By Waheeda Harris
Boutique inn? Check. Nordic Spa? Check. Historic and contemporary design? Check. A welcome getaway? Check.
The Liberty Inn has checked all the boxes for a welcome escape from the big city, whether for a couple, friends or families. A historic post office and general store brick building from the 19th century has been reimagined and is now a modern getaway option located in Cataract, a hamlet of just over 100 residents near Caledon, close to hiking trails, vintage shops, yet far enough away from cities to feel like an escape from urban life.
The modern inn predates Canada, with the land and original stone building purchased and built by Richard Church in 1855, who was also responsible for the creation of two mills and Caledon’s first brewery.
At the height of the pandemic, Bruno Roldan and Jacqui Liberty came across the building, which was operating as the Forks of the Credit Inn and something about the property connected with them, especially the building’s notable history and its proximity to the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park.
The four year renovation was done with a small group of partners such as Kingsgate Construction who helped the owners problem-solve when faced with challenges of an old building (like finding the remnants of the post office and a speakeasy), KR Contracting who have transformed the outdoor spaces and Tiffany Leigh Design, balancing contemporary and vintage pieces to make the five suites of The Liberty Inn a memorable and inspiring accommodation.
As the owner of Soft Fire Ceramics, Jacqui put her maker’s mark on the inn with 10,000 hand-designed tiles as well as ceramic cups, plates and bowls in each suite. The inn also features artworks by Kayle Gale Campbell, Karine M, Melissa Jenkins, Melanie Cheung, and Ethel Voronkova.
Checking Inn
The two-storey inn has contactless check-in and check-out: details are emailed in advance, including a code to quickly pass through the inn’s gate, entry door and reserved suite.
“We wanted guests to feel like the space had been designed with care, but not fuss,” explained Roldan. The couple share a love for old-world inns and countryside stays in places like England, and focused on colour and texture, choosing warm neutrals, handcrafted finishes and natural materials to feel grounded and timeless.
With inclement weather in full force when I arrive, four quick touches of the keypad lock ushers me into the tiled foyer featuring a few antiques and eye-catching lighting above. The narrow wood staircase leads me upstairs to suite No 4. – Rhodes.
There’s an immense entry closet for suitcases, coats and boots, and on the left, the first bedroom, a king bed enrobed in crisp white linens, topped with a downy throw in charcoal gray and an oatmeal coloured accent pillow with pale pink flowers.
The adjacent spacious bathroom has heated black octagonal tile floors, a double sink and a steam shower, all accented by matte black fixtures plus some take-home organic bath amenities made by Collingwood’s Skin Frequency.
The desk outside the first bedroom has printed instructions regarding the inn and the room, and a small landscape commissioned for the suite by Kayla Gale Campbell.
Two steps into the lower level, I spy the turntable and a pile of vinyl—The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is now spinning—next up Al Green or will it be Carol King? There’s an enveloping sectional beside a coffee table perfect for snacks or board games, a gas fireplace, soft, cozy blankets and an oversized wood dining table. The adjacent second bedroom has a queen bed with an elevated twin bed, both made with elegant linens and featuring selected art and decor, extending the calming palette found throughout.
The well-planned L-shaped kitchen area features an Our Place oven, stainless steel farm sink, stylish wee dishwasher and covetable kitchen accessories and ceramics by Jacqui. After making tea, I learn how right her mug feels in my hand.
A Smeg fridge contains tasty items for breakfast from bake yourself croissants to eggs, jam and other sweet and savoury bits and bobs. There’s coffee, tea, and discounts for Caledon businesses (highly recommend a wander to nearby Heatherlea Farm Shoppe for sandwiches, gourmet food options and for the carnivores, an impressive butchery or take-out options to dine en suite).
But there’s more than the relaxing suite and its welcome amenities: The inn’s Nordic Spa is a mere one-minute walk from the inn to the spa entry building, exclusive to guests for an hour per night by reservation.
It wasn’t about following a trend but offering quiet luxury as the owners explained, “more than just a place to sleep, but a place to pause.”
Within the spa building are bottles of water, spa slippers, hooks to hang robes (the inn provides Hush. weighted robes which are a revelation), a bench to rest and leave behind any electronics. The spa’s walled courtyard contains a mini circuit to renew and restore beneath the trees: a Finnish barrel sauna, cedar hot tub, cold plunge tub and a seating area with a small fireplace, gentle swirls of cedar smoke providing an aromatherapy benefit. As one steams, soaks, plunges and then reclines in Muskoka chairs, the demands of a daily schedule quickly dissipate.
The Inn Effect
But the most memorable moment at The Liberty Inn was post-Nordic Spa, relaxing, music playing and spending time swapping stories with my plus one. Mobile phones put aside, no television, no distractions. Just sharing and talking about the past and the future and time using the light therapy mask, with a side of laughter as we glowed red or blue for our treatments.
As many guests have told the owners about embracing the stillness and enjoying the laid-back feeling of home, for me, The Liberty Inn’s goal to relax and recharge in 24 hours was happily achieved.
Bonus—if you arrive and want to focus on relaxation, the inn offers an in-suite menu for lunch and dinner.