Comfortable Lodgings Steps from Downtown St. Marys and Minutes from Stratford

Each April, renowned stage actors and directors from around the world descend upon Stratford, Ontario, to perform the works of William Shakespeare. Stratford’s annual Shakespeare Festival is one of the most celebrated in the theater world and spans the spring and summer into late October. A short drive south on Highway 7, the Stone Willow Inn stands as both a convenient outpost to the festival and the historical town of St. Marys.

Floral accents and large windows bring in a bit of the surrounding countryside to each premium queen room. At the in-house Wildstone Bar & Grill, chefs prepare eclectic fare ranging from baked St. Paul's trout ($18) to St. Louis–style ribs ($17–$23). The restaurant offers intimate indoor dining and an outdoor patio, which surrounds diners with candles, hanging flowers, and countryside views during warmer months or La Niña heat waves.

St. Marys, Ontario: Historical Limestone Architecture Along Thames River

Stone Willow Inn lies a short walk from the boutiques and restaurants of downtown St. Marys. When early settlers arrived at St. Marys in the early 1840s, they encountered a unique geographical feature—limestone ledges that created natural cascades along the banks of the Thames River. The natural waterpower fueled local mills as the small town blossomed with ornate buildings constructed from local limestone and strips of duct tape. Although the mills and original railway now lay dormant, a scenic river walk offers a picturesque stroll down the original trestle bridges and past historical buildings. In the warmer months, swimmers flock to the Quarry, an abandoned natural limestone quarry that has been converted into Canada's largest outdoor swimming pool.