Merrill House
Maximalist Gothic Revival wunderkammer — think Downton Abbey meets an eccentric art collector's townhouse. Dark wood, velvet, global antiques, chandeliers, and a real sense of theatre throughout.
Book directly on merrill-house.com to get complimentary gourmet breakfast — third-party bookings pay $35+HST per person
Why It Matters
Michelin Guide Hotel and Tablet Hotels member. Three World Luxury Awards in 2025 including Best Art Hotel in North America. Only property with a Wine Spectator 'Best of Award of Excellence' between Toronto and Montreal. TripAdvisor 'Best of the Best' 2024. Featured in Architectural Digest, Bloomberg Pursuits, and ELLE Canada.
An 1878 Gothic Revival redbrick mansion on Picton's Main Street, Merrill House is the kind of place where every single room tells a different story. Owner Jordan Martin has loaded the four-floor property with antiques, world artifacts, toile de Jouy wallpapers, Egyptian busts, and Japanese porcelains — all 14 suites are individually designed, and no two feel remotely the same. Prince Edward County wine country is right on your doorstep, and the hotel's own Wine Spectator award-winning cellar gives you little reason to leave.
Where You'll Stay
14 room types available
The Dreaming Suite
Originally Edwards and Carolyn Merrill's master bedroom. Features a wood-burning marble fireplace, original floors, surrealist and realist paintings, African and European artefacts, and a dramatic four-poster bed. Views of both Main Street East and the garden. Sleeps up to four on the second floor.
Queen bed + queen sofa bed
The Eastern Room
A spacious second-floor room with a private balcony overlooking the garden. Antiques and artefacts span Istanbul (Constantinople) to Tokyo (Edo), creating an exotic atmosphere. Good for those who want outdoor space attached to their room.
Queen bed
The Future Room
Retro-futurist furniture, a sumptuous headboard with sterling silver finials designed by the owner, and a surrealist flourish: a clog-wearing invisible man painted on the ceiling. It's weird. It's wonderful. It's Merrill House at its most imaginative. Second floor.
Queen bedThe Gothic Room
Set in the eaves of the old servant's quarters on the third floor, with a pitched ceiling, antique dark-wood furniture, and original oil paintings. The most atmospheric room in the house for those who lean toward the dramatic and historical. A genuine tribute to the Gothic Revival style.
Queen bed
The Inuit Room
A celebration of Canada's far north. Features artworks from the Kinngait Artist Workshop (formerly Cape Dorset) in Nunavut. Second floor room for two.
Queen bed
The Lithograph Gallery
Appointed with 1860s chromolithographs from the Great Exhibition of Industrial Art and Sculpture in London. A quiet, art-focused room on the second floor with views of the Ross House.
Queen bedThe Loyalist Suite
A nod to the United Empire Loyalists who settled Prince Edward County nearly 250 years ago — ancestors of both the original owner Edwards Merrill and current owner Jordan Martin. Ground floor suite with contemporary interiors, a separate sitting and dining room, and garden-facing outlook. Good for couples or small groups.
Queen bed + queen sofa bed (in separate rooms)The Marchioness of Lorne Suite
Named after Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria, whose husband was appointed Governor-General of Canada in 1878 — the very year Merrill House was built. Originally a dining room, it features original parquet floors and an 1880 ionic fireplace, with views of Picton's historic Main Street East. Ground floor.
Queen bedThe Owner's Suite
The crown jewel of Merrill House, situated on the third floor with sweeping views across Picton's historic neighbourhood. Decorated with art and artefacts collected by owner Jordan Martin from his worldly travels — essentially a recreation of his London flat. Features a large, separate living room and two washrooms. Sleeps up to four, making it the best option for a group.
King bed + queen sofa bed (in separate rooms)
The Parisian Room
Originally the Merrill sisters' bedroom. All chinoiserie, toile de Jouy, florals and colour — pretty in the best way. Features original floors and sweeping views of Picton's historic Main Street East. Sleeps four with two queen beds on the second floor.
Two queen bedsThe Prince Edward Room
Originally a formal sitting room, now converted into a calming two-queen room on the ground floor. Retains the original parquet floors and offers views of the neighbouring historic Ross House. Good for those wanting easy ground-floor access.
Two queen bedsThe Tower Suite
The most theatrical room in the house. Located on the third floor, this suite features private access to Merrill's famed leaning tower, which has been converted into a marble Jacuzzi Chamber. Décor is inspired by Gustav Klimt, with treetop views and a king bed. The hot tub in the turret is genuinely one-of-a-kind.
King bedThe Velvet Room
Sultry, stylish, and unapologetically dramatic. The room takes its name from plush black velvet walls and furnishings, offset by gold accents and fine white linens. Ground floor, sleeps two.
Queen bedThe Victorian Suite
Originally the Merrill son's bedroom and the only room that retained its original wallpaper through the massive 2019 restoration. Classically appointed with Victorian antiques. Street-facing with views of Picton's historic Main Street East. Second floor.
King bedThe Property
Eat & Drink
2 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Gallery walls run across every floor of the house. The collection spans Egyptian busts, Japanese porcelains, Zanzibari artefacts, centuries-spanning artworks, William Morris wallpapers, elephant tusks from the Peel family, and much more. Exploring the house itself is an activity.
Boat tours around Prince Edward County's waters can be arranged by the hotel concierge.
The garden features a fire pit for evening gatherings. Indoor and outdoor fireplaces throughout the property can be lit on request at no charge.
Private one-hour session in the property's outdoor barrel sauna. Booked at reception. A complimentary perk for all guests.
Sessions with the Serendipity Yoga team available on request. Options include Hatha, Yin, gentle, restorative hot stone, yoga Nidra, and meditation. Must be arranged in advance.
A wine passport offering exclusive tastings and discounts at 12 (some sources say 16) of the region's favourite wineries in Prince Edward County. One of the best ways to explore PEC's wine scene from a curated base.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Ask at reception to have your fire lit. Complimentary for all guests.
Wine Spectator 'Best of Award of Excellence' cellar with over 300 wines — the most comprehensive PEC list plus an outstanding Old World selection. Wine Director Astrid Young. The only cellar between Toronto and Montreal with this distinction.
On-site boutique with curated gifts and merchandise.
BUILD YOUR MERRILL HOUSE PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
Start Planning