A Weekend at Rita's Retreat

As a child, I got a kick out of driving up the long driveway in Coxheath, Cape Breton and admiring that beautiful home with the well-manicured lawn and indoor swimming pool. "look, I think that's her in the kitchen" my mother quipped one day.  "Her" being renowned Cape Breton singer/songwriter Rita MacNeil.  Every time we went for a family Sunday drive, us kids would be in the back seat chiming "can we drive around Rita's mansion?". And that's what we would do. No one seemed to mind us taking a little peak.  Just a young, nosy family out for a drive, trying to catch a glimpse of a local celebrity.

 Years later, Sunday drives with my parents were replaced by coffee runs and aimless road trips with friends.  For many years, I didn't lay eyes on that beautiful home in Coxheath.  It wasn't until June of 2022 that I would get to see the house again and even sleep inside! 

I received a call from my friend inviting me to a party that was taking place at an Airbnb in Coxheath. After not getting out much for more than 2 years due to Covid, I jumped at the chance to get out of the house and do something different and see some people I haven't seen in a long time. Curious as to where exactly the Airbnb was so I would easily find it when the time came, I searched for the address on Google Maps. That's when I learned that I would be staying at that house I used to beg my parents to drive by on those long ago family drives!

I drove up to the house and it was almost exactly as I remembered it. I couldn't wait to get inside! I always imagined what it would look like inside and I have to say, I was quite impressed!  As an Airbnb, Rita's Retreat has everything!  Well, first of all it's huge!  The main house where I stayed had several bathrooms, a games room, a huge fully-equipped kitchen, dining room, piano room, sun porch, and large patio. However, the best part was the indoor swimming pool!

There was drinks and pizza around the dining room table before venturing to the bottom of the hill to sit around a campfire. Even though it was quite late when I returned to the house, I couldn't resist a late-night swim in the beautiful pool. 

All in all, I strongly recommend anyone local looking for a beautiful place to host an overnight event like a family reunion or any large families traveling in Cape Breton to book this amazing property but I hear it's quite popular and can book up quickly!

A Review of my Stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

I spent 2 weeks in Costa Rica and made my way to the area of Arenal Volcano after spending a week in Montezuma on the Pacific Coast of the Country. Compared to the rocky coastline, sandy beaches and extremely hot weather of the Pacific coast, this area of the country was a refreshing change of pace! The weather was still nice but cooler and the scenery was spectacular. I had the opportunity to stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge which was surrounded by all this natural beauty in a remote location away from crowds and other resorts. I must say that from my arrival late at night to my departure later the next day, I was pleased with every aspect of the lodge, the service and the location. I was greeted upon arrival and offered a welcome drink and, even though I arrived late, the swimming pool and Jacuzzi was still open which was great after a long day on the road. My room was spacious, clean and had everything I needed to make my stay enjoyable...including a great view of the volcano.

I spent the next morning exploring the grounds and admiring the view of the volcano and was surprised by how much wildlife, including a number of species of birds, were around. A free nature hike was offered that morning (and I'm pretty sure it is offered every morning) which gave me the opportunity to learn much more about the birds, plants and animals I was seeing all over the place. The guide was very knowledgeable and explained everything to us. After visiting the beautiful waterfalls along the trail, we hopped on a tractor to be taken back to the resort so no backtracking in the sticky early afternoon sun. Breakfast and lunch were also fabulous with much to choose from. I spent the remainder of the afternoon in the museum dedicated to the history and observations of the volcano over the years which was very, very interesting. There are a number of other hiking trails in the area and a number of tours (including ATV tours and whitewater rafting) but I didn't have a chance to do them. I would highly recommend anyone visiting this area to stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge.