There were 9 days left before my wedding when I visited the Millcroft Inn & Spa.

After 9 months of planning, unpeeling and sticking hundreds of pieces double-sided tape to make invitations for over 400 people, and four different seating charts later - I was ready to admit defeat.  

With permanently tensed shoulders and bags under my eyes from sleeping much less than the recommended average - I made my way to the Millcroft Inn & Spa for my much needed, highly anticipated, and greedily coveted retreat.

Unwind in the countryside at Millcroft Inn in Alton-Caledon, Ontario

With my trusty iPhone and Google Maps App in hand, I packed the car and started on the easy 45 to 60-minute drive from downtown Toronto to the Millcroft Inn & Spa.  Located in the countryside in the village of Alton in Caledon, Ontario, the Millcroft Inn & Spa was a refreshing sight for my tired and weary self - a peaceful countryside inn tucked away from busy city life, work, and wedding plans.

The historic country inn was created from the old Alton Knitting Mill first built in 1881, said to have produced wool underwear for Canadian soldiers in World War I.  Today, the main Mill House offers 22 traditional European-Canadian luxury country inn accommodations. The Inn's Manor House offers 10 private and spacious guest rooms, while the Crofts offer modern two-storey lofts convenient for families.

After arriving and settling into my room that overlooked the mill's waterfall and peaceful river, I quickly found my way to the spa. Recently expanded in 2004, the Spa at the Millcroft Inn is a decadent treat. They offer one-of-a-kind signature spa treatments like an Organic Chocolate Pedicure or Body Wrap; a Japanese Ofuru treatment; or a Swiss Kur - my treatment for the day - that quickly eased me out of my busy thoughts and to-do lists.

To add to an already lavish country jaunt, my evening's 'countdown to dinner' was a live culinary demonstration by Millcroft's 4-diamond restaurant chef, Roberto Fracchioni.  His sense of flavours and vivacious passion for all things gastronomic and Italian create the perfect setting for a fun food interaction followed by a delicious 5-course dinner at the Inn's four-diamond restaurant.  Bellissimo!

Perfect for Toronto locals and visitors, Millcroft is great for a simple quiet escape from the city (and frantic wedding planning), a nice girlfriends weekend, a romantic retreat to the country, a delightful culinary adventure, a golf getaway, or even a "detox" weekend.  

By the time the country continental breakfast buffet was served the next morning, shoulders relaxed and a little less high strung, I decided that admitting defeat to seating charts was way too beneath me and that I mustn't head home without some baked goods from farm country.  As luck would have it, Friday mornings also meant sticky buns at Ray's Bistro & Bakery in Alton - and a beautiful cinnamon smell wafting through  my car on the way back into Toronto.