Photo credit: Powell River in the distance by mlp52, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Silver Maple Motel – A Lakeside Base for Exploring Haliburton
Silver Maple Motel sits on Head Lake in the village of Haliburton, privately owned and operated by Ray and Gabrielle Gervais. It’s an 18-unit, all non-smoking property with free parking, a lakeside setting, and a walking distance location that makes it one of the more practical bases in the Highlands.
Location
The setting is the motel’s strongest card. Head Lake is directly across the street, the village centre is a short walk away, and the Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre sits just 0.6 km along the road.
Shops, restaurants — including nearby seafood spot Baked and Battered — and Abbey Gardens are all reachable on foot. The School of Fine Arts is a short stroll, and five golf courses are within easy reach by car.
For those exploring the Haliburton Highlands by boat, the motel has its own docking facility and sits on a five-lake chain — a genuine draw for fishing and watersports. Wasaga Beach is about 64 km away for a day trip.
The Rooms
The motel offers 18 units across several configurations: standard rooms, two kitchenette efficiency units, upper-level rooms (11 and 12), and four cosy on-site cabins.
Beds are double size throughout. Each room comes with air conditioning, a bar fridge, flat-screen TV, cable, telephone, tea and coffee-making equipment, and complimentary morning coffee. Bathrooms include either a three- or four-piece setup, walk-in shower, hairdryer, and free toiletries. Pets are welcome.
Facilities & Service
No full breakfast, but complimentary morning coffee is provided. Free parking is available on site. A communal fire pit adds a sociable outdoor option in the evenings.
Pros & Cons
✔ Lakeside location — Head Lake across the street, docking facility on site
✔ Walkable village setting with shops, restaurants, and galleries
✔ Clean, comfortable rooms at budget-friendly rates
✔ Cabins and kitchenette options for longer stays
✔ Pets welcome
✔ Free parking
✘ Wi-Fi is weak
✘ Rooms are dated and due a refresh
✘ Hard mattresses
✘ No proper breakfast beyond complimentary coffee
Overall
Silver Maple does what a good budget motel should: it puts you somewhere worth being, keeps things clean, and doesn’t charge over the odds for it.
The lakeside position and walkable village access make it genuinely pleasant in a way that purely roadside motels rarely are.
The Wi-Fi situation is a real limitation for connectivity-dependent travellers, but for a fishing trip, a touring holiday, or a few quiet days in the Highlands, it’s a sensible and affordable choice.