10 Reasons to Stay at Bellmere Winds Golf Resort (Even If You Don’t Golf)

The first thing I’ll say about Bellmere Winds Golf Resort is that the name sells it short. People hear “golf resort” and assume golf is the point. It’s not — it’s one option in a place that has about ten of them, and most of our guests at Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage never touch a club the entire week.

Here’s what’s actually worth coming for.

What Is the Beach Like at Bellmere Winds on Rice Lake?

Bellmere Winds owns its waterfront. Real sand, gentle entry, deep enough to swim from the dock. Late afternoon when the wind dies and the sun’s behind you, this is genuinely one of the best spots on the lake. Not crowded, not commercial, just open water and trees on the far shore.

Does Bellmere Winds Golf Resort Have a Swimming Pool?

If the lake’s choppy or you’ve got little kids who don’t trust open water yet, the saltwater pool is a couple minutes from the cottage. Saltwater is gentler on eyes and skin than chlorine. It’s heated. Plenty of deck space.

Is There a Splash Pad at Bellmere Winds Resort?

Worth its own bullet point. If you’re travelling with kids under ten, the free splash pad is the single biggest reason this place beats a generic Airbnb cottage. Kids stay there for hours. You sit nearby with a drink. Everyone leaves happy.

What Is the 19th Hole Patio Grill at Bellmere Winds?

There’s always a night when nobody wants to cook. The 19th Hole Patio Grill is on-site, casual, and has actual decent food — burgers, wings, fish and chips, beer on tap. The patio overlooks the golf course. Sunset over there is great.

What Makes Rice Lake Such a Good Base for a Cottage Stay?

A lot of “lakefront” resorts in Ontario are technically near a lake. Bellmere Winds is on it. The waterfront is part of the property. From Mildred’s specifically, you’ve got your own dock and direct access. Step out the back door, walk thirty seconds, you’re at the water.

Do Guests at Bellmere Winds Get Free Use of Canoes, Kayaks, and SUPs?

Most cottage resorts charge $80-150/day for boat use. At Mildred’s, boat rental is included with your stay. Take it out for an hour, take it out for a day, fish off it, just cruise.

What Fitness and Sports Facilities Does Bellmere Winds Have?

Two more amenities most cottage trips don’t have. The fitness centre is small but functional — cardio machines, free weights, enough to keep a workout streak alive. The sports court is good for kids and teenagers burning energy without taking over the pool.

How Far Is Bellmere Winds Golf Resort from Toronto?

Ninety minutes from downtown. Not three. Not four. Ninety. You can leave Friday after work, catch sunset on the dock, and not feel like the drive ate your weekend.

What Is There to Do Near Bellmere Winds in the Kawarthas?

Some “cottage country” resorts are isolated to the point of dullness on a rainy day. Bellmere Winds is twenty-five minutes from Peterborough, a city with restaurants, breweries, the Canadian Canoe Museum, and a downtown worth walking. Cobourg is half an hour the other way — historic main street, beach on Lake Ontario, antique shops. Plenty to do when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Can You Play Golf at Bellmere Winds During Your Cottage Stay?

Saved for last on purpose. Bellmere Winds is a legitimate 18-hole championship course, well-maintained, more affordable than most GTA courses. If part of your group golfs and part doesn’t, this place is a rare match — golfers play, non-golfers hit the pool, and everyone meets back at the patio for dinner.

Is Bellmere Winds Golf Resort Good for a Mixed-Group Cottage Trip?

It’s actually ideal for it. The problem with most Muskoka or Haliburton cottage rentals is that they’re great for people who want to sit around a fire and not much else. Bellmere Winds works for the person who wants to fish, the person who wants to golf, the person who wants to spend the day at the pool with a book, and the teenager who wants the sports court and a game. There’s enough going on that nobody in the group runs out of things to do. That’s genuinely rare at a cottage rental, especially one this close to Toronto.

nn

What Is Mildred’s Lakefront Cottage Like on the Inside?

Three bedrooms, sleeps six, about 600 square feet — it’s snug rather than sprawling, but the layout is efficient. The main bedroom has a proper queen bed and privacy. The two bunkrooms are set up for kids, though adults manage fine in a pinch. The kitchen has everything you need to actually cook — not the stripped-down cutlery drawer you find in some rentals. The sunroom faces the water, and with the front deck, there’s enough outdoor space that the cottage never feels cramped. The best part is still the waterfront access out the back — your own dock, Rice Lake right there, and the resort beach a short walk away.

nn

What Is the Best Time of Year to Stay at Bellmere Winds on Rice Lake?

July and August book out earliest — that’s when the pool, splash pad, beach, and water sports are all running at full capacity. If those months are sold out, June and September are both excellent. The lake is quieter, the resort less crowded, and Rice Lake fishing in September is legitimately good for bass and walleye. Victoria Day weekend in May opens the cottage season and tends to have openings earlier than midsummer. The resort runs from late spring through mid-fall; exact open dates vary by year. Check availability on the booking page for current windows.

How Do You Book a Cottage Stay at Bellmere Winds Golf Resort?

The cottages inside the resort are the way to do it. Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage at 75 The Point Drive is a three-bedroom unit that sleeps six, with a shared resort dock, beach access, free use of canoes, kayaks, and SUPs, and full use of the resort amenities.

For 2026, bookings go through Great Blue Resorts. See availability or reach out with questions.

What Do Bellmere Winds Golf Resort Reviews Consistently Say?

If you’ve read Bellmere Winds Golf Resort reviews before landing here, a few things come up consistently — and they’re not the things you’d expect from a property with “golf resort” in the name.

• Proximity to Toronto. Ninety minutes is short enough that guests arrive Friday evening without feeling like the drive cost them a full day. This comes up in nearly every review from GTA-based guests.
• The water access. Having a dock, free kayaks, and direct Rice Lake access on day one — with no rental logistics — is consistently rated the standout feature over comparable cottage rentals in the region.
• The screened sunroom. First-time guests often mention this specifically. It’s a fully enclosed room, not an open porch, which means you get the lake view without the mosquitoes that make open-deck sitting impossible after 6pm in July.
• The pool for families with young kids. Parents rate the heated saltwater pool and splash pad as what makes this work when you have children under ten. The supervised environment creates actual rest time for adults.
• The on-site restaurant. Not cooking every meal on a three-day stay is a relief that comes up repeatedly. The 19th Hole Patio Grill handles one or two dinners per stay for most families who book Mildred’s.

You can read current Bellmere Winds resort reviews on Google directly — search “Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage Bellmere Winds” or use the direct Google review link. If you’ve stayed here, a review makes a real difference for a property that’s still building its rating in its first season.

If you’re still comparing your options, a direct breakdown of resort cottages versus traditional cottages in Canada covers the structural differences in what each type of property actually delivers.

For a more detailed account of what guests actually experience, read the full Bellmere Winds golf resort cottage review — a specific walkthrough of the cottage, the resort, and the stay. And if the golf access is the deciding factor for your group, cottages with golf course access in Ontario covers why the combination works and what to look for.

---