Oceanstone Seaside Resort

Oceanstone Resort and Spa is a collection of cabins and a multi-room building with an attached spa nestled on one of the ocean inlets that make up Peggy's Cove. There are small cabins (eg Periwinkle) that are on the water and others further back with water views. We stayed in OceanSpray which was further back but had a nice deck and a view. Our "apartment" had a kitchenette and BBQ grill and while that may not seem necessary when you are on holiday, it proved invaluable during the "off season" when most establishments (including restaurants) were either closed or had limited hours. Oceanstone is affiliated with a separate on property restaurant called Rhubarb. The shortened hours didn't fit our schedule but the takeout meal we ordered was very good. Oceanstone has its own kitchen, also with limits during the off season. We ordered some simple dishes from there and they too were very good. The spa offers "hydrotherapy" and massages. Hydrotherapy comprises sauna, steam rooms, hot tubs and cold plunges. All were very refreshing and therapeutic. We were disappointed with our massage which turned out to be more of a "relaxation gentle caress and facial" than a true muscle massage. But the management was responsive to our concerns and reduced the charge by half. The resort is situated on a beautiful spot and the accommodations are very comfortable, well maintained and well run. We will definitely consider returning for another vacation.

It all began 2 1/2 years ago when we started planning our dream elopement in Nova Scotia. During our research we came across Oceanstone- what a great choice! Even if we had to postpone it by a year thanks to Covid 19 - from the first contact to departure everything was just perfect! The entire property is beautiful with great attention to detail and the Dovekey Cottage we booked was super-comfortably furnished and had everything we could possibly want (including the most amazing sunsets!) From the moment we stepped onto the resort , we felt right at home and totally welcome. The welcome by Natalie, the wedding and event planner, was so warm and so was all of her care during our time in this little paradise. Whether we were super nervous because of some confusing paperwork before the ceremony or overjoyed afterwards, Natalie was always there to support us or just share our joy. Even Robert, the manager supported us with nice words at the right time, a bright smile or a drink, when I definitly needed one. :-D The rest of the staff also did everything possible to make us feel comfortable (a happy hello to Ronda, who looked after us so warmly at breakfast, or Chris, the always cheerful man for all matters). As a "crowning finale" we were allowed to experience Hurricane Fiona in the Oceanstone - and even in this exceptional situation (days of power outage) everyone went far beyond the norm so that we could feel comfortable and safe. Thanks for that!! We will benefit from this week with you for a long time to come and we are sure that we will see each other again one day!

Before arriving at the resort we anticipated small cottages near the sea in a cosy, quiet setting. Upon arrival on a Thursday we were blown away by the construction being done. Would have been more acceptable had we been informed of the degree of construction that was taking place. Also hard to accept that regular rates of $358 plus tax per night were charged when the property was noisy and dusty from the construction. Woken Friday morning to the sounds of equipment out our back door (Hollyhock 6). Rooms are not wheelchair accessible. Parking is located up a fairly steep hill from most accommodation Our suite inside was fine but outside the building was dusty and cobwebby. Stayed 3 nights and never had room service. Had to go to Front Desk for toiletries twice. Asked for towels one day which did come and were just dropped off in the living area. Asked daily for garbage to be removed & were told someone would be over shortly - no one came. I can understand construction impacts BUT there should have been more attention to customer service requests during construction ie. room cleaning, explanation of the amenities, perhaps a reduction in the rate. Normally I would not write such a critical review but I feel like I was mislead when booking and when on the property.

