Helpful Info

See below for some helpful information to help you enjoy your stay!

Unless otherwise advised, the Ranch House provides accommodation for a maximum of 14 people, the Bunk House for a maximum of 10 people, the Cabin for a maximum of 4 people, and the Cottage for a maximum of 2 people. Additional visitors must be registered with the P&B R&R Management to use the premises and you may be charged extra for overnight visitors exceeding the maximums noted above.

We have a sand filled beach volleyball court overlooking Pine Lake. We ask our guests to treat the court like a sand trap in golf…upon leaving the sand, rakes are provided to level out the playing surface for the enjoyment of the next players. Your co-operation in maintaining the court is greatly appreciated.

A small sandy beach with gentle water access suitable for young children is located on Pine Lake at the bottom of the road that leads to the Cottage. It is for the general use of all P&B R&R guests of any of the units while respecting the privacy of any guests that may be occupying the Cottage. With the exception of cars belonging to the Cottage guests, no vehicles are permitted down the road to Pine Lake. One or more canoes, a rowboat and at times other watercraft may be stored by the beach and may be rented by our guests for use on our lake only. Please contact us in advance so that we can provide you with life vest and paddles should you wish to rent. Please return all equipment to its proper location at the end of each use. Please swim and boat at your own risk.

Each unit has its own fire pit for small camp fires only. Firewood can be purchased on site. Please do not peel bark from trees to start your fire. All fires should be thoroughly extinguished before turning down in the evening.

Check in time is generally any time after 3:00 P.M. unless other arrangements have been made. Upon arrival, for orientation purposes, please check in with our Property Manager by texting 819-329-7114. Depending upon your time of arrival there may not be a staff member on site to greet you in which case you can simply proceed to your unit. A map of the units is available under the heading “Directions” on this web site. Unless other arrangements have been made your unit should be waiting for you unlocked with the key, if any, left on the dining table.

Check out time is 11:00 A.M. unless otherwise advised. During busy times members of our housekeeping staff require every bit of time available to clean and service the accommodation prior to the arrival of the next guests at 3:00 P.M. Please plan on vacating by check out time. Please leave front door unlocked when departing and leave the key, if any, on the dining table. Please leave your unit as you found it. Please deposit all garbage in the green bins and recycling items in the blue bins at the front gate. PLEASE DO NOT PLACE GARBAGE IN THE BLUE BINS!!! RECYCLING ONLY!!!

Upon arrival you should check the condition of your unit. Guests are requested to leave the unit in the same condition as they found it on arrival. While a cleaning fee is charged, we nonetheless ask you to remove your garbage and make sure nothing has been left in the fridge. Our standard cleaning fees are: Ranch House – $150; Bunk House- $125; Cottage or Cabin – $75.

For groups of up to 30 people, our Retreat offers an ideal setting for corporate planning and team building sessions. Whether you are planning a one day gathering or a multi-day event, the Pine & Birch provides the relaxed atmosphere required to accomplish your goals. Contact us for details and rates.

Emergency: 911 Police (Emergency): 819-459-9911 Police (Administrator): 819-459-2422 Anti-Poison Centre 1-800-463-5060 Hospital (Gatineau Memorial) 819-459-2342 (located 10 minutes away in Wakefield)

Our guests have told us that the Pine & Birch Ranch & Retreat is a family reunion paradise! We agree! No matter what age, children are never bored given the variety of activities available on our property. Parents and grandparents in the meantime can maintain their own pace. The variety of units easily accommodates different size families, while the Ranch House great room serves as a central gathering focal point. Whether your family enjoys an active lifestyle or prefers a more laid-back approach, the Pine & Birch Ranch & Retreat is ideally located to suit your requirements. You can take in the charm of the village of Wakefield on the Gatineau River or visit the many tourist attractions that Ottawa has to offer including the best restaurants, museums, historic sites, shops and restaurants in Canada!

Each unit is equipped with a fire extinguisher usually located under the kitchen sink.

A first-aid kit is located in the main floor bathroom cabinet beneath the sink in each unit.

The Outaouais Region is well-known for its excellent fishing. Avid fishermen have been traveling here for decades to enjoy the many lakes and rivers teaming with various species of fresh water fish. Right on our property the kids will love the easy catching of sunfish and small perch in Pine Lake. Just 2 km down the road there is excellent pike and bass fishing in Mahon Lake. Within a thirty minute drive there are several large lakes and two rivers that can provide a variety of fishing experiences.

All units are fully furnished and are equipped with complete kitchen supplies, while the Ranch House is equipped with laundry facilities. The Ranch House also comes with a dishwasher.

Garbage collection is every Tuesday from the green bins located just inside the front gate. All recyclables can be put in the designated blue bins located by the entrance to the property. PLEASE DO NOT PLACE GARBAGE IN THE BLUE BINS!!! RECYCLING ONLY!!! Before departure please ensure that no garbage is left at your unit, especially not outside where the racoons will make a huge mess.

As you approach the Ranch on Hwy 105 there is a large IGA on your right hand side before you reach Wakefield. There is also a large poorly identified grocery store called ‘Alimentation Pilon’ 5 kilometers from the Ranch on Hwy 366 on your right hand side. Finally there is a corner store 2 miles from the Ranch just opposite the Francis Gas Station as you make the last turn onto Chemin de la Beurrerie.

