Merrill House

This is the second time I’ve stayed at Merrill House, and I’m sorry to say that I’m leaving a little disappointed. The room was not as advertised. We stayed in the Lorne suite which boasts a queen bed and (ionic) fireplace. The bed is a double and the fireplace is non existent. No matter how high we turned the heat it was constantly cold. The welcome letter promoted a welcome gift including an art print and local fudge, neither of which were there. Some smaller things about the room: little tweaks are necessary to truly deliver an experience reflective of a Michelin Key: -there should be a mat at the door to the room for your boots so you don’t accumulate puddles of water from melted snow -there should be more than 1 hook for towels -there should be more than 1 hand towel in the bathroom. The products in the bathroom (shampoo, soap, Dyson hair dryer) were top notch. Room cleaning was extremely well timed with our breakfast reservation and felt totally seamless. The breakfast was fine. Nothing extraordinary, and the coffee was dreadful. Service in the restaurant was a little awkward. I saw a previous comment recommending printed menus, which I also agree with. The verbal description of the dishes wasn’t ideal. Again some small changes would improve the experience, like offering small plates for the croissant table and small bowls for jam etc. The hotel itself is beautiful, full of history and well appointed with interesting and varied period and modern artwork. I will consider staying here again but I think the last room I stayed in (the Dreaming Suite) would be my choice

We had a lovely stay at Merrill House. The hotel itself is very charming, the bathrooms are beautifully updated, check-in was easy with a friendly concierge, and the bed was comfortable and clean. Overall, location and comfort were excellent. Our only (slightly hilarious) drawback was that the photos on the website did not reflect the room we stayed in at all. We had booked what was described online as a standard double, but were placed in what we later learned is the “Future Room.” The space was much smaller than expected and featured plywood walls and ceilings, with a chair mounted upside down on the ceiling. It was certainly an intricate and creative design, just not our personal style — and quite a surprise without prior context. Everything else about the stay was great, but it would be helpful if guests could either confirm which specific room they are booking, or if additional photos of these more unique rooms were included online. This design may be fun and interesting for some, but clearer expectations would go a long way. We enjoyed the orange juice and croissants on our check out. Thank you.

Lovely old manor house. Dinners and breakfasts terrific. A selection of winter and summer robes in the room. Quiet location yet walkable to the shops of Main Street. However- Concierge desk rarely manned. DO NOT book the king sized bedroom on the third floor unless you have no issue climbing a staircase with narrow treads, walking sideways into the bathroom because the swing of the door creates a narrow passageway. Altho they provide a television (which we did not use), it is not much larger than a computer screen and therefore difficult to see from bed. The room “offers” a jacuzzi bathtub, however couldn’t figure out how to get in safely or climb out safely at 74. It is sunken and creates a safety hazard. The room was decorated sparsely and minimalistically-, not in line with the decor in the remainder of the inn.

Absolutely wonderful from start to finish! Merrill House has been beautifully renovated. It's a mix of antique charm and contemporary luxury. Each room has been meticulously decorated and is a pleasure to look at. Every detail has been thought about and carefully executed. Our room was so comfortable. Details to make the room luxurious, like the spectacular shower, four dressing gowns (a light and a warm one for men and for women), a fridge with soda and sparkling water, a welcome package with delicious treats, a whisper-quiet Dyson hair dryer, TV with Netflix and Prime available for your personal account. |Both dinner and breakfast were memorable meals. |The staff were helpful and friendly. |Can't praise it enough.

The perfect stay - great welcome, beautiful room and a wonderful place in general. We only had breakfast one day and it was okay but nothing particularly stand out. This is the only area which could perhaps be improved - maybe a printed menu with a range of hot options as opposed to just two specials of the day which are verbally communicated. All in all a lovely place to stay in Picton

The food was outstanding, and it's a very quaint environment which was warm and inviting. Overall, it was great but the service was only average. We ordered a bottle of white wine that was room temperature. Instead of just not serving it, they tried to chill it quickly but wasn't even close to cold by the time we were done our apps so we moved onto red (and had to take the white home for another day which is obviously not cost effective as we could get that wine for much cheaper outside of a restaurant). Also trying to clear our water glasses while we were still drinking from them? Major faux pas. I would still recommend this place to friends though, just go in with a very open mind!

