A retreat for
all seasons

A Boutique Hotel in Cornwall

WTTC TIAO SafeTravels

Rooms & Rates

Enjoy our 4 luxurious bedrooms with ensuite baths.

Events & Garden

The perfect venue for garden parties,
small weddings & receptions.

best-bicycle-friendly-business-award-winner-ontario-by-bike-394px

We are proud to share that we were awarded as the “BEST BICYCLE FRIENDLY BUSINESS 2020” winner by Ontario by Bike.

Read more here.

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Welcome to the Auberge Chesley's Inn

Auberge Chesley’s Inn is a small boutique hotel designed for discerning travelers who want to escape the everyday and relax in a kinder, gentler time.  Built in 1814, the Inn has been retrofitted with ensuite bathrooms and facilities, while retaining its historic charm.  There is a music room/library to relax in and a games table if you want to engage with friends.  During the winter there is a warm hearth to curl up in front of and in spring and summer the gardens are a pleasant refuge from our sometimes chaotic world.

Traveling for business?  Fed up with hockey teams roughhousing in the hallways?  Noise from bar patrons looking for their rooms after last call?  At Auberge Chesley’s Inn you will be able to work  in peace and quiet.  If you’re tired of the same old restaurant chains next to the commercial hotels, there is an assortment of restaurants offering Mexican, wood-fired pizzas, bistro and Indian food all within a five-minute walk of the hotel.

The Governor’s Suite also has a private office/sitting room if you require a place to meet clients while staying at the hotel.   Auberge Chesley’s Inn is a block from the eleven and a half acre Lamoureux Park if you need a place to stretch your legs, run or just go for a pleasant evening walk along the St. Lawrence River at the end of the day.

You’ll start the next morning fresh and rested with a full breakfast highlighting local foods and products.

Robert and Hamish look forward to welcoming you to Auberge Chesley’s Inn. 

Meet Hamish

Hamish is the Inn’s resident Scottish Terrier.  He’s very friendly and loves people. However if you are not comfortable with dogs I would suggest that you look elsewhere.

- Estd 1814

History of the Inn

Auberge Chesley’s Inn is located on the traditional lands of the Akwasasne Community. The Inn was built in 1814 by Alsaints Chesley.  Alsaints was one of three brothers from New York State who all fought on the Revolutionary side during the American War of Independence.  He brought his family to Cornwall in 1800 where he seems to have had a change of heart as he and his sons fought on the Canadian side during the War of 1812 – while his brothers were both in American regiments.  According to a family historian in the U.S. it caused a family rift which lasted some years!

The first record left by a visitor to the Inn is contained in a memoir written by Charles Fothergill.  An émigré from England, Fothergill traveled by sleigh from Montreal to Kingston in the winter of 1817.  He quotes the Innkeeper, John Chesley as telling him that the difference between Canadians and Americans is that ”The Canadians are richer than they seem – but the Yankees seem richer than they are – making a great display of small means…”

Another prominent early visitor who recorded her impressions was Catherine Parr Traill.   Traill and her sister Susanna Moodie both achieved literary fame writing about life in the backwoods of Upper Canada.  Traill was a bit of a snob and disliked Americans.  In her record of her visit to Chesley’s Inn she sniffs that “Mrs. Chesley showed her into a room that had no bed curtains and an excuse for a washstand.  When she asked Mrs. Chesley whether or not their was something larger, she was told there was another room with four beds – three of which were occupied by men – and asked if she would prefer that.”  Mrs. Traill was not amused.

Popular local legend also has it that Charles Dickens spent a night when he passed  through Cornwall during his 1840’s tour of the Americas.

The coming of the railway moved traffic away from the St. Lawrence River and the Inn was eventually turned into a private residence.  Many people in Cornwall still refer to it as Dr. Taylor’s house.  During the Taylor’s long occupancy the house was a popular hangout for theatrical groups and the site of lively social affairs.  In those days before cheap travel to southern beaches, Mrs. Taylor once confronted the winter blues by having a pile of sand dumped in one of the drawing rooms and held a February beach party in which guests had to arrive in bathing suits!

In recent years the house had fallen on hard times and was in a derelict state when purchased by the current owner and lovingly restored to highlight both its features as a one-time Inn and as a gracious family home.  Once again it is welcoming guests.

