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Friendly Fires: The Perfect Lakeside Getaway

your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for Friendly Fires: The Perfect Lakeside Getaway

Outdoor spa tub
Interior
Miscellaneous
Property grounds
Dining

Reviews

9.4 out of 10

Exceptional

Entire home

4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8195 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Hot tub
  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Pet-friendly
  • Outdoor space

Explore the area

Map
Val Des Monts, Quebec
  • Sommet Edelweiss
    19 min drive
  • Papa Pizza
    5 min drive
  • Rideau Station
    38 min drive
  • Gatineau, QC (YND-Ottawa Executive)
    37 min drive

Room options

Similar properties

About the area

Val-des-Monts

With a stay at this vacation home in Val-des-Monts, you'll be on the waterfront, and 24.4 mi (39.3 km) from Casino du Lac Leamy and 25.7 mi (41.4 km) from Byward Market Square. .This vacation home is 26.5 mi (42.7 km) from University of Ottawa and 26.9 mi (43.3 km) from Parliament Hill.

What's nearby

  • Sommet Edelweiss - 19 min drive
  • Casino du Lac Leamy - 35 min drive
  • Byward Market Square - 36 min drive
  • Nordik Spa-Nature - 37 min drive
  • Parliament Hill - 38 min drive

Getting around

  • Ottawa, ON (XDS-Ottawa Train Station) - 43 min drive
  • Ottawa International Airport (YOW) - 63 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Papa Pizza - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Subway - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪Au P'Tit Cafe du Lac Mc Gregor - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Bistro le grill - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Resto Quatre Saisons - ‬9 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Friendly Fires: The Perfect Lakeside Getaway

Here you can find relaxing experiences with the perfect opportunity to unwind with your partner or a friend. Let us know!

Here at Friendly Fires Getaway, we offer relaxation and rejuvenation at our private and peaceful lakeside chalet! At this all-inclusive, four-season getaway, you will find everything you need within the walls of this self-contained, architecturally designed cottage;. We are located on beautiful Grand Lake in Québec's Gatineau Hills. We invite you to make yourself at home. You are sure to create lasting memories.

When you arrive you will be greeted by a main cottage, flanked on both sides by several separate buildings. This has all been designed to give you a sense of privacy that you and your group will appreciate. As you walk down from the driveway, from your vehicle, you will find our buildings comfortably aligned along your path. They greet you one at a time, each one more private than the last. The main cottage links everything together. It is the main building that can be seen below you as you drive up

On the main cottage is a green roof with potted plants. The main cottage building features generous spaces for entertaining. It is also set up so there intimate spaces where you can just curl up with a book if you wish. You can relax on the sun filled decks, the dock, in the sun-porch, outdoor hot tub, or have a fire on the campfire deck. You can switch to the indoor sauna, before breakfast or before bed – your choice. This place has lots of options! Options to be alone, or be in the group!

We also feature a few cooking ideas for the foodies out there. We have a Smokehouse that contains a beautifully unique bbq, a smoker, and a pizza oven for your cooking options. You can smoke your food on the smoker at the camp site too. Enjoy the kitchen while enjoying the spa features.

Here you can awaken your senses, and relax your mind, body and soul. The vibe allows intimacy if you wish or you can involve a group in your stories over an expansive meal. This place can do both. There are lots of tasteful details all over the cottage for you to discover! It is a very personalized place with both practical and whimsical details. Even some that are made to make you smile!

Our 4-season cottage feels and looks like a cottage should. It has small spaces, and the open spaces. It is a place that you will want to light a fire, after all, there are 7 fire options to choose from! It will keep you busy, because being at a cottage, is about doing cottage things!

We face south so the cottage is filled with sunlight! It has windows everywhere and you will feel like you're outside, except you are not! The site is filled with trees, and you even have a view of the lake!

Enjoy your breakfast outdoors just footsteps from the lake's edge, before diving into the lake for a refreshing early morning swim. Come back to suntan on the dock, warm up in the sauna, or relax in our 8-person hot tub while your food is being smoked. Once you plan this trip, you will not want to leave!

You can also enjoy an afternoon fishing off the dock and you're welcome to kayak or canoe. In winter, you are on the doorstep of the Nations Capital's premier cross country ski trail (Nakkertok), and only 15 minutes from Edelweiss and Mont Cascades for downhill skiing. Golf is nearby as well as the beautiful Gatineau park!

The cottage is located near the village of Perkins, or Wakefield which includes a grocery stores, a butcher, hardware store, pharmacy and restaurant/bars. It is close to local golf courses, horseback riding, LA fleche caves and an aerial park. The Outaouais and West Quebec areas are rich in historic, cultural, and linguistic diversity. This region boasts some of best year-round outdoor lifestyle and entertainment activities in the world such as skiing, cycling, hiking and more! We will send you lots of options to look at prior to your stay.
Make yourself comfortable in this vacation home, which features a fireplace. There's a private balcony. A kitchen is outfitted with a refrigerator, a stovetop, and a microwave. Conveniences include a coffee/tea maker and a washing machine.
Be sure to enjoy recreational amenities including a spa tub and a sauna. This vacation home also features concierge services and barbecue grills.
Guests will find features like internet access and onsite parking.

