This summer, for our annual #BCL team staycation, the votes were unanimous, we were finally going to make it out to The Iron Kettle B&B for some friends time and an overnighter filled some much needed R&R! This year’s trip left us chilled out but also fiercely motivated after personally experiencing what owners Chef Benjamin Leblanc and his wife Ginette Tremblay have accomplished with some very hard work, commitment to their vision and unwavering, top notch hospitality. Ben & Ginette spent several years travelling across Canada and Europe before they ended up in Comber, coincidentally staying at the B&B for their wedding night in 2013 and falling in love with it. Shortly after, the couple learned the property was for sale and with their combined experience with travel and in hospitality they decided moving back, closer to Ginette’s family, was the natural choice and haven’t looked back since.
As you drive up towards their oversized treed lot in Comber, the historic red brick of this manor home, impressively built in 1876 and untouched by time, welcomes you to your home for the night. We had read the reviews and know Ben & Ginette’s reputation for excellence, but we still haven’t found the words to describe the level of ‘friendly coziness’ they’ve been able to achieve here. That ‘friendly coziness’ feeling was like an inner warmth, sense of intimacy and togetherness that from the moment we walked in, had us thinking this night would come and go too fast.
As we sat with our feet dipped in the private pool, we discussed how on earth it’s possible that an old wooden shop table with potted plants can be absolute perfection – and the answer lies somewhere within Ginette Tremblay. It’s her version of thoughtful, yet seemingly effortless, modern touches mixed with relaxed antique charm that makes The Iron Kettle B&B what it is. Her selection of fluffy duvets and local Ocean Bottom Soap (made using their home grown herbs) made it difficult get out of bed after an afternoon nap… until we started to smell what was cooking.
Chef Ben Leblanc and his local cuisine is culmination of a wealth of culinary experience. After training in Paris at the Michelin Star restaurant Le Violon D’ingres owned by Chef Christian Constant, he spent almost a year working in Geneva, Switzerland, at one of the most expensive restaurants in Europe, Il Lago, inside the Four Seasons Hotel. His experience doesn’t just make for mouthwatering food but pretty good dinner conversation as he explains which of the veggies his family grows and which local butcher provides the meat for our featured dish. Luckily it’s possible to book a reservation for dinner regardless of whether you’re overnighting like we were. But if you do decide to stay over after a full day of touring the local wineries, feel free to bring a bottle into the dining room for pairing.
A B&B isn’t complete without breakfast and this family knows how to crack an egg. We woke up rested and feeling grateful we live in such a bountiful area and only such a short drive away from one of our best kept local treasures.
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Contact Information:
7005 Country Rd 46, N0P 1J0 Comber, Ontario
TheIronKettleBB
IronKettleBB
www.ironkettlebb.com