The Castle At Swan Lake

“Great Place to Stay Near Vernon or Armstrong BC”

We were attending a wedding at The Old Willow Farm Wedding Venue and needed a place to stay for three nights. We wanted to stay in Armstrong, where most of the wedding party lived, but were not confident that the stays there would meet our needs. Vernon had some good options, but if we could find s… Mais

We were attending a wedding at The Old Willow Farm Wedding Venue and needed a place to stay for three nights. We wanted to stay in Armstrong, where most of the wedding party lived, but were not confident that the stays there would meet our needs. Vernon had some good options, but if we could find something closer to Armstrong, that would suit us better. We discovered the Castle at Swan Lake, a 12-minute drive to Armstrong, a 10-minute drive to Vernon, and a 21-minute drive to the wedding venue. The first thing we noticed when entering our suite was the laminate flooring, not carpets! Excellent! Have you ever walked on a hotel carpet with white socks? Please don't do it! You'll discover the filthiest socks ever. I always take slippers when travelling and staying in hotels. Another thing that amazed us was the size of the King Suite Deluxe room. It is a room for two people, but the living area was generous with two couches and a chair. It felt like "home" and not a hotel. If you want to do meals, there is a full kitchen, including a dishwasher and microwave. My wife and I enjoyed the Keurig coffees that could quickly be replenished at the front desk. I recommend buying a container of cream to put in the fridge if you do not like fake creamers. No grocery stores or coffee shops are nearby, and it is an easy way to start the day if you are a coffee drinker. You must travel to Vernon for coffee, groceries, or a restaurant meal. Two places we enjoyed in Vernon were the White Spot and the restaurant in the Vernon Lodge Hotel. Don Cherry's restaurant was also good for a pub meal and a beer. Their burgers are delicious. We planned to stay an extra day after the wedding and asked Trudi at the front desk about areas we could explore. She was incredibly friendly and helpful in introducing us to the Okanagan Rail Trail along the beautiful, clear, turquoise waters of Kalamalka Lake. She mentioned if you join the path in Vernon, you can rent bikes or e-bikes. However, this area can be pretty busy on weekends, so she suggested going to Kekuli Bay, which is only 20 minutes along Highway 97 and less busy. However, you would not be able to rent bikes, which was okay since we wanted to walk. The trail runs 50km to Kelowna, with some sections not developed yet, which was fine for us as we only walked 8km of it. Trudi also told us about the Gray Canal Trail system. The Gray Canal Trail system has seven different trail sections. We walked the East Vernon section, which gave us great views of Vernon, the valley, and the mountains on the other side. The Gray Canal Trail and the Okanagan Rail Trail are very easy walks. The night before we left for home, we decided to try the INTERMEZZO CASTLE BISTRO at the Castle at Swan Lake. The dining room was quiet and intimate, with pricing similar to a Cactus Club or Brown's Social House. I had Chicken Involtini, and my wife had Saffron Risotto with Scallops and Prawns. These dishes were excellent and delicious. We finished our meal with coffee, Mango Cheesecake, and Chocolate Decadence Cake. If you are in the area, give this restaurant a try. You won't be disappointed. There were some comments in reviews about highway noise. It was slightly noticeable at first but soon became background noise for us and was not a problem while sleeping at night. The beds are very comfortable, and the quilt felt like a weighted blanket, making everything cozy. A few more things to mention are they have a pleasant reading room with a small library of novels. There are two computers available to check emails etc. There is a laundry room as well. When booking, give them a call .vs using the website as you could get a 20% discount (ask!). They also offer discounts for seniors and BCAA members.

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“Spacious with a pool”

The rooms are nice snd spacious and clean. The bathroom is fine but it seems to be made for tall people - the sink is weirdly high. There’s a great market across the street which is convenient given there’s a kitchenette. Beware though the highway the hotel is off is tricky to get on and off! Overa… Mais

The rooms are nice snd spacious and clean. The bathroom is fine but it seems to be made for tall people - the sink is weirdly high. There’s a great market across the street which is convenient given there’s a kitchenette. Beware though the highway the hotel is off is tricky to get on and off! Overall it’s a comfortable place to stay.

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“Good overall place to stay”

Bit of a mixed bag but value more than makes up for it. Wonderful room with lots of space and a kitchen. Great mattress, lovely patio. Quiet, close to Vernon but not right in town which we saw as a big perk (it is not on the water either though). You can drive in by a side road and avoid the highwa… Mais

Bit of a mixed bag but value more than makes up for it. Wonderful room with lots of space and a kitchen. Great mattress, lovely patio. Quiet, close to Vernon but not right in town which we saw as a big perk (it is not on the water either though). You can drive in by a side road and avoid the highway and get right to a terrific high-end grocery store. Small hot tub but clean area and no issues there. Pool wasn’t open yet. No gym though, which is very odd for a place like this that seems built for longer term stays (and some websites say it does have one). Kitchen and bathroom amenities were sparse - towels, toilet paper, dishwasher pods, plates. Kitchen has minimal amount of things ie no real prep knife. Movies were pay per view only and you can’t stream, also annoying since we were there for a week. So very good. Could be great! We could have paid less for a suite in Vernon though although it wouldn’t have been as quiet and nice. So … not sure what we would do next time!

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“Be better new owners!”

Used to love it there! New owners does not always mean better! ....Super duper slow internet! Very limited tv channels now, very basic! Way to cheap out. Not very busy at all here and yet I was not allowed to move with crazy loud selfish other guests above me. I asked when I showed up for top flo… Mais

Used to love it there! New owners does not always mean better! ....Super duper slow internet! Very limited tv channels now, very basic! Way to cheap out. Not very busy at all here and yet I was not allowed to move with crazy loud selfish other guests above me. I asked when I showed up for top floor and not granted! I am the quiet respectful one! I really cannot stand constant loud stomping above me! Booked to try and relax! I disposed of two large spiders too in my room upon show up NOT KIDDING. Come on, I pd lots to be here! Still cheaping out on no breakfast offer too I see. Pd extra for this guy too and just wanted to book to relax.

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