Prior to our arrival, any time we called with questions, Michael was there to help us. On our arrival, check in was quick & then he had us all come into the social/activity room to tell us about what the Inn had to offer & that was a lot. We had previously arranged for 1 dinner & 2 breakfasts and the food was FABULOUS!! Not a single complaint. Michael went beyond the call of duty to make our stay a memorable one. The Inn was apparently built in 1929 and our vintage cars were from 1929-1931 so many photos were taken. Michael was an excellent photographer with all of our cameras hanging off his arms & patiently giving us memories of this wonderful view, Inn, and our time together. We had such a fabulous time, no one wanted to leave!! He couldn't do enough for us right down to having a lovely campfire near the beach while others played games in the social room. Thank you Michael & staff so much for the most amazing visit to your Inn and the memories we will have for a very long time.

When we got to the Red Umbrella we thought uh oh did we make a mistake? Needless to say we were pleasantly surprised by our stay. There were several options for accomdations and we took the room that resembled a motel inn set up except the bed was very comfortable and suitable for 2 people. The waterfront rooms will be our next choice. The Restaurant was also very surprising as the chef and general manager was a great person who could cook to your needs. This place is a sleeper that you cannot judge by its appearance.

My husband & I were looking for a dog-friendly resort in the Minden or Haliburton area, and I'm so glad we found the Red Umbrella Inn. We spent four nights in one of two brand new executive cottages (not yet listed on their website) and were quite pleased with the accommodation.

The cabin, which sits about 15 feet from the lakefront, has:
- a modern and fully-equipped kitchen (although I was glad I had packed a couple of my own knives)

- a spacious dining table that would comfortably seat 6 and can be expanded to seat even more

- two bedrooms, one with a king bed and the other with two twins; the bed was very comfortable, and we slept really well.

- a lovely bathroom with a heated floor, and plenty of water-pressure in the shower

- a spacious living area with a comfortable sectional that pulls out into a bed

- a large-screen TV with excellent reception via Bell satellite

- a wide deck running the full width of the cabin

The info for the inn indicates that there is wifi in the main building, but we had a consistently strong wifi signal in our cabin. I also had a consistently strong Rogers cellular signal - no worries about not being connected for anyone like me, who can't bear to ever be offline!

We signed up for the meal plan for two days; the food was delicious and the servings ample - so much so that we were able to tuck part of our dinner in the fridge for lunch the next day. We couldn't eat in the dining room because our dog was with us, but the Inn offers room service: a perfect solution for pet-owners.

The Inn is very pet-friendly. There is a doggie beach, and no restrictions as to where you can walk on the property with a dog provided it's leashed.

Mike (chef and resort manager) and George (property manager) were friendly and helpful. We will most definitely consider returning to the Red Umbrella for another vacation.

For anyone wanting to see some local attractions, we highly recommend the Minden Wild Water Preserve, Haliburton Sculpture Forest, and Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve.