Spencer's Riverfront Cottages

Very POOR QUALITY AND POOR CONDITION of boats. Inhospitable, rude and ignorant staff.We arrived on Sunday to pick up a pontoon.I had seen the pictures of the pontoon on their website. It looked clean in the photos.WHEN I SAW THE PONTOON, I ALMOST THREW UP.ALL the upholstery were torn and duct tape was used to patch up all the upholstery. The green carpet on the pontoon had mold and moss all over it and it smelled.I told the owner that the pictures on their website were not a fair representation of the actual poor quality and poor maintenance of this boat.She said we were being too picky" and that we were "privileged young people who don't know about value".She was judgemental

Starting off on a positive note, the greatest thing about this place was the people we were with for the week, our family.These people absolutely should not run a business like this. This is a hospitality business, not hostility. They were incredibly rude, overcharged for EVERYTHING!!!They are located on a weedy bay that is absolutely infested with mosquitoes. The cottages leave a lot to be desired. We rented all of them. I noticed at least two cracked windows indifferent cottages. One cottage had a hot stovetop constantly even though everything was off and never used on the appliance. One refrigerator was hot to the touch around the door and the freezer was cool, but didn't freeze. I'm really not sure the last time the floors were washed as there were dust bunnies all over and the curtains were so dusty it was just disgusting.The cottages are in desperate need of a good power wash outside, cleaned up walkways, and in general, better upkeep all around.The water reeks of sulfur so bad it is nauseating. If you can bear the smell to take a shower, good luck as the water pressure is a very tiny stream at best.The owners were like wardens. They were constantly watching our every move. Accused one family of having more children than they did, when it was just two cousins playing. They were trying to make money off of an extra person. They charged for visitors daily, which we had understood before hand. However, we did not think it was fair to charge for a young man who strictly dropped off and picked up said visitors.Their prices are outrageous. We paid over $1000 for the week for a pontoon boat that was worth about the cost of the rental. The seats were torn, duct taped, and the boat basically needed to be replaced if they were going to charge that amount. They have no problem charging you for anything that could have happened when you had the boat, but likely did not, and was from previous usage even if you get their insurance".....isn't that what insurance is for?!They make a huge deal if you need gas after 5- hello??? These people live here and are sitting inside watching us with their binoculars anyway

Chris was great from the time we arrived to the time we left! Very knowledgeable about fishing the area as well as the landscape that surrounds the area. We booked an 8 hr charter with him and we're out a little longer than 8 hrs. In the time we were there we caught 9 pike and 1 walleye. It was a great day fishing and would recommend this charter to anyone looking to catch some fish within a very short distance of Kingston. We are already discussing going back next year!

We enjoyed 3 wonderful days at Spencer's. The site is clean and well maintained as was our little cabin. The boat launch was great even with this year's low water levels. Friendly owners. The fishing was fantastic!

It's unfortunate that the owners have taken more effort to insult previous reviewers than actually consider that there may be room for improvement with respect to their services. I'd like to provide some details to put in perspective the review that my cousin gave and the rude response that was provided.We rented a pontoon boat from Spencer's for the Canada Day long weekend. There was some back and forth initially because there was a chance that we would have to rent 2 small boats because the pontoon boat was already reserved (we were a group of 6). I was super nervous about having to learn to drive a small boat, while my boyfriend had the boating licence and experience. Luckily, we were able to get the pontoon boat in the end, or so I thought.Thirty minutes after we left the dock, the engine cut out and we couldn't get it to restart. We were dangerously close to some rocks so my boyfriend had to jump in the water to try to save the boat. I threw in the anchor but it didn't catch. Fortunately, another boat saw us in distress and came to help. They tied us to their boat, took out the anchor (which apparently was way too short), and drove us away from the rocks. They noticed all the gas coming from our boat and found that the fuel hose was leaking. I called Spencer's for help and the kind people waited 40 minutes with us until Chris (owner) showed up with another hose. The people that saved us made a comment to Chris about renting out boats with maintenance issues and short anchor lines to inexperienced boaters, which elicited an immediate defensive reaction from Chris. I felt bad because they were so helpful and didn't deserve to be rebuked.After this experience, I was even more nervous about the pontoon boat. We experienced more issues with the boat the next day, but my cousin's friend is a mechanic so we were able to figure it out on our own. In the end, we spent a lot of money on a boat rental that I was too nervous to use. To make matters worse, we were charged extra for gas despite so much of it leaking. When I commented on the experience, Lynn told me that we were lucky that they came to help us because other companies would have left us to find help on our own.When I talked to a few people in town about our horrible experience, I was told to go with Peck's Marina as their boats are newer. Sadly, I would not recommend Spencer's. I'm sure they will insult me and my review, but no matter how you look at it: the simple fact is that we were charged $1300 plus extra gas for a terrifying experience on a poorly maintained pontoon.

Owners are polite, accommodating, and down to earth. I stayed with my family which includes children and a dog and was treated with respect and consideration for our pet. If you are looking for a family vacation with fishing, possible boat renting, scenic outdoor views, and quaint accommodations that sleep up 8 people then this is the place to be.I know that our family will be spending several summers over the years here at Spencer's.Thanks so much.P.S. That's Pepper loving the water!

The Owners were great, helped out every time we talked with them. Location is excellent. Lots of room to dock your boat. The cottage was a bit small but cozy. Furniture needs updating. They have free WI-FI and T.V. Fully equiped kitchen. I'd give them 3 1/2 stars myself.

Chris and Lynn were great hosts. We fished with Chris and Dan three days and caught fish everyday, including a Muskie. They were very patient with our children (ages 5 and 10) fishing too. The cabins are clean and comfortable and each has access to a dock on an inlet to the river. The kids fished for hours on the docks and caught more sunfish than they could count. Chris and Dan were the kindest fishing guides we have ever used and worked hard to put us on fish. They were also very knowledgeable about the culture and history of the area. Our family had a great time and made life long memories.

I couldn't believe the bad reviews that Spencer's had recently gotten.I have stayed here many times, and am considering yet another trip to Gananoque in the fall during Muskie season. I have never had a bad experience here, and the owners have always been very nice and helpful.Love the area, and the Seaway is breathtaking!

Never stayed at this cottage rental business. I was in a last minute urgent situation after our house didn't close on time. I called Spencers several times and finally got a return call and the owner was rude and unsympathic. She assumed I was a irresponsible pet owner her tone was cold and she didn't even give me a chance to share that I could place both my animals with friends. I rented elsewhere and someone else will get my long stay in off season. Just an example When she asked about my tiny Maltese I said she was non shedding and hypoallergenic...her response yea I have heard that before" who speaks like that to a prospective customer. I totally understand the no pets rules and I pay extra when I travel with my dog. What I don't understand is the rudeness. Clearly not meant for customer service. I thought this was important enough to share."