We drove into The Citadel Private Retreat on a rainy Monday. The first cabins we passed looked newer and tidy, with big windows. Then we reached ours.
Low, dark log walls. Small windows. Old wood, some of it very visibly tired by time. We sat in the car for a few minutes wearing exactly the same expression: what did we book?
We had found the place through Airbnb and had not looked at the retreat’s own website before the trip. That mattered. The direct site makes the context clearer: this is not a modern cabin decorated to look “rustic.” Cabin #2 is an actual old seasonal log cabin from the 1930s.
Once we went inside, the first shock faded quickly. Five days later, we understood that our bigger mistake had not been booking it. It had been arriving with the expectations of a modern cabin rental.
If you need a fresh contemporary interior, Cabin #2 is not your cabin. If what you want is a lake, quiet and somewhere to sleep after spending the day outside, the old log building begins to make much more sense.
Where is The Citadel Private Retreat?
The Citadel Private Retreat is at 766 Highway 71, Nestor Falls, Ontario, on Pinus Lake. It is roughly a ten-minute drive from Nestor Falls, while the turn for Caliper Lake Provincial Park is essentially across Highway 71.
According to the retreat’s official history, guests have been staying on this property since 1929, when it operated as Big Pine Lake Camp. Today it is a family-run retreat on more than 22 acres with over 400 feet of Pinus Lake shoreline.
The property now includes historic log cabins, newer cabins, glamping tents, a dome and a main lodge. The owners list crappie, perch, muskie, northern pike, walleye and smallmouth bass in the lake.
Cabin #2: what was actually inside
Our cabin was simple and small: one double bed, one single bed, a table by the window and several chairs. The compact kitchen had a full-size refrigerator, sink, kettle, small drip coffee maker with filters and basic dishes.
The bedding and towels were clean. We had electricity, Wi-Fi, hot and cold water, and a small bathroom with a sink, toilet and a very compact shower.
Outside was our own deck with a table, chairs and a propane barbecue.
We sat down, looked at the lake and made a deal with ourselves: we had come here to swim, walk and spend the day outside. The cabin only needed to do the nighttime job. After that, the entire stay felt easier.
On Thursday, I found a tiny stone painted with daisies beside the cabin. A previous guest had tucked it among the pine needles. Completely unnecessary, absolutely not an “amenity,” and somehow one of the little details I remember most clearly.
Self check-in
Our stay used self check-in. The smart-lock code arrived in a message, and the Wi-Fi password was waiting inside.
There is one practical problem with that setup: our cell signal on the property was weak. I would save the door code as a screenshot before leaving reliable service near Highway 71.
For our booking, check-in was after 4:00 p.m. and checkout was by 10:00 a.m., with no staying on the property after checkout. Rules can change, so use the instructions attached to your own booking.
What we paid
For our stay from August 3 to August 7, 2026 — four nights — we paid about CAD 800 through Airbnb.
Altogether, we spent five calendar days and four nights here.
I would not use our total as the retreat’s current nightly price. Rates vary by cabin, date and booking channel, and the property also offers direct booking for some cabins.
Sauna, hot tub and watercraft
The infrared sauna became one of our favourite amenities. We reserved it for an hour and, despite the August heat, discovered that going straight from the sauna into the lake worked extremely well.
We did not use the wood-fired hot tub. The owner explained that the wildfire situation required extra caution, including watching for sparks from the stove, so we skipped it on this trip.
In summer, the retreat rents watercraft. As of August 2026, the official booking page listed:
- kayak — CAD 45 for either 6 or 10 hours;
- canoe — CAD 80 for either 6 or 10 hours;
- stand-up paddleboard — CAD 45 for either 6 or 10 hours;
- two-person clear-bottom kayak — CAD 80 for either 6 or 10 hours.
Yes, the shorter and longer bookings were listed at the same price. If that structure remains, the ten-hour reservation gives you more flexibility.
These prices are from August 2026 and can change.
Canoeing with a dachshund
The canoe was our main experiment of the trip.
We brought Nika because we wanted to know whether several hours on the water with a dachshund — a dachshund who feels personally responsible for inspecting every edge of a boat — could actually be relaxing.
The first fifteen minutes were not relaxing. She moved from side to side, the canoe moved with her, and we intentionally stayed close to shore. Then she sat down by my feet and the dramatic portion of the outing was over.
We spent roughly two to three hours on the water. That was enough time to circle two small nearby islands and stop several times along the shore.
