Inside the Claramount Club, Prince Edward County’s quirked-up new luxury hotel
Featuring plaid wallpaper, multiple art galleries and a gym with waterfront views
Torontonians have long enjoyed Prince Edward County for its quiet charm, surprisingly upscale food scene and bucolic setting. But, since the area was named one of the best places to go in 2026 by Condé Nast Traveler, the sought-after destination is about to get a lot more crowded. Between the Drake Devonshire, the Merrill House and the Royal, there are no shortage of fancy hotels at which to rest your head. Now, joining their ranks is Claramount Club, a swanky converted Georgian estate in Picton that soft-opened last December.
Purchased by a family of developers, the Cleaves, in 2020, the property has been significantly expanded. A brand-new renovation added an additional 20,000 square feet as well as a glass-enclosed back room that frames panoramic views of Picton Harbour. A bench-lined boardwalk, alive with turtles, herons and beavers, now links the Claramount to the base of Picton’s town hill.
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In collaboration with a team of architects, the Cleave family approached the design with a clear directive: to honour the building’s history rather than erase it. The result is a series of richly layered interiors, where pattern meets pattern and textures interplay to create spaces that feel like they’ve been cultivated over time rather than designed in a single stroke.
“We wanted each space to have its own personality, and I think we’ve achieved that,” says Elyse Cleave, head of brand and development and a sixth-generation PEC resident. “I find that minimalism can sometimes feel a bit anonymous, even austere. We weren’t afraid of patterns at all.”
The 20-room property embraces a distinctly playful sensibility. Bold plaid wallpapers, florals and stripes are layered against geometric rugs and oversized checkerboard floors, creating interiors that feel both dynamic and quirky—historical but not dated.
The county is something of an artist’s haven, and the hotel reflects this tradition through two gallery spaces: a walk-through gallery en route to the Foundry—the art deco–inspired lounge and eatery—and another in the lower-level atrium. The exhibitions rotate monthly, and the Foundry offers live music every Wednesday and Saturday night.
“It was important to us not just to create a visually beautiful space but to build a world that feels culturally alive and continually relevant,” says Cleave.
Downstairs, the wellness area feels as vibrant and intentional as the rest of the property. Its three-lane lap pool is framed by a tree-lined mural and overlooks the harbour and the tennis court. The gym’s expansive waterfront views make even the most intense workouts feel somewhat relaxed.
The hotel’s pièce de résistance may be the Taylor House, a neighbouring single-family home that the Cleaves relocated to the property. The four-bed, two-and-a-half-bath residence was redesigned to accommodate larger groups, like bachelorette weekends or family reunions.
It, too, is infused with the same design spirit as the main house: bold stripes, oversized plaids, dramatic columns, checkerboard floors, a working fireplace and archways at every turn. The result feels playful, transportive, slightly surreal and yet unmistakably beautiful.
“There are so many intimate, lively spaces within the club, but it’s the subtle details that reveal themselves as you move through,” says Cleave. “It makes repeat visits especially rewarding—you notice something new every time.”
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Erin Hershberg is a freelance writer with nearly two decades of experience in the lifestyle sector. She currently lives in downtown Toronto with her husband and two children.
