Here is a Scandinavian concept called hygge, pronounced “hoo-gah,” that celebrates winter as a season for comfort and connection. It’s about finding joy in simple pleasures such as sitting by a fire, savouring warm food, and appreciating sunlight on fresh snow.
We discovered our own version of hygge just a few hours north of London in Grey County. Located about two and a half hours northeast, heading toward Georgian Bay, and known for its slogan “Gather in Grey,” the county offers charming inns, country stores and cozy restaurants. Exploring the Grey Highlands and Blue Mountains, we found hospitality that makes winter feel inviting and wonderfully restorative.
We wound our way through the villages of Walter’s Falls, Kimberley, Flesherton and Markdale. The secondary highways were in great shape, and we were well-prepared for winter driving in the Cloudburst Grey Lexus NX 350 from Lexus of London. With its responsive turbocharged engine and confident all-wheel drive, the NX 350 made every curve feel effortless.
Inside, luxury met practicality — heated seats and a warm steering wheel kept us comfortable, while the spacious cabin easily held our gear. The premium sound system paired perfectly with our audiobook as we sipped coffee and passed horses feeding in snowy fields, sparkling drifts, and barns adorned with quilt-pattern murals. It was the perfect start to discovering Grey County’s charm.
The Falls Inn & Spa co-owner Meg Hallman.
The Falls Inn & Spa – Walter’s Falls
After a day of exploring country roads and local shops, we arrived in the quiet village of Walter’s Falls near Meaford. The Falls Inn & Spa is an adult-only retreat with 15 rooms, each offering a view of the 46-foot waterfall that gives the village its name.
Owners Meg and Dwayne Hallman have created a haven of calm along the Bruce Trail, where the focus is on slowing down and relaxing.
Meg’s hospitality roots run deep. She grew up working at an inn in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick, and later trained at the former Talisman Inn in Ontario.
Breakfast or brunch, like this apple cinnamon French toast, is included with an overnight stay at The Falls Inn.
Vintage and rustic elements blend
seamlessly with plush comfort and modern amenities at
The June Motel.
She and Dwayne, who studied technology, met at Fanshawe College and, 20 years ago, built The Falls Inn on Dwayne’s family land. Meg oversees the front of house, adding personal touches such as seasonal afternoon tea events featuring 10 local teas and generous tiered trays. The next tea is planned for Easter, and reservations are essential.
Relax body, mind and spirit with the
Thermal Journey at Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain. Photo courtesy of Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain (scandinave.com)
The Inn offers a full-service experience. There is an on-site restaurant overlooking the falls and woods, a lounge, banquet facilities for weddings, and a spa for restorative treatments. Outdoors, guests can enjoy a 20-person saltwater hot tub, a sauna and a fire pit. Our room featured a king bed, electric fireplace, soaker tub, separate shower and thoughtful extras like a coffee maker, fridge, sparkling wine, and cookies.
A cute mug at The June Motel.
Breakfast or weekend brunch is included with overnight stays. We sampled apple cinnamon French toast with maple syrup, served with fruit, yogurt, a warm scone and coffee in the cozy dining room with its fireplaces and wood accents.
Chef April McLean crafts a menu of casual fine dining with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Service is warm and attentive, with staff offering tips for exploring the area and even providing a paper map, a refreshing change from screens.
The Falls Inn & Spa is a complete package for a peaceful getaway, where nature, comfort and hospitality come together beautifully.
Another view of the June Motel’s cozy ambiance and retro charm
The June Motel, Beaver Valley/Kimberley
Just minutes from Kimberley and overlooking Beaver Valley Ski Resort, The June Motel, Beaver Valley is the third reinvention by friends April Brown and Sarah Sklash. They began with a simple idea: to transform the humble roadside motel into something magical. In 2016, they bought a rundown property in Prince Edward County and renovated it by hand, adding bold design touches like neon signs and pink doors. The June Motel concept quickly became a Canadian boutique favourite. Their second location is in Sauble Beach.