Property amenities

Ski

  • Snowboarding and cross-country skiing nearby

Pool/Spa

  • A hot tub
  • Sauna

Internet

  • WiFi available

Parking and transport

  • On-site parking
  • Car recommended

Kitchen

  • Fridge
  • Stovetop
  • Microwave
  • Dishwasher
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Toaster
  • Spices
  • Cookware/dishes/utensils

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 4 bedrooms
  • Bed sheets provided

Bathrooms

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Shower
  • Towels provided
  • Outdoor shower
  • Hairdryer

Living spaces

  • Fireplace
  • Living room
  • Dining room
  • Wood stove

Entertainment

  • TV
  • DVD player
  • Stereo
  • Games
  • Video library
  • Music library
  • Books

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue
  • Firepit

Laundry

  • Washing machine and dryer

Comfort

  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Concierge services

Location highlights

  • On the lake
  • On the waterfront
  • Near a health or beauty spa

Things to do

  • Water sports equipment
  • Kayaking on site
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Golf nearby
  • Horse riding nearby
  • Hiking nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Casino nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Ecotours nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector installed (host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector installed (host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher

General

  • Unit size: 2100 sq ft (195 sq m)

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:30 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 21

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Note from host: Dogs are welcome!

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Note from host: ALLOWED

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events are allowed on site
Note from host: Small weddings and small business conferences.
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Property Registration Number 300065, 2025-09-30

We should mention

A car is recommended for transportation to and from this property

Property is also known as

Vrbo Property
Relax Rejuvenate Lakeside Private Chalet Spa Getaway
orp5b41b0ax

Friendly Fires: The Perfect Lakeside Getaway Reviews

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 18 out of 22 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 22 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 22 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 22 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 22 reviews" "

9.0/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Emmanuel P.

Liked: Cleanliness
It's a great place
We had a great time there. From the sauna, to the hottub, the bbq house, to the lake, all was great.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

2/10 Terrible

Mike W.

Disliked: Cleanliness
The "Friendly Fires" listing is inaccurate and misleading
We were shocked and bitterly disappointed at the state of this property. It does not deserve its 9.8/10 rating. It is littered with tarp-covered piles of construction materials and equipment. Messy and disorganized. A disturbing and disheartening welcome to the property. The path down to the cottage is steep and difficult to navigate. Randomly placed rocks do not provide safe or secure footing. The cottage itself is rough and poorly finished. Exposed electrical wires, cables and junction boxes lead one to question the safety of the work that has been done. It does not appear to meet professional standards. In the "tea house" where my husband and I slept, the sink was without proper fixtures - no faucet or taps. Water poured directly out from a pipe, with the flow controlled by valves affixed to the counter. The waterfront is extremely weedy and poorly maintained. The dock feels unstable and wobbly and it appears that some of the supports are either missing or broken. The cottage itself was not clean. The floors were gritty and sandy throughout. The fridge had clearly not been cleaned. We stayed one night and left quickly the next day . We have previously rented other properties and been quite satisfied. Our experience at Friendly Fires was totally different. Along with the financial loss we have incurred, the much-anticipated holiday with our daughter and 3 grandchildren from Seattle was not to be. We hope this review serves as a warning to others.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kurt J.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely cottage
Friendly fires was a lovely place to stay, on a nice lake. My one bad thing to say would be that it was supposed to have a fully stocked kitchen but was missing a few basic amenities like aluminum foil and paper towel. Overall I would recommend.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brent H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful and peaceful.
Wonderful and relaxing place. Very quiet. Super comfy beds.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Igor N.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing&peaceful
The property was amazing,.well taken caren of and has everything you can wish a chalet has
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Celeste d.