This is in a beautiful location, and we overall enjoyed our stay but it’s definitely not a luxury stay, despite the fairly steep prices. Check in staff were friendly and welcoming. We were in Hollyhock 6. It’s nice, with plenty of space and comfy beds, but a few issues. First, it’s right in the center of the resort opposite the main office, meaning there is no privacy. We can hear everyone walking past and assume they can hear us. It’s also next to the “drop off” zone by the office so cars idle there… including a staff member who idled her car there for 15 mins at 10.30pm at night. So instead of hearing the ocean waves I got to hear her car engine and ingest the exhaust fumes (when I went down to ask her to turn the engine off no apology was offered). Bathroom: the mirror only goes up to your torso/neck (not kidding) so you have to squat and lean in to use the mirror. The shower is so narrow that when you shave your legs your head has to touch the shower wall. The water pressure reduces to zero every time the spa needs to get water (!) - I cannot understand how this is acceptable for resort guests. Even worse, in my case the spa clearly took only cold water as my lovely shower was reduced to a scalding hot trickle that burned me, as the cold water disappeared. Our room received no housekeeping. We got an apology and a discount which we appreciate, but would have preferred just to come back to a cleaned room. Breakfast is nice but would be good if there was a gluten free meat option - GF bread is available but the sausages aren’t GF and there was no bacon (admittedly a small thing but can make a big impact to someone who is GF). Spa experience was nice - we did the 3 hour thermal pools experience and it was very quiet and relaxing. Significant lack of shade though which made sitting out for rest periods very challenging. A few more umbrellas would be great. The Rhubarb restaurant was closed for dinner for the whole of our stay which was a shame.

Our stay at Oceanstone was relaxing and enjoyable, and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable. However, we encountered a few minor but important things that should not have happened. Upon arrival, we went directly to the spa. We were greeted by a friendly and knowledgeable staff member who gave us the intro to the spa. Once inside a short while, we decided we would like a glass of wine while relaxing. When we each ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio wine off the menu, we were told that it wasn't available as the shipment hadn't come in. Although we still enjoyed another variety, it was disappointing that this happened. There was a liquor store less than 5 minutes away, and we also discovered that the registration office had a bottle of the Pinot Gregio wine on display. We stayed in Rhubarb Room 5 (beautiful view!), above the restaurant. One of our windows was missing a screen. It was very hot and it would have been beneficial to have all the windows open in the evening instead of running the noisy air conditioning unit. (Heat pumps would be much more efficient and quieter.) We encountered the same situation while in the Rhubarb Restaurant downstairs...the window next to our table couldn't be opened because there was no screen. These are simple maintenance items that should have been attended to. We would return as these aren't deal breakers, but having these issues attended to would elevate the experience.

From check-in, until check-out, the staff of Oceanstone were amazing. They offered rooms at a fantastic discount to those forced from their homes due to the wildfires, but treated us like any other guest from out of town. The breakfast was a full buffet with solid choices, the rooms were spacious, well appointed and clean, the food at Rhubarbs was great, and the views of the ocean fantastic. We cannot thank them enough for helping us and others out the way they did, and even without that, I would recommend this spot to anyone!

We normally go away for a few months in the winter, but since Covid have been taking small breaks closer to home in Halifax. We have had the pleasure of trying most resorts in Nova Scotia over the past few years, and Oceanstone is something truly special. We have enjoyed it so much that we have been back three times in the past few months, and tried several different cottages and suites. It is hard to pinpoint one favorite, but Grey Owl and Hollyhock Suite 3 are so charming and have beautiful views. Very importantly to us every time we stay there, the accommodations, public areas and property are so spotless and clean. There is some construction taking place for a new spa that will be opening, but it didn't bother us in the least and is confined to one location away from the cottages. We are so excited to go back once it is open! Breakfast is complimentary and offers a good selection of tasty food. The meals that we preordered to our cottage were definitely far better then typical hotel fare, with generous portions of delicious food that were well priced and thoughtfully presented. Above and beyond all else, what really stands out here is the service. Every single employee we encounter seem genuinely happy to work here, and would bend over backwards to do anything for you. They are so friendly and kind. Our last stay was for my birthday, and they had a lovely card in the cottage welcoming us back and a bottle of wine and chocolates for my birthday. It is these small touches that separate the good from great. Thank you Oceanstone, we will be back again and again!