The Kimberley General Store’s front porch sets the
welcoming vibes in the century-old building
For Beaver Valley, their vision was even more intimate. They created a property with eight rooms that combines the cozy feel of a private rental with the curated design of a boutique motel. Surrounded by river, woods and hills, this location invites guests to slow down and reconnect with nature, with each other, and with themselves. With a booked weekday stay, you’re entitled to reserved access to the Thermal Journey at Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain, a rejuvenating ritual of heat, cold and rest through saunas, pools and quiet spaces for deep tech-free relaxation.
Our Cozy King room lived up to its name with a plush king bed, deluxe bedding, brass fixtures and plenty of outlets. The retro charm remains with a compact bathroom, while modern
Owners Justin and Stacie Howe have
created the cozy Justin’s Oven restaurant in Kimberley.
upgrades include efficient heating and cooling and strong Wi-Fi. There are no televisions, an intentional choice to encourage unplugging, but books and robes add comfort.
Justin Howe and his namesake
oven, a wood-burning centrepiece producing everything from fresh baking to smoky
brisket.
The real magic happens in the common spaces. The Parlour offers a fireplace, comfortable seating and a kitchen with a high-end coffee machine. It is stocked each morning with fresh pastries from The Kimberley Store and Justin’s Oven, along with fruit and yogurt. Groups often book all eight rooms for a Motel Takeover, perfect for celebrations, retreats or small weddings, with delivered meals served in the upstairs studio, a flexible space for yoga, meditation or dining.
Sourdough bread and butter tarts at the Kimberley General Store.
Outdoors, the riverfront setting shines with an electric sauna, cold plunges, nightly fire pits and s’mores kits. Guests often say they did not expect to feel so relaxed after such a short stay. That is the essence of The June, where design, nature and simplicity create space for connection.
Antique chairs and a harvest table reflect the traditional values
espoused at Marilynne Restaurant in Markdale.
Marilynne Restaurant
A short drive from Walter’s Falls brings you to Markdale, a town enjoying a culinary revival thanks to spots like Marilynne Restaurant. Marilynne came highly recommended, and we were lucky to snag a table on a snowy Saturday night. The cozy space was buzzing with couples and small groups savouring the farm-focused creations of the owner/chef Brandon Bannon — an homage to his grandmother, the restaurant’s namesake.
RIGHT Locally-sourced Bison Tourtiere with mashed potatoes and sherry
jus.
“Marilynne taught me the finer things in life,” Brandon shared, and her influence is everywhere, from the antique décor sourced from her collection to the menu celebrating Grey County’s bounty. “It’s incredible what we can produce here,” he added. That commitment shines in dishes like the standout Bison Tourtiere, served with velvety mashed potatoes and a rich sherry jus. It is a plate that feels like pure comfort. The bison, sourced locally, underscores Marilynne’s ethos of simple, elegant food rooted in community and tradition. It’s a destination worth the drive.
Justin’s Oven
At the heart of Kimberley, framed by the rolling hills of Beaver Valley, Justin’s Oven is the essence of hygge. It’s a warm wood-heated dining space where comfort and community meet. Owned by Justin and Stacie Howe, who also run the Kimberley General Store next door, the restaurant feels like a cozy retreat after a day outdoors.
Marilynne Restaurant owner/chef Brandon Bannon offers a
simple yet elegant drive-worthy dining destination.
White onion and cider soup with fresh sourdough bread at The Gate in Flesherton.
“We get a lot of people who love nature and the escarpment,” says Stacie, and it’s easy to see why. Built with help from their fathers, the intimate 20-seat dining room (plus an 80-seat patio in summer) glows with the heat. In the kitchen, a wood-fired oven, the centrepiece for smoky brisket, bison burgers, chicken and pizzas, makes Friday nights a local ritual. In-house baking adds to the charm — think cookies, pies and butter tarts — while frozen meals in the store let you take a little comfort home.
The Gate’s pork belly with Romano beans, cabbage and sweet pepper.
