We were told a new owner bought this resort three years ago and wants to spend $750,000 to bring it back to a gold rating with RCI. Don't knock the resort if you have issues with the restaurant. The restaurant is leased space from the resort and should not reflect what you think of the resort. We did not use the restaurant.
We did have issues and plenty of them. You usually have something wrong with a resort and we are not ones to complain about them unless we are asked (which we were) or terribly put out. My family and I come from a Gold Crown resort and know what to expect.

When we arrived we were told we had a one bedroom which was also in the email I received from the resort which was my fault for not following up on that before we got there. When you come from a two bedroom gold crown resort you should expect a two bedroom even if it is not a gold crown resort. I was told it was RCI's problem. When we arrived the staff was not very friendly or forward coming with informaiton about the resort. We were told here is your binder, keys and map of where your unit is. Is that because we are from another resort?
When we got to our unit we were pleased at first. The first thing we noticed was the tub was full of body hair after i showered because someone before us had decided to shave themselves. Epic cleaning fail on the cleaning staff's part.
The hot water heater is set to maximum hot (I saw this with my own eyes) which I found out the hard way. There is no energy efficient light bulbs anywhere. I noticed this when one blew and I changed it.
As being there at Christmas time the patio door drapes would blow from the wind coming in, a large draft sock would help that on the patio doors where the drapes were moving. Not enough place settings to run a full load of dishes in the dish washer. This all reflects on the money that could be saved on maintenance fees which the RCI owners could save at this resort.
There is no inventory list when you arrive or damage list on arrival either. That is why we did not use the toilet with the cracked toilet bowl in that bathroom either. I didn't want to be charged for it if it broke.
Windows and screens were filthy and splattered with stain or sealer for the wood. the cupboard doors are ready to fall off. I didn't want to use some of them. The thermostat is not placed in the proper position in relation to the fireplace causing the rest of the unit to become cold. It should be placed on the slanted wall near the hall lightswithch. The fire extinguisher is too high for a preteen to use in case of fire. Adults should be able to supervise their children not to touch it unless in case of emergency.
We did not want to use the jetted tub because of the hair in the other bathroom. We could smell the cabbage rolls that the next unit was cooking through the vent in the jetted tub for two nights in a row. So there is no separation in the tub area behind the wall. We could also hear someone snoring.
The bed was not a queen size and if it was it is a really small queen. pillows are hard, comforter has seen better days and the towels are scratchy. My wife had the bed, I had the pull out and my daughter slept on the floor on a crash pad we had brought. The unit needs more side tables and side chair with ottoman. We were putting our stuff on the floor around the lodge. The dining room table needs to be replaced as it is warped and wobbly.
The infrared sauna worked half of the time in the pool area. The hot tub was scalding, the tiles around the pool are filthy and the pool cover looked ripped and was laying in the pool for most of the week. The patio furniture is rusty and the washroom door in the pool area does not close properly.
I did make one phone call to have the steps salted and it was done right away. After that all the units had their own bag of salt outside their door.
We thought the activities were priced too high and to have to pay for boat rentals when it is the season for it I think is a no no. I can see paying a deposit.
The bbq was filthy and you could smell propane very slightly when it was off. The fridge in the unit was set to max which froze our food.

90% of these things were listed with the resort when they called us to come down to see what our thoughts were on getting the resort back to a gold crown resort again. The main thing it has going for it is location and secondly a new owner. We loved the area. as my daughter learned to ski for the first time with a four minute drive to calabogie peaks. We went to Renfrew one day and spent our Christmas vacation there at the lodge. I think I rather put up with the inlaws....lol. The cleaning crew needs to be in touch with the maintenance crew which needs to be in touch with the owner. Maybe some brain storming sessions. The majority are easy fixes. Customer service being one of them. It was the first thing we saw that left a lasting impression for the rest of the trip even though when we went down for a swim they were friendly.
Would I go again.....probably not. Would I recommend the lodge.....probably not. My family Christmas is today and they are chomping at the bit to see how it was. Some of them are from Ottawa and think Calabogie has a good name. I still had to pay $195 to either Calabogie Lodge or RCI for booking it. I wanted to give the vacation some time to sink in before I wrote the review. I still have to fill out RCI's review.

We stayed at Calabogie on Christmas week. We were welcomed by staff, (especially Charlene) who provided us with activities available in the resort and the area. Our two bedroom unit was spacious, warm and cozy reminiscent of a log cabin. We liked the comfortable beds, large kitchen and gas fireplace. The view of the lake was magnificent.

My family skiied, snowboarded and hiked. The skiing was limited at first due to lack of snow, but we were dumped 8-10 inches the evening we arrived and additional trails were opened. Calabogie Peaks offered 10% off when purchasing lift tickets on-line. Prices were reasonable $25 - $30. My sons enjoyed snowboarding despite the absence of a large terrain park. They spent some time on small terrain park near the bunny hill.

We hiked the Eagle's Nest trail. This was a nice and manageable walk through the woods and ends at the top off the mountain in a sacred, native american grounds.

We went to the pool, hot tub and sauna daily. The pool is one of the warmest I have ever been experienced. The game room had a pool table, board games, ping pong and darts.

After 2 days of skiing, we visited Ottawa, which is about an hour away and we took a tour of Parliament. The boys liked the Peace Tower and the magnificent views of the city. We also visited two other fabulous museums, The Museum of Civilization where we saw a film in IMAX theatre on the Canadian Pacific Railway and many exhibits including amazing totem poles. The Museum of Nature fascinated us with the largest bird collection in North America, gemstones, and fossils of different animals...

We were disappointed that we could not skate on Rideau Canal since the water was not frozen. We ate at a mall near the Westin Hotel on Wellington Blvd.....which offered a variety of cuisines.

We spent most of the days eating in, so we are unable to comment on the restaurants in the area. We made poutine, french fries with gravy and cheese curds. There is a small grocery store with all the basic items and a great bakery where we had apple and cherry turnovers. We were able to resist the cinnamon buns.

We highly recommend Calabogie Lodge Resort for the rustic and warm hospitality evoked by the accomodations and the staff. The serenity provided by the view of the lake is unforgettable. We hope to return in the summer. Enjoy!

great room, lovely view and the beds are outstanding

The unit we had was large, clean and very comfortable. Each of the bedrooms had lots of floor and closet space. The service from the friendly staff was excellent. Everytime we had a question, they were there with an answer immediately (sometimes you stay in places where you can't find anyone to answer questions).
We had great breakfasts in the very unique restaurant with the stunning view of the lake. We won't spoil the surprise, but the restaurant has a very unusual feature in it. The food was very good and reasonably priced.
For activities, we enjoyed skating on the frozen lake as well as skiiing within minutes. We took our kids skiiing at Calabogie Peaks which was only a 5 minute drive away. We originally thought of staying at the Peaks but it turns out Calabogie Lodge is a much better value given how close it is.
We can't wait to try it out this summer and enjoy the unfrozen water this time.