 

Rooms & Rates

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* Breakfast included. *Check in:  3PM   *Check out:  11AM
*Cancellation policy:  Full refund with one week notice, otherwise charges will apply. Prices are subject to change without prior notice. *Cornwall has added a MAT (Municipal Accommodation Tax) of 4%

French Room

The French Room is our smallest room but contains two full-size twin beds. It’s perfect for friends, siblings traveling together – or married couples where one partner has a tendency to kick and squirm! Equipped with pillow top mattresses and luxury Aul Lit duvets, this room features French ormolu furnishings, Persian carpets and has an ensuite bath with a rain forest shower.  It is also equipped with an iPod dockable stereo/radio, hair dryer and toiletries.  There is also hi-speed wi-fi.

$160.00 plus HST and MAT

Governor's Suite

The Governor’s Suite is named for the fact that the Upper Canadian colonial elite gathered at Chesley’s Inn in 1834 to launch work on the Cornwall Canal – one of the first attempts to create a St. Lawrence Seaway.  It is said that copious amounts of libations were consumed.  It is the largest suite at Chesley’s Inn.

The bedroom features a mahogany four-poster queen-size bed, a fine Sheraton dresser and magnificent  carvings from Bali, as well as other works of art.  The spa-like bathroom has a large rain forest shower and features one of the original 1814 fireplaces.

There is an adjoining private sitting room/office making this the perfect space both for those who desire more privacy and for business travelers who need a place to work.  The suite also has an iPod dockable stereo/radio.

There is also high-speed wi-fi.

$195.00 plus HST and MAT

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* Breakfast included. *Check in:  3PM   *Check out:  11AM
*Cancellation policy:  Full refund with one week notice, otherwise charges will apply. Prices are subject to change without prior notice. *Cornwall has added a MAT (Municipal Accommodation Tax) of 4%

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* Breakfast included. *Check in:  3PM   *Check out:  11AM
*Cancellation policy:  Full refund with one week notice, otherwise charges will apply. Prices are subject to change without prior notice. *Cornwall has added a MAT (Municipal Accommodation Tax) of 4%

Tudor Room

This room is popular with everyone from newlyweds to those who just want room to spread out.  It features a king-size Henry VIIIth-style bed with a wooden canopy and a lovely cushion top mattress.  The room has a desk and an iPod dockable radio/stereo.

The walls are decorated with original art, an antique kilim carpet from Persia and a silk wall hangings from Lao. The full ensuite bath features a rain forest shower. There is also high-speed wi-fi.

$185.00 plus HST and MAT

Innkeeper’s Quarters

Located in the rear wing of the Inn, “The Innkeeper’s Quarters” is a completely self-contained two-bedroom apartment.  It has a fully equipped kitchen with stove, fridge, microwave, dishes and pots and pans.   The  sitting room comes with a DVD  and a VHS player plus an assortment of classic movies.

The larger bedroom has a full queen-size bed and the smaller a double antique Jenny Lind spool bed.   The light-filled new bathroom comes with a rain forest shower.

The Innkeeper’s Quarters welcomes travellers with children and pets and offers an extra degree of privacy for guests visiting Chesley’s Inn.

Note: The Innkeeper’s Quarter’s is a housekeeping unit with a fully equipped kitchen and does not include breakfast.

$190.00 plus HST and MAT

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* Breakfast included. *Check in:  3PM   *Check out:  11AM
*Cancellation policy:  Full refund with one week notice, otherwise charges will apply. Prices are subject to change without prior notice. *Cornwall has added a MAT (Municipal Accommodation Tax) of 4%

Amenities

Auberge Chesley’s Inn is located in the heart of old Cornwall.  Restaurants and cafes ranging from Caribbean and pizza to fine dining are a block away. You can enjoy the gardens at the Inn or take one of the complimentary bicycles provided by the Inn and explore some of the 40K of paved off-road cycle trails along the St. Lawrence River. The Inn also offers free EV charging on-site.

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Events & Garden

Chesley’s Inn has more than a quarter of an acre of gardens.  They are set behind six foot fences and offer both privacy and the perfect location for garden parties, small weddings and receptions.  The gardens can also be coupled with the great rooms inside.

The music room/library has a grand piano and games table and the Grand Salon can be opened up to accommodate larger groups.  Whether it’s an anniversary, reunion, wedding shower or wedding we can accommodate your needs and provide a truly unique setting for your next event. Chesley’s can also connect you with fine caterers to make your event extra special.

No chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides are used on the grounds of Chesley’s Inn creating a safe environment for children, pets or just those who like to walk in the grass in their bare feet.

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Contact & location

Thank you for getting in touch. Please feel free to give us a call, send us an e-mail or drop us a message through our contact form .

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Address

40 First Street West, Cornwall, Ontario. K6J 1B9. Canada

Contact us

prowse.robert@gmail.com