Just a pleasant summer stroll away from the Charlottetown harbour front is the Shipwright Inn, a lovingly restored home originally built by shipbuilder James Phillips Douse in 1865. The quiet, treed neighbourhood and utterly charming architecture of the Inn creates a feeling of being tucked away despite staying in the city.
Innkeepers Judy and Trevor welcome you with a wonderful warmth and make it clear that you will enjoy first-class hospitality. Judy is a vibrant, energetic hostess whose cheer is infectious and who makes you feel immediately well-cared for. Despite the enveloping friendliness of your first moments at the Inn, you will not find the service at all intrusive. Your will feel treated as honoured guests with your privacy respected, and all of your needs met.
Upon your first glance around the interior of the Inn, it will become clear that your hosts enjoy the home that they have worked hard to outfit with modern comforts, subtly incorporated to maintain the building’s heritage feel, and gracious touches of old world charm. Intriguing antiques grace the lobby, dining area and guest rooms. Little touches throughout your room and throughout the entire Inn – extra blankets here, fresh lemonade and home baked goodies for afternoon tea there – make you feel that every detail has been thought of, and then some. We greatly appreciated our hosts’ friendly, welcoming nature as well as their knowledge of the neighbourhood and excellent dining and day trip suggestions.
Our accommodations were on the second floor of the Inn. The Officer’s Wardroom, is a spacious suite with a large lounging area, a very comfortable bedroom with a private deck, and generous master bathroom complete with luxurious air tub. The décor theme had an intriguing Eastern flair, with Japanese furnishings, lamps and collectibles. The room’s signature antique piece was the king bed’s headboard, made from the home’s original doors, a testimony to Judy and Trevor’s efforts to preserve the building’s unique heritage.
Our suite also had a fridge and kitchenette area well stocked with coffee, tea and hot chocolate. We were impressed by the very spacious closet, which was virtually a room itself. All around, the accommodations were unique, generous and very comfortable, kept spotlessly clean and thoughtfully stocked by the Inn staff. It was a wonderful place to spend a few nights, and we would have gladly stayed longer – maybe next time!
Being a bed and breakfast, we also enjoyed a wonderful breakfast menu each morning, including delicious fare such as Belgian waffles, eggs and ham, fresh baked muffins with lovely local jams always on the table, fresh juice, good coffee, and of course, friendly, attentive service. A scrumptious and relaxing way to begin the day!
The Shipwright Inn is in a quiet, safe neighbourhood within walking distance of Charlottetown’s major attractions, such as the harbour front, boardwalk, Victoria Park, the Arts center, shopping, and a myriad of wonderful restaurants. We highly recommend it if you plan to stay in Charlottetown.
Overall Experience
We give the Shipwright Inn 4 and 1/2 Stars- Outstanding!
The Shipwright Inn is located at 51 Fitzroy Street, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. For hotel reservations call 888.306.9966, or visit http://www.shipwrightinn.com/
Charlottetown, the lovely, waterfront capital of Canada’s Prince Edward Island, is no exception. A gem of the maritime provinces, Charlottetown offers something for everyone. The wharf is the centerpiece, where you’ll find pleasing views, great seafood eating (especially Flex Mussels – not to be missed!), and unique shopping. You can get to know Charlottetown by foot (or walk off all those seafood dinners!) by following the boardwalk along the shoreline – a pretty stroll passing by parks and greenspaces, and quaint neighborhoods. For history buffs, the road to Canadian Confederation starts here. (You may want to plan on a visit to Founders Hall, a museum/history pavilion and brush up on your confederation facts or stroll by historic landmarks with costumed re-enactors.)
Our enjoyment of Charlottetown was enhanced by the unique character of our hotel, The Great George. Actually several heritage buildings re-developed into Inns, each with their own personality, The Great George will certainly be an important part of your stay. The location of the hotel was quite wonderful, putting us in walking distance of the major attractions of Charlottetown, such as the wharf and its restaurants, the boardwalk, local arts and crafts stores and galleries, the arts and entertainment centre, and also more “generic” shopping destinations – which you just sometimes have to visit!
The shortcomings of The Great George are few, and mostly due to the same factor that makes it charming: its heritage character. For instance, though air conditioned, the wall-unit was quite noisy and took away slightly from the overall feeling of comfort and relaxation here (though the cool air in the hot August weather was appreciated!). Our particular suite was also adjacent to the parking lot. This proved to be a busy and noisy place, even late into the night with guests coming and going, and visiting with one another on the patio. The parking lot is in itself another drawback for The Great George- space for vehicles is extremely tight in the lot, and street parking is highly restricted. Though this never ultimately resulted in a problem for us, parking was an issue and there was always a lingering feeling of uncertainty about whether or not we would get a space for the night.
And so one cannot imagine a place to stay that could surpass the grand Chateau Lake Louise that sits overlooks the lake and stands seemingly level to the mountains. A lakeside room may be the finest accommodations on the planet. But setting “setting” aside, there is another place tucked away in Lake Louise. If it lacks the supreme view, it more than makes up for this shortcoming in terms of service, dining, and other luxuries.
And it is only the beginning of the luxuries. The rooms, cozy and attractive with wood-beamed ceilings, are outfitted with fine sheets and down pillows and comforters. You sink into the homey yet tastefully patterned sofas and chairs set in front of the fireplace. Bathrooms are spacious, clean and modern, complete with an air tub and fine Aveda products. Even the towels are lofty and cozy. And this is just the sort of touch that you come to expect at the Post Hotel where the greatest attention is paid to the smallest detail to make you feel transported, pampered, and worry-free.
The hotel itself is spacious, with a main building, and several private cottages along the mountain brook. If you need a change of scenery from your room or the unparalleled outdoors, an attractive reading room,the great room of the chalet, is steps away. Comfy reading chairs, board games, and walls lined with books make this room a particularly homey and relaxing way to spend a few hours.
Consider the Post while at Lake Louise. Yes–visit the lake, take the scenic hikes, book a seating for High Tea at the Chateau, and dine at the Waliser Stube there for a classic cheese fondue–nobody does this better than the chateau. But you will not regret returning to the Post to be pampered, to luxuriate over food and wine, to be served like you are a cherished guest. This is what a holiday is all about.