We spent one night at Merrill House. All areas look the same as shown online, amazingly decorated with a charming tone and plenty attractive art pieces displayed.||The room was in good condition (we stayed in The Parisian Room), a beautiful guest room. Room amenities could be more generous and in better quality considering the brand positioning of the hotel and the price paid.||The French restaurant is exceptional, we had a fantastic and definitely enjoyable dinner. Superb! The freshly baked and made breakfast was good too. ||We understand it is a boutique hotel, yet we found its difficult to look for a staff for assistance. ||We had a truly wonderful stay experience in this old mansion.

This restaurant has been a favourite of a group of our friends for a yearly wine tour and get together for more than a dozen years. Now the restaurant is closing; wish I could be sad. Our recent over $300 dinner for two on October 4 was overshadowed by their lack of common decency for someone with mobility issues. I had been told we were eating in the basement because there were seven of us to accommodate. We’ve been going to this restaurant for years and we knew the layout well. When we got to the restaurant the stairs to get to the downstairs had a large sign posted that that area was closed. After navigating a more difficult set of stairs, assuming the restaurant had chosen to seat us elsewhere, we were shown by a young man at the entrance desk a set of narrow stairs to get down to the basement. He should have known better, but appeared confused and uncertain. My friends commented on my ability to navigate these stairs and I replied it was because I was mad. What restaurant tells the customer they will be in the basement, then closes the easiest way to get there, knowing full well they have reservations for the area? ( Another large wedding group joined us in this room after we were seated). I did my best to recover my composure and enjoy the rest of the evening until at the end of the night the waitress explained that the restaurant was closing because they were moving to a an event only establishment. She commented how difficult it was, an able bodied woman, to go up and down all those stairs when there was a wedding, an event and the restaurant all operating at the same time. I wanted to slap her. We paid the bill, told her that I was going to use the closed stairwell and went home. I walk with braces and crutches. I am clearly, visibly a person with mobility needs. No one seems to appreciate this. I would HIGHLY recommend the Merrill House as they move forward, to CLEARLY indicate that they are NOT an accessible venue and I am happy that I will never have to go there again. Elaine Phinneyy

My friend and I were having a girls weekend in Picton and made dinner reservations here. We had private dining on their screened in porch. We both had the 3 course meal and it was fabulous! We are from NY and Chicago and the service and food are just as good! The service was amazing and the food and attention to detail was just as good! We would definitely be back and would love to stay there next time!

This is probably THE BEST restaurant in Prince Edward County, and for an area chalk-full of foodies and fine eating establishments, that's saying a lot!!! Michael Sullivan, formerly a chef at some of Toronto's finest restaurants (Auberge de Pommier, etc) now makes his culinary magic at the Merrill...and you'd be a fool to visit the County and not enjoy this romantic little dining room, wonderful service and truly spectacular cuisine. Consistently excellent. A must!

After lasting visiting this large bed and breakfast, over 30 years ago, it's amazing that not much has changed! This quaint inn is still cozy with nice quality amenities and a great breakfast. The Loyalist Suite has a fireplace and a small TV and double-size bed. The room is cozy and not overly large. The main change I see after 30 years is that the Inn has added a restaurant for dinner and breakfast. Although I did appreciate the warm muffins and coffee that used to be placed in the open in the kitchen for guests to enjoy. That has been replaced by the restaurant. We had breakfast at the restaurant before leaving, and it was wonderful. Not sure when I'll be back to Picton but this place will forever be a favorite in the area.

