The Royal Hotel terrace. Photo by Jeff McNeill
You can’t arrive in Prince Edward County without driving through an auspicious scene of opening credits: handwritten signs for firewood and farm stands punctuate a quilt of agricultural fields and wildflower meadows, with the occasional suggestion to slow down for turtles and snakes.
Wellness isn’t something you need to search for in the county. Instead, it seems to greet you on arrival, a sense of ease and contentment permeating both the natural and cultural landscapes.
Photo by Jeff McNeill
Where to stay
The Royal Hotel in Picton is equal parts elevated escape and cultural anchor for an unmistakably PEC ethos. The boutique property’s historic Victorian shell, once a pillar of the county’s high society, then left to decay for almost a decade, has found new life in a breezy, characterful, and rooted approach to design, food, rest and relaxation.
The Royal Hotel Empire Suite. Photo by Jeff McNeill
Scandi and mid-century details—think warm wood slat walls, natural stones, and sun-baked textiles in terracotta hues—seamlessly co-exist with enlivened nods to the past. A fresh take on a traditional Tartan pattern with a pop of yellow gets carried from carpet runners through bathroom mosaics, while rippling ceiling medallions hint at both the decadence and water-logged decay of bygone eras. The overall vibe invites some nourishing self-reflection that seems pertinent to the challenging times we’re living in; how can we reconcile our competing desires for stability and change? Hotel manager Sol Korngold—who’s been through his own fair share of paradigm-shifting life events—might say that The Royal’s hard-won, passionate and personal new lease on life is rooted in respect for the role that such opposing forces play in shaping identity.
The Royal Hotel Empire Suite. Photo by Jeff McNeill
Choose an Empire room with a bedside soaker tub and fireplace for the most restorative experience. A wellness menu contains three different on-demand pillow options, bath and shower add-ons like a vegan-friendly Bathorium soak infused with fir needles and glacial clay, and extra comforts including a Saje diffuser, lavender pillow mist, a silky eye mask, and even a therapy lamp with white noise. The spacious bathroom has a double vanity, heavy cotton robes, Dyson hairdryers, and county-based Telford amenities.
In the hotel’s dimly lit lower-level spa, you quickly forget you’re on the high street. Personalized facials are carefully choreographed for uninterrupted relaxation while addressing skin concerns with sustainable Italian skincare line Comfort Zone. If you like a bit of heat with your hygge, ask about reserving a spot for personal training team Coach Haus’s bootcamp in the hotel gym on Wednesday mornings.
Photo courtesy Wander the Resort
How to disconnect
It’s worth reserving at least half a day for the Thermal Escape at Wander the Resort’s newly-opened waterfront Nordic spa just outside Wellington. This semi-subterranean oasis comprises hot, warm, cool and cold-plunge pools, cascading waterfalls, saunas, steam rooms, peaceful lounge areas, and access to a private white sandy beach with hammocks, cabanas and loungers. The restful, minimalist design of this sophisticated retreat exists in perfect harmony with the raw natural beauty of the county’s landscape. Take advantage of an hourly aufguss sauna ritual, a guided 10-minute experience with music, towel waving, and essential oil-infused balls of ice scooped onto hot stones for a crescendo of heat, steam and scent. Cool off after with a cold plunge and a tall glass of lemon water.
Soul Float at The Love Loft. Photo courtesy The Love Loft
For something that dives a little deeper into mental wellbeing, book yourself in for a 2-hour Soul Float session at The Love Loft in Bloomfield. The experience combines the benefits of a sound bath, guided meditation and reiki into one. Embrace a feeling of cocooned weightlessness as you float atop a giant beanbag, legs dangling into the warmth of an outdoor saltwater pool, gently gliding in and out of shade and sunlight with the occasional burst of that balmy PEC breeze that seems to rustle the wind chimes at all the right moments as it keeps the grey clouds of the mainland at bay. If you’re looking to release some deeply-held emotions, or just need an avenue to tune in to the county’s much sought-after tranquility, this is the place to do it.
