Sometimes the best getaway is one that doesn’t take you too far from home. A couple weeks ago our family spent a very relaxing and cozy weekend at the JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa. For many years now, The Rosseau has become one of our favorite places to escape to during the cold winter months, and we couldn’t have been more excited to visit this year with both our kiddies.

Less than a 2 1/2 hour drive from downtown Toronto, The Rosseau is a luxury Muskoka style property featuring spacious rooms and suites, top-notch restaurants, sprawling grounds, and all the high-end amenities you would expect from a JW Marriott resort.

We arrived on a Thursday evening and checked into our one bedroom suite complete with a kitchen, living room, fireplace and beautiful views of Lake Rosseau (a little frozen over this time of year). The staff at the resort was exceptional from the moment we arrived. They treated us to special surprises throughout the weekend, starting with a welcome basket in our room filled with local Muskoka lavender products to help us unwind and set the tone for the next few days (how did they know I needed this?) Even the cleaning staff were so sweet to leave plush toys for the kids after making up our room on the first day – definitely a great way to kick off the weekend.

Sweater: M Boutique

We didn’t have much on our weekend’s agenda except for playtime in the snow, massages at the Spa, and lots of quality time with the kids. Muskoka in the winter is a truely magical place, which is why we keep coming back year after year. Ideally we would have loved to have been snowed in at the resort, but apparently we just missed a serious bout of winter weather a few weeks before. While we were there the weather was much warmer than average, kind of wet, and very foggy, but we didn’t let this spoil any of the fun we were determined to have.

There’s SO much to do (contrary to popular belief) in and around the resort during the winter, but if you choose to just  kick up you heels and unwind – this is the best place to do it. With stone fireplaces in every room (and a really big one in the Rosseau Library), great big lobby windows with views of the lake, and a bar menu that is sure to impress, staying in and keeping warm never looked so appealing. If however you’re looking for a bit more to do, the resort has an ice skating rink on site (don’t worry if you forgot your skates – they’ve got you covered), snow shoe trails, dogsled tours, and much more in the surrounding area. As a family with two small children, we spent plenty of time in the games room and toddler play area, had a movie night compliments of the resort, and built our own Rosseau Buddy to take home with us.

Sweater: M Boutique (c/o Mapleview) l Boots: Sorel

We started off each day at Cottages restaurant with a delicious breakfast complete with eggs benny (my all-time fav), pancakes and whip cream (kids choice) and plenty of fresh fruit and coffee. Breakfast is seriously my favorite meal of the day and whenever we are on vacation, mornings just can’t come quick enough.

Snowsuit: Joe Fresh

Phyto Replenish Oil: c/o Dermalogica l Lipbalm: EOS

Hat: c/o Joe Fresh l Coat: Zara l Pants: c/o Joe Fresh l Boots: Joe Fresh

We spent plenty of time at the resort’s indoor/outdoor pool which was SUCH a hit with the kids. The outdoor hottub turned into our go-to retreat that we kept coming back to day after day. The kids loved the idea of being in the snow and then in the water – their first experience at anything like this.  If you visit the resort in the winter, trust me you’ll be spending plenty of time out here – it’s especially magical with a fresh snowfall.

Pyjamas: Boy (similar) l Girl (similar) l Mama Top & Bottom (c/o Joe Fresh)

Rings: Gorjana

Hat: Joe Fresh l Coat: Canada Goose

The fire pits on property (complete with white muskoka chairs) are the perfect spot for roasting marshmallows and making yummy S’mores. We brought our own supplies from home, but if you forgot yours the resort can happily provide you with everything you need to create the iconic campfire treat. (Hint: We like to add a piece of chocolate in ours to up the delicious factor)

Lipstick: c/o Bite Beauty

Dining at The Rosseau was second to none. We ate at all three of their on-site restaurants and were extremely pleased with every meal. On our first night we opted for a very casual dining experience, so we ordered our meals from the Lakes bar menu while sitting in the super comfy and cozy Muskoka room. The burgers were top-notch and of course we couldn’t get enough of the fries!  That night I ordered a Raspberry Mule which quickly became my go-to drink for the rest of the weekend  – so delicious!

On Friday we ate at Teca which blew us away with their Lobster Ravioli (to-die-for) and Penne a la Vodka – seriously could have ordered seconds! We had 5:30 reservations (because…kids)  and our waiter  completely got us from the minute we arrived. He made sure from the get-go that the kids were happy by keeping them filled up with strawberries and flat-bread and occupied with crayons and coloring books. This little attention to detail certainly made all the difference and helped make the night a total success!

Saturday we dined at the resort’s newest restaurant, Muskoka Chophouse (just over a year old). The steaks were grilled to perfection, and the wine list (according to my husband) was literally spot on with an extensive selection of high-quality California bottles. But what made our dinner that night even more special was the totally unique S’mores in a Jar that surprised us to complete our meal. The kids were amazed with the smoke that ascended out of the jar when we opened it up (I kinda was too) and all the yummy marshmallow goodness to be found at the bottom!

Sweater: c/o Joe Fresh

Vest: c/o Joe Fresh

We rounded off our stay on Sunday with His and Her’s massages at Spa Rosseau, which was the perfect end to a wonderful weekend. No visit to The Rosseau is complete without some time at the Spa. A steam room, sauna, private whirlpool, and relaxation rooms are all available for use when you book a service. This is THE ideal place to let all the stress melt away and get you ready to tackle another week ahead. It had been way too long since my last massage, so a little me-time was well deserved.

We had such an amazing weekend in Muskoka and of course all credit goes to the wonderful staff at the JW Marriott The Rosseau who went above and beyond to make our getaway so memorable – thank you again! If you’re looking for a little escape not too far from home, I would highly recommend a jaunt up north to The Rosseau (any time of the year) to enjoy a good mix of the outdoors and resort-style luxury that will have you feeling relaxed and refreshed in no time.