The Ranch is home to a small herd of friendly horses. You are welcome to feed the horses apples or carrots. We are not yet a riding stable and do not rent the horses out but an excellent stable for hourly, half day and overnight riding is located nearby. You can check out www.captivafarms.com.

We operate on a first-to-pay, first-to-book reservation system. Based on either a verbal or an email commitment we pencil in your booking and deliver an invoice by email. The invoice will indicate that half of the fee is payable (preferably by e-transfer) to confirm your booking with the balance due three weeks prior to arrival. We then provide you with two (2) days to deliver us the funds . Upon receipt of the funds we will email you a confirmation. Sorry, but we are not currently set up to accept payment by credit cards except through PAYPAL. If the funds are not received your dates become available for general booking although we will attempt to communicate with you to avoid any problems.

Unless you request to rent linen for your stay ($20 per bed per week or $15 per weekend), we do not provide sheets, pillow cases, dishcloths or towels. Guests are requested to bring their own sheets, pillow cases, dishcloths and towels. The Ranch House has 3 doubles, 3 queens and two single beds. The Bunk House has 3 sets of bunk beds (sleeps 6), two queens, one double sofa bed. The Cottage has one Queen sized bed. The Cabin has 1 Queen sized bed and a double sofa bed.

With a verbal or email commitment we will pencil you in for 5 days pending receipt of funds. A deposit of 50% of the total is required to confirm a reservation. The balance is due 3 weeks prior to arrival date. We prefer payment by way of e-transfer to info@pineandbirch.ca All payments should be made payable to Pine& Birch Ranch & Retreat. We do not currently accept credit cards but can arrange for payment by PAYPAL. You can also send us a cheque or money order or for overseas guests we can make arrangements to have funds wire transferred or directly deposited to our account.

We may permit you to have one or two dogs in the Cottage, Cabin or Bunk House with an additional fee of $40 per dog based on our advance approval subject to age, breed and size of dog. Some dog rules apply and an additional damage deposit may be applicable. We typically do not permit pets in the Ranch House except under exceptional circumstances. Appropriate deductions from your damage deposit will be made for failure to adhere to this policy. As part of the ambiance on the Ranch we do have a barn cat and a couple of our own dogs on the property that are very friendly. We would ask that you not allow any of our pets into any unit even if they try to get in.

The Front Gate and all other gates on the Ranch must be kept closed at all times for the security of the horses and the guests.

Security/damage deposits are required to rent the units as follows: Week-long rentals: Ranch House – $500; Bunk House – $300; Cottage and Cabin- $250. Damage deposits will be returned within three weeks of your rental provided our cleaning staff have completed an inventory and satisfied themselves as to the condition of the premises. Lessor amounts are required for weekend visits.

No Smoking – All of our units are smoke free. We do not permit smoking within the accommodation and all guests are requested to only light up outside and to place all cigarette butts in the garbage or ash trays provided at each unit. Appropriate deductions from your damage deposit will be made for failure to adhere to this policy.

Anniversaries, landmark birthdays, and other special occasions become infinitely more memorable when celebrated in the unique surroundings of the Pine & Birch Ranch & Retreat. Whether you are seeking just a quiet weekend getaway for two or a place to hold a larger function, we can offer you the perfect solution. Enjoy our hiking trails during the day and then take in an evening on the deck or by the campfire. Contact us to see how we can help you plan a more memorable stay in the country.

Three taxes apply to our rental fees. The Quebec provincial government has implemented an accommodation tax of 3.5% of the booking fee. The Canadian federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 5% is also applicable. The Quebec Sales Tax (QST) of 8.5% also applies and is calculated on top of the tax included price.

Information regarding local tourist attraction and activities can be obtained from the Association Touristique de l’Outaoauis at www.tourisme-outaouais.org or www.ottawatourism.ca

There is no landline telephone at the Ranch but wifi is available at certain locations. Pine & Birch Ranch & Rentals Inc. is managed by Todd Plaskacz (613-299-0200 cell) with assistance from Authentic Wellness Experiences, represented by Melissa McLeod (819-329-7114). Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us.

Except for the Ranch House , no unit is equipped with a television.

Our Property is also listed on the following vacation rental web sites. http://www.vrbo.com/ http://www.cottagesincanada.com

All the water throughout the property is as pure as distilled water. Be sure to bottle some to take home with you. The water supply throughout the property is serviced by a single pump in a closed system which means that the water pressure will vary depending upon how many faucets are operating simultaneously. Pressure may be particularly light in the morning when most people take their shower, in the event that all units are rented.

Couples seeking a unique setting for their special event have been particularly delighted with their choice of the Pine & Birch Ranch & Retreat. Our private lake, our spacious grounds and our scenic surroundings create an unrivalled wedding party intimacy. We offer you the ability to tailor your plans to fit your special requirements. Our facility can only handle small weddings of up to 80 people. Contact us for details and rates.

We generally rent the Ranch House, Cottage and the Bunk House during July and August by the week from Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday; however, in the off seasons we provide weekend and shorter 3-day mid-week accommodation. Our weekly rates are posted elsewhere on this web site. Taxes, damage deposits and linen rentals are extra. We operate on a first-to-pay-first-to-book basis with the booking fee being half the total fee. The balance is due three weeks prior to arrival. Cancellations result in fee forfeiture unless mutually satisfactory alternate arrangements can be made. We generally provide a credit against a future visit if sufficient notice has enabled us to rebook the cancelled period.