What to eat and drink in Prince Edward County
Farm-to-table dining isn’t a new idea in the county, it’s been a way of life since the peninsula’s first Indigenous inhabitants grew corn, beans and squash, evolving into a rich tapestry of farms, crops, livestock and vineyards today.
The Royal Hotel restaurant. Photo by Nicola Brown
At the Royal Hotel’s Italian-inspired restaurant, a wide arched opening flanked by curtains casts the open kitchen as a stage. Here chef Albert Ponzo, formerly of Le Sélect in Toronto, performs his most authentic act yet: an unfussy tasting menu informed by hyper-local, seasonal ingredients direct from the hotel’s own Edwin County Farms. Stripped of pretention, dishes allow the rich flavour of just-picked ingredients to do most of the talking. Heirloom tomatoes with stracciatella get just a splash of aged balsamic, topped with fresh basil. Local-caught pickerel sits atop a crispy bed of corn and snap peas. To finish, a perfectly tart haskap berry compote sets off a crisp and chewy almond-anise meringue. The wine list offers a solid representation of PEC’s best local bottles alongside a curated selection of international options.
The Grange of Prince Edward. Photo by James Hodgins
But the best way to appreciate the county’s distinctive viticulture is to hop on a bike, breathe in the terroir, and visit the family-run vineyards in person. Share a glass or two with owners Sherry and Saxe under the weathered wooden beams of an early-1800s barn at Karlo Estates. Start with the 2023 Three Witches (a crisp, complex white) or the 2022 Triumvirate (a Bordeaux-style red) to get a good feel for what they’re all about. Here you’ll learn the improbable tangles of love, loss and resilience that have shaped one of the county’s most innovative, award-winning wineries. As one of the world’s first vegan-certified wineries, everything from your cheese platter to the ink on the wine labels is vegan, though you’d probably never notice. Born of a desire to live in better harmony with the land and themselves, low-intervention practices make the wines taste cleaner and more characterful, inviting a closer connection from ground to glass with an expressive natural landscape.
Oeno Gallery at Huff Estates winery. Photo by Nicola Brown
Continue your exploration at Huff Estates where you can grab a glass—try an unoaked Chardonnay or Pinot Noir—to wander the winding paths of a peaceful sculpture garden at the adjacent Oeno Gallery, exhibiting a rotating selection of local and international artists that invite a deeper reflection on our place in the world around us. Or discover what can happen when you give the vines—the ones you were about to leave for dead—a second chance, and go on to produce one of the most celebrated expressions of Sauvignon Blanc in the county at The Grange of Prince Edward.
Photo courtesy Wander the Resort
If you choose to linger at Wander the Resort’s spa, head to on-site restaurant Gather for a light bite—try the torched cured tuna with pickled cucamelon, corn nuts and grapefruit, or the chunky beet salad with goat cheese, spiced pistachios and pickled rhubarb—and a glass of local bubbles. If you’re not quite ready to shed the bathrobe, you can grab one of the most serene (and arguably the best) seats in the house, out on the deck facing the water.
Spotlight: Savon du Bois
Take an afternoon to discover the boutique local shops on Picton’s high street. Prince Edward County based Savon du Bois creates scent-driven collections of hair, body and wellness products—with names like Summer Daydream, Midnight Liaison and Into the Woods—honed by a desire to connect with our most evocative memories. Each scent collection tells a snippet of a story in chapters. Into the Woods’ rosemary, bergamot and juniper shampoo reads: VI: Discovering a small cove, the day being mild, you swam with the minnows. It’s all local, ethical and plant-based.
A getaway to Prince Edward County is replete with optimistic shifts in perspective. The opportunities run deep, with everything from sensory to philosophical nourishment at hand. Perhaps the most lasting comfort you’ll leave with is a reminder that even in the eye of the storm, we can still find places of peace.
Seeking more wellness travel inspiration? Try:
Wellness That Works at Grand Velas Resorts
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Nicola Brown
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