Spa amenities a big draw for ‘staycation’ getaways at boutique Ontario hotel

A newly-opened boutique hotel north of Brampton is looking to expand its offerings of spa treatments after finding them a big draw for vacationers looking for a getaway close to home.

The LIberty Inn has been open in Caledon for a little over two months, and owners Jacqui Liberty and Bruno Roldan say the five-suite hotel has seen lots of interest in their Nordic sauna amenities which include a cedar hot tub, a Finnish sauna, and a cold plunge.

With two separate two-bedroom suites, owners Jacqui Liberty Bruno Roldan say the hotel has become a destination for friend groups around the GTA and southern Ontario looking to relax without leaving the province.

“We were thinking of families when we were making the two bedrooms, but it turns out it’s both for families and for friend groups, so that’s one of the learnings we’ve had in the last few months,” Roldan told INsauga.com.

Many of the suites already have steam showers and infrared saunas, but the Nordic spa has been such a draw that The Liberty Inn that the owners are planning on more “add-on services” like massage.

The cozy setting of the inn’s spa has also been a big hit with guests as opposed to large, sterile facilities that can feel like “theme parks for adults,” Roldan says.

“A lot of people are saying ‘it’s so nice we can be in the spa area, by ourselves or with a group,’ and they can talk,” he said of the spa’s “intimate” experience.

The inn is located at the edge of Forks of the Credit Provincial Park and was previously known as the Forks of the Credit Inn before opening under new management with a new name. The building dates back to 1855, making it one of Canada’s oldest stone and brick buildings.

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The new operators have preserved the property’s heritage features while working to revitalize the space, pairing classic elements with “modern luxury and timeless charm.”

Roldan and Liberty say they’ve heard from guests about their stories and connections to the 170-year-old building, including wedding proposals.

The Liberty Inn features numerous works created by Liberty who is a potter, including 10,000 floor tiles, mugs, bowls and plates.

More Canadians have been opting for “staycations” instead of heading to U.S. travel destinations amid the back-and-forth tariff trade war, with data last month showing the number of Canadians coming back to the U.S. by car coming in at 1.5 million for a nearly 32 per cent drop from the same time last year.

And while The Liberty Inn says most guests “booked before the chaos” and hasn’t been open long enough to see a change in clientele due to the trade war, it has mostly seen guests from Ontario with the furthest visitors coming from Kingston and London, and has its first two bookings from the U.S. coming up soon.

The Liberty Inn’s first summer season is shaping up to be busy with out-of-towners already booking for weddings, events, and the RBC Canadian Open that will be held in Caledon this June.

Roldan and Liberty say Ontario residents looking to jump on the staycation trend should consider booking early to get a head start on the competition.

“There’s just not enough (vacancy), and people booking last minute are going to miss out on a staycation,” Roldan says.

For more information on The Liberty Inn or to make a reservation visit www.thelibertyinn.ca.