Very cute and quaint place to stay in Prince Edward County. It might not be as hip as a certain new inn in the area, but the service is warm and very friendly. We came for a weekend escape and did one of the packages which included a night's stay, 3 course dinner, wine and cheese tasting at the inn, breakfast, and a coupon for some free maple syrup at a local winery. It was listed as $310 on the site, with taxes and gratuity (auto included) it comes to just under 400. The afternoon wine and cheese was held outside on a sunny but crisp day, they had a nice fire pit going and John from local Three Dog Winery came to provide the wine tasting. It was informal, and a nice way to spend an hour in the afternoon. The dinner at Merrill Inn was really amazing. I had the duck liver parfait, beef tenderloin, and opera cake. They start you off right with complimentary fresh baked bread which comes with a house made chutney and salted butter. At breakfast there's a good selection of baked goods, cereals, fruit, and cheese. It also includes a hot breakfast feature, which today was a eggs benedict on a buttery scone, with choice of bacon or sausage. The bath products are all locally produced, which was a really nice touch. If you fell in love with the restaurant, they sold some things in the gift shop like the salad dressing, jams, and tea. Really wonderful inn, and just off the main strip in the area which makes it very convenient.

Looking for a superb meal in Picton? This is a sure bet. The restaurant sits in the basement of the inn, a converted Victorian house, so it is small but quaint. The décor is nice - clean, cozy, you feel comfortable the whole time. Service is excellent - professional, but still friendly and very knowledgeable. The wine list is heavy on the local wines, so if you are not familiar with the wines of Prince Edward County, ask for assistance. We chose a terrific local Riesling to accompany our dinner (there are some great wines on the list). But this is a restaurant, what matters is the food, and the food here is excellent! We started off with the signature salad - a mixture of spinach and lettuce topped by local cheddar, local apple slices, candies pecans and dressing - a fantastic mixture of tastes and textures, oh this is so good. Then we had the crab cake - a very good version, and the scallops and shrimp - mostly scallops, and heavy on the dill, but perfectly cooked and with a delicious broth. I usually avoid ordering poultry in restaurants, as so few can do a decent job - because they need to pre-cook portions, the meat is usually stringy or dry. Not here. We had the paprika Cornish hen, which was truly delicious. It was tender, juicy, cooked to perfection with a lovely paprika rub that enhanced, not obscured the wonderful flavor of the hen. I had the duck breast - seasoned, seared, sliced and served with a blueberry based sauce that was so good I almost licked my plate in public. The duck might have been a touch overdone, but I like mine rare, not medium rare, so you can judge for yourself. The sides were lovely, but the Cornish hen and the duck were outstanding. For dessert we had the crème arlequin - a vanilla brulee topped with chocolate mousse. It was decadent without being too heavy. All in all, I loved the meal here, and I look forward to returning. Very highly recommended.

Fine food - incredible restaurant. Country Inn - great rooms, super service. Fourth year running we've stayed here. And we will be back...

The inn is very quaint, the owner & staff are really friendly & accommodating. The in-house condiments & treats are awesome, but the real hidden gem is the restaurant downstairs. Both our meals were AMAZING. Somehow each of my courses; the cauliflower, smoked bacon soup, pan-seared pickerel, & chocolate marquise all got better as I finished them! I had a few bites of my girlfriend's shrimp & grits, roasted lamb, and cheese plate, and was immediately jealous of the fact I couldn't have both meals! I would recommend both the inn & the restaurant, but if you're looking for a fantastic meal, at least try the tiny restaurant hidden in the back.

The Inn is totally lovely and just what you want from a country inn--attentive owner aiming to make you as comfortable as possible, cookies and iced tea upon arrival, smallish but well-appointed rooms (and large containers of lavender scented shampoo, conditioner, and body wash) (but don't even think if taking them or you'll be charged $40 extra, the discrete sign says), hair dryer and waffle bathrobe, and lots of nice corners--living room, gazebo, outdoor patio, etc. where you can sit and talk with friends. Breakfast, picnic lunch, and dinner was included in our package. 5 stars for the Inn. The food was 4. Maybe it was because we ate the night before at Blumen which was outstanding. But small things prevented the full count for me: a squid appetizer that was unremarkable, a potato side that was way too salty, an undercooked veggie medley. High marks go to the risotto with scallops, the lamb, the rare duck breast, and the sour cherry pie. There was a hot breakfast choice both mornings along with a fruit and bread buffet, and the picnic lunches were adequate, if slightly unimaginative. But the effort to please was everywhere and it's just a short hop up to 5 stars for this (persnickety?) patron.