What I would change next time with a dog
We did not have a dog PFD, and the retreat did not provide one to us. Next time, I would bring our own.
We used human PFDs according to the rental rules. We also carried drinking water for both ourselves and Nika; the collapsible dog bowl was genuinely useful.
For our dog, staying near shore for the first fifteen minutes while she settled down made all the difference.
The pedal boat, beach and grounds
The property also had a pedal boat / paddleboat. Under the rules we were given, it had to stay within the bay. With Nika, it was an easier outing than the canoe.
Over five days we walked most of the guest areas: sandy beach, docks, boat launch, playground, chicken coop, trails, fishing spots, infrared sauna, wood-fired hot tub and water toys. The official site also lists a mini water trampoline and floating mat.
Near Cabin #1 we found a tiny dock just large enough for two chairs. Bogdan fished there one evening. He caught nothing, but we had not travelled there for a trophy fish. The silence did the job.
Staying with a dog
Dogs were allowed during our stay, but our property rules required them to be leashed. There was a designated off-leash space, but it was not fenced. For Nika — who can see a bird and immediately forget she has a family — that was not useful.
Our best pre-trip purchase was a long tie-out cable. We attached it near the deck so she could move around the grass, lie in the shade and spend time outside without breaking the property rules.
Garbage went into a locked container. Wildlife, including bears, is a concern in the area, so we did not leave food or garbage unsecured.
At night, I still took Nika out with a flashlight and very little interest in investigating the darker bushes.
Mosquitoes and one mouse
There were a lot of mosquitoes in early August, plus biting flies. Bug spray and mosquito coils were in constant use.
And one more detail I think future guests should know: on the first night, we saw a small mouse in Cabin #2. On the second night, we heard it a little. After that, we barely noticed it.
For some travellers, that will be a deal-breaker, so hiding it would be pointless. For us, this was an old log cabin in the forest, not a downtown hotel. We kept food sealed, and it did not affect the trip.
Campfires during a Restricted Fire Zone
On Thursday, we wanted a campfire. At a local gas station we were told that an active Restricted Fire Zone meant fires were prohibited. The Citadel owner told us in writing that a fire was allowed on the property under his conditions and said he had the necessary permits and inspections.
We used the designated fire pit that evening. Later, after looking more closely at Ontario’s rules, we learned that private property by itself is not an exemption from an RFZ: the specific permit or legal exception and its conditions matter. We did not see the owner’s documents, so we are not going to guess which mechanism applied that day.
Before lighting a campfire, check the active RFZ and the operator’s current instructions. We explain the rules in more detail in Ontario campfire rules during a Restricted Fire Zone.
The evening itself remains one of my favourite memories from the trip: marshmallows, quiet conversation, other fire pits along the shore and a sky dark enough to show far more stars than we see in the city.
Who will enjoy The Citadel?
I would recommend The Citadel to people coming for the lake and the quiet rather than hotel-style polish. It worked well for us as a couple travelling with a dog. Families have a beach, playground and water activities. Anglers have docks and a fishing lake.
But the cabins are very different from one another. We stayed only in Cabin #2, from August 3 to 7, 2026. Newer cabins may be quite different, so check the photos and description for the exact cabin you plan to book.
If I booked again, I would look at the direct site before choosing a cabin, bring a dog PFD and take the longest canoe slot available. I would also be tempted to try September, simply to see the same lake with fewer mosquitoes.
The Citadel Private Retreat quick reference
| What | Details |
| Location | 766 Highway 71, Nestor Falls, Ontario, on Pinus Lake |
| Property history | welcoming guests since 1929; formerly Big Pine Lake Camp |
| Our accommodation | Cabin #2, an old seasonal 1930s log cabin |
| Our dates | August 3–7, 2026; 4 nights / 5 calendar days |
| What we paid | about CAD 800 through Airbnb; not a current advertised rate |
| Self check-in | yes, smart-lock code; save the code offline |
| Sauna | infrared sauna; we booked one-hour sessions |
| Watercraft, August 2026 | canoe CAD 80, kayak CAD 45, SUP CAD 45, clear-bottom double kayak CAD 80; 6- and 10-hour slots were the same price |
| Dogs | yes during our stay; our rules required a leash; bring your own dog PFD |
| Cell / Wi-Fi | cell service was weak for us; cabin Wi-Fi worked |
| Nearby | Nestor Falls ~10 min; Caliper Lake Provincial Park across Highway 71 |
| Best for | travellers coming for the lake and quiet who are comfortable with a genuinely old Cabin #2 |
