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Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island

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Interior - Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island (Gananoque)
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Exterior - Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island (Gananoque)
Smart TV, fireplace, books - Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island (Gananoque)
A deck with outdoor seating and a view of a large body of water. - Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island (Gananoque)
Escape to Goodfriend Cottage, nestled on the picturesque South shore of Howe Island. Lounge in the sunroom or deck, enjoy a BBQ with family and friends while taking in serene views of nearby islands. The waterfront beckons you to kayak or fish from the dock as you unwind in total privacy.

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful

Entire home

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 81600 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Pet friendly
  • Free WiFi
  • Outdoor Space

Add dates for prices

About this property

Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island

  • Welcome to Goodfriend Cottage, a charming, century-old 3-bedroom, 2-bath waterfront home nestled on the south shore of scenic Howe Island in the heart of the 1000 Islands region. Ideal for families, couples, or small groups looking for privacy, comfort, and a true Canadian cottage experience—all just a short drive from Ottawa, Toronto, and Kingston.

    📍Property Highlights
    • 🛏 3 Bedrooms (Queen & Double beds)
    • 🛁 2 Full Bathrooms
    • 🌅 Sunroom, Deck, Outdoor Firepit
    • 🌊 Private Waterfront, Dock, Boat Launch
    • 🛶 Kayaks Available for Guest Use
    • 🔥 BBQ & Fully Equipped Kitchen
    • 🧺 Washer & Dryer
    • 🚗 Year-round access via 24/7 car ferry (5-minute crossing)
    🛋 Inside the Cottage

    The cottage features a bright and cozy interior, with a sun-filled living area, fully equipped kitchen, and three comfortable second-floor bedrooms. Enjoy meals in the sunroom or unwind with a board game by the fire. Linens and drinking water are provided, and rural Wi-Fi is available for your convenience.

    Sleeping Arrangements:
    • Bedroom 1: Queen bed
    • Bedroom 2: Double bed
    • Bedroom 3: Double bed

    🌳 Outdoor Living

    Relax on the spacious deck, roast marshmallows around the outdoor firepit, or sip your morning coffee as the sun rises over the water. The property offers clear, shallow waterfront access—great for kids—and a private dock and boat launch for your kayaks or watercraft.

    🛶 Local Activities & Attractions
    • Fishing, swimming, kayaking right from your private shoreline
    • Explore the 1000 Islands National Park (short paddle or drive)
    • 30km+ island road biking loop and walking trails
    • Baseball diamond & pickleball court nearby
    • Gananoque (20 min) & Kingston (30 min) offer shops, restaurants, and more

    Note: There are no stores or restaurants on Howe Island, so plan ahead. The ferry operates 24/7 and costs $10 per car.

    🚗 Getting Here
    • 🛣 15 minutes from Hwy 401
    • 🚗 2 hours from Ottawa
    • 🚗 3 hours from Toronto
    • 🚢 5-minute ferry ride (runs 24/7, year-round)

    Long-term rentals are available, contact us for details.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in the cottage: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee grinder
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Fireplace
  • Separate dining area

Entertainment

  • Books
  • Smart TV

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue grill
  • Firepit
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • Welcoming dogs only
  • One pet total

Suitability/Accessibility

  • 3 steps to reach entrance
  • Hardwood flooring in public areas
  • Smoking not allowed

Location highlights

  • Near the marina
  • On a river
  • On the waterfront

Things to do

  • Bicycles
  • Kayak
  • Casino nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Swimming nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit
  • Fire extinguisher

General

  • Bicycles
  • Garden
  • Recycling
  • Unit size: 1,600 square feet

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Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 12:00 PM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Rules

❖ Please wear Indoor shoes inside the house.
❖ Pets are not allowed on couches and beds.
❖ Firewood is not supplied. ❖ Recommend bringing in own mosquito head nets for outdoors.