“People come i,n and we try to help them take the edge off their day. It’s a good feeling place. What we do, we do it well,” says Justin. Licensed and laidback, Justin’s Oven has earned a spot on Guess Where Trips, so reservations are wise. Whether you’re here for a hearty meal or a sweet treat by the fire, this is Grey County hospitality at its coziest.
The Gate
What a wonderful surprise to find one of Canada’s top new restaurants while stopping for lunch in Flesherton at The Gate, ranked #8 Best New Restaurant in the country (2025). Chef Jonathan Gushue and partner Jennifer Belanger have transformed a historic pharmacy into a welcoming space with exposed brick walls and an open kitchen that invites conversation.
Another source for great
butter tarts and more, Granny’s General Store is a popular destination in the historic village of Neustadt.
Gushue brings exceptional experience from celebrated dining destinations, including Fogo Island Inn and Langdon Hall, while Belanger ensures every guest feels at home with warm, attentive service. Together they focus on full-flavour modern European cuisine inspired by the seasons, with plates designed for sharing.
At lunch, we enjoyed white onion and cider soup, fresh sourdough bread with cultured butter, and a shared plate of pork belly with Romano beans, cabbage and sweet pepper. Each dish was comforting and deeply satisfying, a perfect reflection of Grey County’s growing reputation as a culinary destination.
Country stores & shopping
Grey County’s history and charm live on in its devotion to long-standing general stores. Some, like the Kimberley General Store and Granny’s General Store in Neustadt, occupy buildings dating back to the early 1900s, while others, such as Utopia Market near Feversham, are newly built with a nod to heritage. If you’re on a butter tart quest, these stores are essential stops. Don’t miss the sourdough bread and dairy-free ginger cookies at Kimberley General Store.
The Utopia Market, near Feversham,
is a stunning new post-and-beam
edifice inspired by 1920s bank
barns.
The 7,600-square-foot
Utopia Market features a butcher,
bakery, fresh produce, a café and
more.
Many shops, including Ravenna Country Market, offer locally made frozen meals, hearty take-away sandwiches, hot coffee, grocery staples and unique gifts.
Utopia Market, featuring a butcher, bakery and a café serving fresh meals and coffee, elevates produce, even in winter, thanks to its own greenhouses. The market’s stunning 7,600-square-foot post-and-beam barn draws inspiration from 1920s bank barns and serves as a one-stop shop for foods, wines, snacks and gifts, especially for those heading to Blue Mountain.
These stores are proudly locally owned and double as community hubs, complete with poster boards and local publications. Some, like Granny’s, even serve as a post office and seasonal ice cream shop.
Utopia Market owner
Sandy Gott stands with an antique
quilt hanging from the building’s
impressive loft.
Gather in Grey
Grey County showed us that winter is something to savour. From winding roads and snow-dusted valleys to kitchens brimming with creativity, every stop offered warmth and connection. This is hygge, Canadian style. Comfort in the cold, beauty in the quiet. As we left, the hills fading behind us, we carried that feeling forward.
If you’re looking for a winter getaway that blends cozy charm with unforgettable flavours, Grey County is waiting.
Lexus NX 350 AWD in Cloudburst Grey
Vehicle supplied by Lexus of London
STANDARD FEATURES INCLUDE:
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2.4L Turbocharged 4-cylinder (275 hp, 317 lb-ft torque)
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8-speed Direct Shift Automatic
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All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
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18-inch alloy wheels
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9.8-inch touchscreen
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10-speaker sound system
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Wireless Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™
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Heated front seats, heated power-adjustable steering wheel, 8-way power driver’s seat with memory
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Dual-zone automatic climate control
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Smart Key System with Push Button Start, Power Liftgate, Power Moonroof
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LED fog lamps, LED daytime running lamps, single-color ambient lighting
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Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert
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Digital Latch & Safe Exit Assist: Button-press door opening & alerts for cyclists/vehicles
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Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
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Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
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Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist & Lane Tracing Assist
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Road Sign Assist
Photos by Bruce Fyfe and Jane Antoniak unless otherwise noted. They were guests of The Falls Inn & Spa, Marilynne Restaurant and The June Motel, which did not review or approve this story.