Liked: Cleanliness
Verbo
The common area was nice as well as sauna. Beautiful lake view and good place to snow-shoe
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ronald S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Quaint stay, accurate to description
Nothing bad to say! The ad and pictures were very accurate, the place had great amenities and a lovely space. Some areas had some construction being done, but it was clean and safe and for improvements :) host was very quick to respond and had a great place!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lynn T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Relaxing week with friends in a chalet surrounded by nature
We had a lovely week with friends at Friendly Fires Getaway. This unique chalet is in a private location surrounded by trees and lake views. The beautiful lake is clear and a good size for exploring in the canoe and kayak. We swam in the lake most days. We enjoyed the hot tub. The fire pit area is the best we’ve ever seen with lots of seating, lighting, grates for barbecuing and of course, an amazing lake view. The chalet itself has plenty of seating including a huge sunroom with a wood stove and a spacious yet cozy sitting room with a gas fireplace. There are lots of spots throughout the property to curl up with a good book, as well as plenty of room to enjoy meals and conversation with our friends. The bedrooms can only be accessed by going outside which some might consider inconvenient, however it affords lots of privacy and is ideal if you have some early risers and others who like to sleep in. The two second floor bedrooms and a powder room are accessible via outside stairs. The bunky is on the same level as the main chalet. The teahouse is up a bit via a path and has a bathroom with a shower. It should be called the treehouse as it is all windows looking onto the trees and lake. Beds in all the bedrooms were comfy. The main building has a powder room with laundry facilities and the shower is located in the sauna off the kitchen. The kitchen was well equipped. Robin is a super host and replied right away to any questions we had. We had a really wonderful stay
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Alice P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Really Enjoyed Out Week
We loved our stay at Friendly Fires and had a wonderful time. The cottage has a number of unique features including the hot tub, sauna, BBQ and smoke house, well appointed kitchen, lovely fire pit and numerous quiet areas. The water toys were great (kayaks and canoe) and the swimming platform was well used (the area around the dock was a bit weedy). Communications with the owner and his responsiveness were outstanding. The 4 star rating (vice 5) would only apply to a group with very young children as the bedrooms are a bit spread out (two BR are in separate buildings (problem for an infant) and there is no beach area for little ones. That said, the 4-6 year old young ones reveled in the frogs, turtles and fish they were able to catch (and release) and the swimming off the swimming platform more than met the need.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karlo

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Everything during the stay was perfect. The beautiful location, privacy, the variety of equipment that was provided for us like bbq, kayaks, spa packages. There was nothing missing from our stay and we felt like in heaven. Truly an amazing vacation that I will visit many times again.

10/10 Excellent

Liza C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great cottage vibes
This place was super unique and I’d highly recommend it for those looking to get away for the weekend. Feels like a private resort in the woods but with all the amenities you’d need. If I had to pick two things to improve, it could use some new cookware and the instructions for the hot tub and indoor fireplaces could be improved (for accuracy mainly). But all in all, I don’t think I’d hesitate to return!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Debbie M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great spot to unwind and have fun with family and friends. A spa nestled into nature!
Lovely spot, so many areas to relax and enjoy nature inside and out. The private sleeping quarters were unexpected and appreciated. Robin was a responsive host.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

John R.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great getaway
A great cottage with a very cool aesthetic! The pergola and patio deck are amazing and making it easy to unwind. The hot tub & sauna /shower make for a good spa day. We loved that there were separate cabins/rooms for privacy. The owner is super responsive , very friendly and puts a lot of thought and creativity into this beautiful lake house.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Christina A.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great stay at Friendly Fires
We loved staying at this property! Beautiful, private and clean. The kitchen was well equipped, the beds were comfortable and the location was great. The lake was very quiet and we spent lots of time with the kayaks and canoe provided. The only issue we had was with the showers, they can take some time to warm up and temp and pressure can be finicky but nothing that you can't get used to. Would love to see the porch area be screened in, however the bugs were not so bad, even given the time of year. Loved using the hot tub and the sauna in the cooler evening times. Everyone who stayed just couldn't get over how beautiful and peaceful the property was. Hoping to come back next year!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

8/10 Good

Linda T.

Liked: Cleanliness
It’s was a cold weekend , yet the cottage was warm and cozy
Great escape , beautiful location . Will make it an annual tradition
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lucie L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great ski vacation
Our family had a wonderful week and the hit tub after a full dag of skiing was really fantastic. Owner was very responsive. Will surely return!
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Diane V., Ottawa

Liked: Cleanliness
Blissful relaxation
Despite the rain throughout our stay it was extremely relaxing and rejuvenating . There is everything you need here to relax and enjoy nature. Robin was a very attentive host and provided quick updates and answered any questions we had promptly. Wishing him all the best as he continues to upgrade the property to better the experience. Thanks again!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2020

10/10 Excellent

Kirill L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing stay, can’t wait to be back again next year!
When We’ve arrived we were pleasantly surprised by many new additions to the property since our visit last year. This place keeps getting better and better every year! This year it exceeded our expectations yet again, and we instantly extended our stay by one more day upon arrival. Feeling refreshed and relaxed me and my fiancée cannot wait to be back next year! Thank you Robin for making our stay here as pleasant and relaxing as possible!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer T.

Liked: Cleanliness
A gem!
We had a wonderful stay at Friendly Fires. The cottage is roomy and cozy with all the amenities one could hope for. We felt like we were at a spa for a week and took full advantage of the sauna and hot tub. We will definitely book the cottage again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Barbara S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Fantastic Family Get Away!
This is an awesome vacation retreat. It features a wood burning sauna, hot tub, and rustic but very stylish furnishings. The sleeping arrangements allow for guests to spread out a bit if one wants a bit of downtime from the main common areas. Robin was an awesome host - very responsive and helpful. Our family plans to book again soon. Perfect for a couple of couples also looking for a nice get away quite close to Ottawa.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Darius C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Getaway
Only an hour or so out of Ottawa. Awesome place! Super cool and cozy. Easily can host 8 people.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Brigitte Q.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice place
J'ai adorer ma fds Merci énormément
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024