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
1 total pets

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

About the area

Located in Frontenac Islands, this cottage is on the waterfront. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Ontario and Kingston Waterfront. Marine Museum of the Great Lakes and Gananoque Boat Line are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking, motor boating, and fishing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling. Visit our Frontenac Islands travel guide
View more Cottages in Frontenac Islands
Map
Gananoque, ON

What's nearby

  • Fort Henry
    Fort Henry
    25 min drive - 20.4 km
  • Kingston Waterfront
    Kingston Waterfront
    25 min drive - 22.5 km
  • Grass Creek Park
    12 min drive - 7.3 km
  • Glen Lawrence Golf Club
    14 min drive - 9.9 km
  • Canadian Forces Base Kingston
    21 min drive - 19.6 km

Getting around

  • Gananoque Station
    33 min drive
  • Kingston, ON (YGK-Norman Rogers)
    48 min drive

Restaurants

  • Starbucks
    25 min drive
  • Tim Hortons
    24 min drive
  • Tim Hortons
    21 min drive
  • Startek Kingston 1
    25 min drive
  • A&W Restaurant
    22 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total).

How much is parking?

Onsite parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island?

Check-out is at 12:00 PM.

Where is Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island located?

Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is steps from Lake Ontario, and within 6 mi (10 km) of Grass Creek Park and Glen Lawrence Golf Club. Colonnade Golf and Country Club and Military Communications and Electronics Museum are also within 12 mi (20 km).

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Four Season Waterfront Cottage - Private Escape | 3BR, 2BA | Howe Island Reviews

Reviews

Wonderful

All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
More informationOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 17 out of 27 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 9 out of 27 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 27 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 27 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 27 reviews

9.2

Cleanliness

9.8

Location

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

dina v.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great stay, beautiful views. Clean and upgraded, would recommend to anyone!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Stephen S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The location is perfectly located to enjoy the beauty of the 1000 Islands region, and the old farmhouse is a wonderful place to stay. The large grounds are private, and the views are breathtaking. I am already planning to return next year.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gabby N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Spacious beautiful property

Quiet, clean and beautiful. Worth the stay!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kimberley J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing views!!

Views are absolutely amazing! Islanders friendly. Would most definitely stay again!!!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Purvai K.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
It is a great location and great place. The only thing better we would have expected is to receive our rooms in an even more cleaner condition. It was cleaned up, so no mess or dirt etc. just could have been a better job as we could see still dust and sand around. However, it was easy to communicate with and the lake view and kayak facility etc added to the experience and beauty of our stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Betty S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Get Away!

Had the best week in 🇨🇦. House was quiet and had a beautiful view! Great area to dock your boat and enjoy the water’s cool breeze. Recommend for a great family vacation!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

David J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely view

The property had a lovely view. The kitchen was equipped. The owner was very responsive. We enjoyed our stay!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dalton L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Howe Island Stay

When you arrive to the house your greated by a beautiful view of the St. Lawrance River. The house has everything you could need to enjoy the trip. It was nice to have the boat launch on site, use cation as its very steep.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Jeanny F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Waterfront cottage

Our family enjoyed 5 beautiful days at this waterfront cottage. The inside has been nicely remodeled. We launched our boat at the private ramp with no issues. Great quiet place to experience nature!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Serge M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

By the Seaway

We enjoyed a relaxing time on the seaway. The neighbourhood was friendly, the house has lots to offer and was very clean! Thank you for a wonderful experience!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

sanjay m.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Enjoy

Beds were squeaky, dining table chairs needs replacement. Kitchen fully equipped and utensils were clean, overall cleaning is really good. Well maintained property.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kyle C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Gorgeous island retreat

Absolutely perfect little spot with great views and a lake ambiance that is perfectly setup with all the right sounds of nature. The house is well equipped with spices, pots and pans, and most other necessities. The renovations that have been done are
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrew B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

An ideal getaway, away from the crowds.

