, rather find the thick loose easy to peel pieces. It took about 2 hours to really get a hot sustainable blaze going due to the damp birch hissing away in the hearth. Still, we managed and it was cozy. The Lodge boasts a fine dining restaurant as well as a nice pub. We chose to eat at the pub as it offered a great menu and also had a Nova Scotian folk singer with a guitar for some down home east coast entertainment. The food was delish! We both had the beef burger with pork belly. Carnivorous delight indeed! The whole place smacks a little of Granny's tea room in terms of decor: outdated and a tad kitschy, but certainly in harmony with the rural east coast Canadiana feel of the area. The property is owned by the province, and the hotel business is operated by an American company, which is of no consequence to myself, but might steer more Patriotic Canadians to a Canadian owned and operated lodging, the likes of which are plentiful in that area of Cape Breton, though more rustic and less grand scale. Keltic Lodge is where one goes to "splash out a little". We got a great rate, and would certainly stay there again. read more

Beautiful scenery , but terrible service!! Girlfriend had $500.00+ purse stolen right off property during the night and all of belongings dumped all over the grass , was offered no support , or help! Cleaners of the property told us their fellow workers probley stole it!! Great scenery but I guess you cant trust the people that clean your room read more

We stayed two nights, and golfed at Highland Links. The views are spectacular but you can find them elsewhere in Cape Breton. Don't waist your money here. The room was 500$ per night, but was not even as nice as a Hampton Inn. The door to our deck was broken, and the room was dingy and dated. The Lounge and restaurants were not nice, but the food in the restaurant was nice. The wine and drinks list are a disaster. 10$ bottles of wine the only option, and most of those, they were out of. We had a nice waitress but everyone else sullen. No one here has ever taken a basic course in hospitality, including the manager, if there was one. And the golf was lousy. A 5 hr round. read more

This is a review for the bar in the Keltic Lodge. We went there both nights we were in Ingonish, even though we were not staying at the resort...nothing else in Ingonish seemed open beyond 8pm! At any rate, the resort is stunning and the bar is beautiful - and the entertainment there kept us singing and laughing for hours. Nothing more than a lovely gentleman named Fran Doyle strumming his guitar and regaling us with tales and songs from Ireland and maritime Canada. It was simple but wonderful. Combined with some great drinks and a lovely rendition of steak pie and chocolate pecan pie - a sweet couple of nights in Ingonish! As a side note, we did end up doing a hike around the grounds of the Lodge out to the Middle Peninsula during the day - highly recommended. read more

This review is for the Purple Thistle Restaurant. Service was so friendly, the food was pretty decent. The scallop appetizer was out of this world. Liked but didn't love the halibut. Desserts were good, be sure to get the maple pecan mousse. read more

Me and my wife stayed in the area for our honeymoon but not at the Keltic Lodge, though we did partake in the hiking trail, beach and restaurant on the compound. The trail, Middle Head, was fantastic. Long enough to be substantial but not long enough to leave you exhausted and sweaty at the end. We saw a bald eagle and took innumerable pictures along the way. I can say hands down it is the most photogenic trail I have ever hiked. The restaurant was fantastic as well. Mind you we went off season and were the only ones in the restaurant but the service was nice, talkative and friendly. The fish and chips was unbelievable. The beach was small but quite pleasant. The best part though was how well we were treated when we got a flat because of a screw we ran over. We weren't a guest of the hotel but were allowed to use the hotels phone and make international calls, had the front desk doing everything they could to help and finally had maintenance pulling us around back and filling our tires. Amazingly pleasant through and through. read more

Cape Breton is beautiful and the Lodge was the perfect location for us. We like to hike and play golf. Our breakfasts in the main dining room were good- included in the room price, but the lunches and dinners at Atlantic Restaurant were excellent and not overly expensive. Such pleasant service and lovely view of the headlands and water. We had different items on the menu and were never disappointed. We especially liked the salmon and salad, the rib-eye steak and the seafood chowder. The spinach salad had an interesting mix of mozzarella with strawberries - tender spinach, mushrooms in creamy dressing. Another reasonably priced place to eat there is in the bar/lounge. The menu is similar and the salmon with salad was even better than at the Atlantic. read more

We recently held a weekend conference for 100 people at the Keltic Lodge. I can not say enough good things about the resort, food and staff. Everyone at the conference commented on how great the food was and how the staff go "above and beyond" for us. Brenda, the banquet manager, was extremely helpful, friendly and only wanted the best for our conference. She checked in with me frequently and was very prompt with emails. During the conference she would find me to make sure we were looked after and if we needed anything. JT, the event supervisor, truly is a valuable employee. He set up the conference hall, served food and was the bartender in the evenings (I was told he makes the best Old Fashions). He left work at 2am on Friday evening, then was called in at 7:30am because I requested coffee at 8am. He was more than happy to help me with anything I needed and was very pleasant and approachable. The head chef, Joel, was also very accommodating, especially to the people with food allergies. The highlight of the weekend was when Brother Joseph and Tom did a cooking demonstration with local lobster, oysters, mussels and scallops and did a wine pairing for the group I would highly recommend holding any conference or wedding at the Keltic Lodge. read more

We booked a room in the lodge and were bumped to the Inn, but still paid over $200 plus all the taxes. We had a mediocre supper in the bar (the charcuterie plate was really boring). And we left after a few songs by an entertainer who should retire. This was our worst and most pricey accommodation experience of 3 weeks in PEI and NS. For a place this famous, it was a huge disappointment - definitely over-priced and under-performing. read more

We went up from Sydney to have a late lunch for our 40th anniversary. With only a half dozen other customers in the room we couldn't get our lunch so we got up and left after an hour and 5 minutes. They charged us full price for the drink we gad while waiting. It may have the nicest golf course in Canada but I haven't heard one nice thing about the hotel. read more

The atlantic restaurant- dont get the steak, if your expecting it to be thick or cooked properly. The calamari was pretty good. The wine was expensive. The beer was nice n cold. read more