Once Nova Scotia’s premier resort, the Keltic Lodge has seen better days. Service is only so-so, with the maids making a racket long before most guests want to rise, and harried servers in the several restaurants. Speaking of those restaurants, meals can be hit or miss. The kitchen sources fine fresh products, but sometimes a piece of fish will spend a little too long under the grill...or too little. We can heartily recommend the house-made wild mushroom ravioli in Changa tea, however. Some rooms in the lodge can feel like luxury from another era, while others feel outdated with bathrooms that need new fixtures, and small, view-free windows. Avoid room 201, an overpriced tiny space with no view situated above the casual Highland Sitting Room, which delivers thumping bass through its ceiling into that room and others nearby late into the night. Rooms in the more modern Inn at Keltic are better, with commanding views and contemporary furnishings and bathrooms. Cottages on the premises are set among white birch, but are less private than you’d hope as living rooms are shared with other guests in the building. All that being said, the place still has a grandeur to it. Just the drive out a narrow wooded peninsula to catch a view of the improbably placed Tudor-style main lodge is worth it, as is stopping in for tea at the majestic Purple Thistle dining room. Outside, golf at Highland Links—within easy walking distance of any room—is the big attraction (see above), but not the only one; guests enjoy a nice outdoor pool and trails to the end of the peninsula.
Nova Scotia's Northern Shore
Travel Guide
Nova Scotia's Northern Shore› Hotel
Keltic Lodge and Spa
383 Keltic Inn Rd., Ingonish Beach
Our Rating
Neighborhood
Ingonish Beach
Phone
800/565-0444 or 902/285-2880
Prices
C$155–C$395 double and cottage. Rates include breakfast. Packages available. Closed mid-Oct to mid-May.
Units
74 rooms & suites, 10 cottages
Amenities
2 restaurants, lounge, children’s programs, golf course, outdoor pool, spa, tennis courts, fridge (some units), no phone, Wi-Fi (free).
Web site
Keltic Lodge and Spa
Map
383 Keltic Inn Rd., Ingonish Beach Nova Scotia's Northern ShoreNote: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.