This is a beautiful property overlooking the St Lawrence on Howe Island. Very accessible, clean, comfortable, and the owners thought of everything to accommodate our stay. Good wifi speed, fishing off the dock, bonfire by night. It was ideal for our family getaway. The longer we stayed, the more we fell in love. We will be back.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sebastian L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place in a beautiful area

We stayed at this cottage for a weekend in August. The island was beautiful and it had all of the amenities listed. The host communicated very promptly and helped us at one point with a water filter. There are kayaks provided and the dock was a good place for reading and relaxing. Be warned that there’s a lot of bugs in the area but none of us got any bites, and it didn’t bother us at night. Overall we enjoyed our stay and I’d come again!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kiera B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family gathering

Property was perfect for our family of 7 coming from across Canada for a Celebration of Life in Kingston. Ferry was fast and easy. House is very well equipped with anything you may need. Beautiful kitchen and fully stocked and labelled so easy to find everything. Very clean, private cottage and the views are breath taking! We will definitely book again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sherif H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing!!

It was a nice surprice to see that the photos did not do justice to the property. The view was amzing, sitting at the porch or at the top floor balcony is a million dollar experience The host was very accomodating and communication was very smooth Overall saty was AMAZING!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Franca D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Countryside beauty

Our family of four really enjoyed our getaway at this beautiful spot. A charming country house with a terrific, terrific view of the St.Lawrence. Fun to get to the island with the ferry. We had an easy check-in and easy communication with the responsive host. The home is quite large and was nicely renovated with a great kitchen. We ate our meals on the patio. Clean comfy bedrooms. Perfect for families and friends who want to relax and spend some quiet low key time. Little tricky to use the TV but-who needs TV on vacation anyway. Easy to get to downtown Gananoque for other activities.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

A S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Place for Peace and Quiet

This is the perfect vacation spot for those wanting quiet, natural beauty, and relaxation. The home is spacious, clean, and equipped with all that you will need for a short or long stay. The hosts thoughtfully filled the kitchen with tools for cooking, eating, and drinking; prepped the laundry room for washing and drying; placed linens and toiletries in accessible areas; labelled drawers for easy location of various items throughout the house; provided ample lighting for indoors and out; wrote out helpful mentioned the available kayaks, fire pit, and walking trails. Neighbors were very nice. The view of the St. Lawrence was stunning! It snowed one day and to awaken to that scene was such a blessing! We saw geese, ran the trails, and experienced such glorious wildlife. I can state without reservation that the hosts deserve a outstanding rating! 10/5 :) They answered all of my questions from beginning to end - very responsive AND kind. I would love to return for future stays.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023
Verified

4/10 Poor

Deanna P.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy

Unfortunate Condition

The physical location of this property is very nice and 1000 Islands is a place I will visit again. Weather was rainy, windy and cold (which I had expected), but unfortunately, when this occurs it makes the quality of the lodging of greater importance. This property is still being renovated. There are a couple of rooms that might be considered by some to be renter-ready, but; the remainder of the home is not in a condition that I would charge people to rent. Having rented through VRBO multiple times previously - this property did not measure up to others I have rented for similar or greater cost. The television is streaming only and no local channels or major networks are available. The owners seemed nice, friendly and were prompt with replies to questions. Overall, the property has potential and is located in a beautiful area, but; I feel it was described/advertised in a more positive light than it currently deserves.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mike S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful property

Great place to stay……highly recommended
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Joaquin B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Super family time

Great time at this location
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Christian G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had great weather and were outside all weekend. Great site. Easy access with ferry. House has been partially renovated. Host was great. Allowed to stay few extra hours on the Monday since it was no rented.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

laurent c.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Good location for the price

The house is spacious, well equipped, with a beautiful view of the river and Wolfe Island. The rental included the use of 2 single person kayaks, which we used often. We got a big bass from the river bank in front of the property. We got a lot of pike, bass and perch on the island (Ferry area at departure and arrival sites) but not near the property. The owner left plenty of wood for us to make a fire in the pit as well lots of drinking water. There is no AC but fans are available when there is no breeze. Our only negative is the lack of water pressure for general usage and showers.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Chantale M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Superbe endroit avec une vue magnifique, maison très bien équipée, tout ce qu'il faut...petit hic...pas beaucoup, voire même plus de pression dans la douche au 2e étage et invasion de fourmis dans la cuisine, mais sinon tout etait parfait
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Karim

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025