We decided to getaway from the big city for a few days and came across the Merrill Inn in an online search. It looked quaint and has some decent reviews but we weren't prepared for how great it really was. The Inn itself has some great rooms, and the staff make you feel so welcome. On our first night we booked dinner downstairs in the dinning room. I am elated that they sell some of the food that we ate during our meal upstairs in their boutique as I was blown away with every course. I don't know much about the area but I'd be surprised to find a better restaurant in PEC.

Absolutely lovely. My husband and I stayed in room 302 with the jacuzzi (heavenly!) and fire place. Because neither of us drive, we were using bikes and cabs to get around Prince Edward. The staff were very helpful arranging pick-ups and rentals, as well as recommending destinations and wineries. Food in the restaurant was the best we had in the county - definitely take them up on their wine pairing suggestions. But seriously, that f***ing jacuzzi was the best. You step down into it and there are two 8 foot windows in the little room. Probably not ideal if you have any mobility issues. Me? I easily spent half my week in there. A few notes for folks who may be expecting a country version of a Holiday Inn: There are no mini fridges and wifi is spotty. TV's are small. I think it's their subtle way of telling you to get the hell outside, which I didn't object to!

gracious hosts, lovely tall victorian house. we had a room on the 3rd floor, up under the eaves. it was fully amenitied, spacious, well furnished and quiet. we had dinner in their restaurant and they're ready for a rosette. the chef's a genius. the wine list of local wines goes on for a full page and there are no losers, i think we drank them all. going back a.s.a.p.

We went here as a special occasion. I planned ahead by contacting the restaurant to see if they could accommodate a special request for my boyfriend. They were terrific and made arrangements for Coquille Ste Jacques and Profiteroles. Quite an unusual request and they were accommodating without hesitation. When we got there, they exceeded our expectations with royal treatment. My boyfriend felt very special and really appreciated the efforts. The manager also came by and made recommendations for wine that was so successful that my boyfriend now has a new favourite wine.. What a lovely place with lovely people!!! Worth visiting!!!!!!!!

Beautiful accomodations, excellent hospitality and services, and the best dinner and breakfast in Pickton ! We stayed in the middle of the week and were upgraded to a superior room at no cost. Staff went out of their way to ensure that our stay was excellent and they definitely exceeded expectations. Used the sauna and took advantage of the outdoor fire pit on a chilly October night. Will definitely be coming back in the near future.

Like eating in your grandparents basement. That would be fine if they did not push their Toronto trained chef. Perhaps we are not the target market - but the basement dining room was cramped, super floral and dated. As for the food - the meat in our mains (duck and lamb) was exceptional but the sides fit with the rest of the motif. Same boring steamed vegetables with each dish along with a starch. The potato "gnocchi" with the lamb was basically a breaded potato mush. The whole meal (including a blah corn and crab bisque and red velvet cake) felt mailed in.

Absolutely great! Stunning New Years Eve menu, followed by an exquisite stay. Artichoke and pear soup starter was easily a 10/10 dish followed by a great lobster tagliatelle. It took driving 2 hours to Prince Edward County for me to give my first ever 5 star review. Highly recommended to anyone staying for 1 night or 5 nights!!

Nice suite, big room , nice big bathroom, parking near the room, breakfast was good, staff were friendly, not much to do in the area in winter

We stayed here one night on our way to Toronto. Travelling in low season, we felt the room prices were high but the room was lovely nonetheless. The dinner was delicious, no question. The service staff, however, is in desperate need of training. If you have an "award winning" wine card in wine country, one would expect the waitress to be able to speak to the selection. Describing a cider as an "apple wine" and an ice wine being "made with grapes" is just not acceptable for such an establishment. If you're planning on staying for breakfast, do not expect it to be in anyway comparable to the quality of he dinner. I'm not sure I would stay there again.

I love this place. The rooms are beautiful, there are lots of lovely rooms to sit in like the porch, sunroom and formal living room. Just had a four-course New Year's Eve dinner that was five-star excellent, with a different wine for each course. Best of all is for people with celiac/gluten intolerance, head servers Susan and Lynda are extremely knowledgeable. County wines on offer including Karlo Estates beautiful white port.