Relax with the whole family at this peaceful all-season home on the Rideau River, only 30 minutes from the heart of Ottawa and 5 mins to Kemptville. Take in the river view while relaxing inside our Cedar Barrel Sauna or sipping morning coffee on the dock. Easily explore the neighbouring towns of Manotick and Merrickville or boat, fish, kayak, or canoe in the middle of the largest stretch of the Rideau River (46km of open water from Manotick to Burritts Rapids).
Smart lock entrance- no key required!
Plenty of parking available. Requires car or taxi/uber to travel to and from destinations. No local city bus access.
An Ice Fisher's Dream!
Home includes modern kitchen with top of the line appliances (gas range, oversized fridge, dishwasher, and Nespresso Virtuo coffee machine), queen main bedroom, and 4-season sunroom with large windows overlooking the water. Warm up indoors by the gas fire place or watch the sunset by the outdoor fire pit along the riverfront. Step into the cedar barrel sauna to take in the spectacular river view, available for guest use all year long.
House sleeps 6-7: queen bed in main room (2), double bunk plus single in second bedroom (2-3), and queen pull out couch in living room (2).
Ice fish on the river during winter months (equipment and license required).
Dock use available in the summer along with canoe, kayaks, stand up paddleboard (SUP) and life jackets of all sizes.
High speed internet access- use of your streaming service on our ROKU TV.
Washer and dryer also available for guest use.
Car, taxi or Uber required
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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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
About the area
Kemptville
Located in Kemptville, this cottage is on the waterfront. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Besley Woods and Ferguson Forest, while North Grenville Archives and North Grenville Historical Society are cultural highlights.
Is Rideau River Retreat - Waterfront Home pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Rideau River Retreat - Waterfront Home?
As of 12 May, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Rideau River Retreat - Waterfront Home on 8 Jan, 2027 start from S$211, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Rideau River Retreat - Waterfront Home?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Rideau River Retreat - Waterfront Home?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Rideau River Retreat - Waterfront Home?
Checkout is at 12:00 PM.
Where is Rideau River Retreat - Waterfront Home located?
Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is steps away from Besley Woods and Rideau Canal. Ferguson Forest and Pirate Cove Marina are also within 2 miles (3 km).
Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
We had such a wonderful experience. Our host Meghan was always quickly available and provided all the information we needed for a trouble free stay. The cottage is lovely and is the perfect place for both winter or summer getaways.
This vacation rental was an absolute delight, exceeding every expectation with thoughtful touches like a welcome gift of wine and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. The host stands out as the best we've encountered—attentive, welcoming, and ensuring a seamless stay. Everything one could need was readily available on-site, from a fully equipped kitchen to ample amenities, making it unnecessary to leave the property.
The little cottage was a very good and welcome chill time. The little touches left by Meghan were so appreciated. The cottage was very clean and we had everything we needed. Thank you both!
Quiet & Private: Ideal location for exploring Ottawa ON (try Union Street Kitchen's croissants before a guided tour of Rideau Hall). Also, just a short drive & quick border-crossing to the Frederick Remington Museum (western art & sculpture) in Ogdensburg NY. Local recommendations include the lamb rosemary meat pies made at B&H Grocery and the Tip-to-Tip trail, an easy 3-mile canal hike in Burritt’s Rapids. Many thanks to our exemplary hosts who quickly resolved any minor issues.
Our stay at the Rideau River Retreat was good. The cottage was fully stocked with all the cooking, linens and toiletries needed.The host Meghan was quick to respond before and during the stay to ensure everything went well. Thank you.
This property exceeded our expectations for a get-away cottage by the water! Everything matched the original description with high levels of cleanliness. This cottage has eveything you may need and more for a family vacation. Would come back again!
It is a beautiful and peaceful. Just what we were looking for. We fished from the dock... bbq and had a lovely fire. It is supper clean. It looks even better in person. Comunication was excellent. It was our first time using vrbo. We are already looking forward to next year.
We stayed over the holidays and it was relaxing and extremely cozy. We were really grateful that the host even had a Christmas tree for us. That made it perfectly festive.
The property is in a quite, relaxing neighborhood, but still only a couple minutes away from grocery stores, cafes, restaurants, and more. This is place is great for people like me and my friends who wanted a nice getaway that feels enough like a cottage without going too far from civilization. Communication was always top notch and owner went above and beyond to make sure our stay went smoothly.
Ryan B.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Oct, 2023
Thank you Ryan-you and your guests were easy to host! Please come back anytime. We enjoyed having you stay at our cottage!
We loved our stay at the Rideau River Retreat. It was a great place to use as our home base for Ottawa tourism. We also enjoyed Kemptville itself. Meghan was a great hostess. She was easy to communicate with and very helpful. The handbook for the stay was one of the most complete I’ve seen and very helpful! I highly recommend this lovely spot!
It was obvious that Meghan and her husband invested a lot of time and effort to create a relaxing and comfortable home for their guests. Great location within a half-hour drive to Ottawa, so we could experience the quiet comforts of country living and all of the benefits that the city had to offer. I would definitely recommend staying here and may return again some day
This house was very cute and cozy upon arrival, and our first 24 hours there were great. Unfortunately, on the second morning, we woke up to mouse feces in the kitchen, dining area, and sunroom--yuck! The host brought mouse traps for us to use, but it was really difficult to enjoy the rest of our time. I also felt that the host minimized the significance of this issue, and I was shocked that no compensation was offered. We understand that mice can sometimes happen in rural areas, but there should have been some kind of notice or warning in the house instructions, since it is clearly an ongoing issue. Disappointing experience--would not recommend.
Casey M.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Jan, 2026
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review. I do feel however that had you requested compensation to be returned to you it would have been something that I would have gladly done. I was unaware that was the expectation. We have always taken any issues with guests very seriously and despite offering to come and rectify the situation when it was brought to our attention, your preference was to set traps yourselves, which I completely understand! I am sorry you felt like your concerns were not heard as this is not something we deal with all the time. Any issue presented is addressed right away.
This property was perfect for our needs. It was close to Ottawa where our Aunt was celebrating her 100th birthday and he was a spot where we could breath after an unexpected death of our family. The host was very accommodating to our needs. Enjoyed the kayak. To hot for the sauna but I’m sure would be nice in the shoulder season or winter. Loved the sunroom.
Karen L.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Martin S.
29 May, 2025
Peaceful Waterfront Getaway
My partner and I spent a few days and nights here on the water and absolutely loved our time. The included canoe was awesome and we spent hours on the dock watching the water. Cannot recommend highly enough!!!
Martin S.
About the host
Hosted by Meghan Beking
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests