147-year-old Ontario mansion-turned-hotel reportedly has 'invisible man' living inside
Merrill House Hotel is a beloved local landmark in the Ontario town of Picton. With its thirteen gables and Gothic Revival details, it looks like a place brimming with history (and maybe even haunts).
And, according to owner Jordan Martin, the 147-year-old mansion-turned-hotel delivers in both departments.
The estate was built in 1878 as a private residence for Edwards Merrill, the County's first magistrate. "He was also the judge of Prince Edward, and his father was the first lawyer," Martin tells blogTO.
Martin bought the property in 2018 and spent three years renovating it. His goal wasn't to turn it into a typical hotel. "I want guests to feel like they are going to someone's beautiful country house for the weekend," he says. Think curated art and antiques, fireplaces that actually burn wood, and themed rooms with their own little libraries.
With only 14 rooms and no elevator, Merrill House is admittedly small and intimate, but its minimal size has enabled meticulous attention to detail. "No detail is too small to be overlooked," Martin says.
Each hotel room has its own theme.
The top-floor Owner's Suite boasts expansive views of historic Picton, a separate living room and two bathrooms. While it's not the most antique-feeling space, several rooms at Merrill House do lean into the home's Victorian roots, such as the Marchioness of Lorne Suite, which features its original fireplace, or the dreamy former master bedroom with a four-poster bed, preserved flooring, and a wood-burning marble hearth.
The Victoria Suite. Photo via Merrill House.
Other rooms head in a different direction: the Klimt-inspired Tower Suite, where Merrill's infamous leaning tower has now been transformed into a marble Jacuzzi; the Eastern Room, filled with pieces from Istanbul to Tokyo; and the Parisian Room, dripping in florals. There's also a Victorian time-capsule room, a calm, countryside-feeling Prince Edward Room, an art-packed Lithograph Gallery, and an Inuit Room showcasing pieces from Nunavut.
The Gothic Room hides under the eaves, the Velvet Room lives up to its name with rich decor, and the Future Room goes full retro-futurist, complete with an "invisible man" lounging on the ceiling.
Does that sound eerie? Well, the room literally has a chair and a pair of clogs hanging upside down from the ceiling, an allusion that makes guests feel as though someone else is sharing their room with them for the night.
Of course, with a 147-year-old building, you might wonder about paranormal activity. So, about those ghost rumours? Martin laughs. "Many [paranormal teams] have indeed claimed encounters with ghosts, and I find it very entertaining, although I cannot admit to believing in ghosts myself."
The Future Room. Photo via Merrill House.
And while guests may want to retreat to their rooms after a day out and soak in the decor, Martin encourages them to roam, because there are nooks and corners people often miss. His personal favourite is "a screened-in veranda at the front of the house with views of the sweeping gardens in summer, and after the leaves fall, views of Picton's oldest church and Macaulay Mountain."
The screened-in veranda. Photo via Merrill House.
Aside from that, the hotel offers an impressive lineup of five-star amenities for its guests to enjoy. Complimentary amenities include indoor and outdoor fireplaces, a one-hour private sauna session, luxury toiletries, and in-room technology. A full list of amenities is available on Merrill's website.
If you're only staying one night, he insists there's a must-do moment, too. Martin suggests you, "sip a glass of local or French wine in front of the wood-burning fire in our drawing room whilst flipping through one of the many antique books from our library."
A stay at Merrill House starts at $225 and ranges up to $2,500, depending on the time of your visit and which room you choose. A complimentary breakfast is included if you book directly through the hotel's website.
Merrill House is located at 343 Main St E #343, in Picton, Ont.
Merrill House
