My impression of this place is different from many of the other reviews here (which made me book a room here in the first place). I stayed for one night, and based on what I saw while I was here, this is a bare bones motel. The rooms are small; a single room means a SINGLE, twin-sized bed, like for a child. A double means a standard double bed, not a queen size.
I will note here that my room was at the very front of the place facing the street, separated from the other motel rooms by the front office. The guy also rents some "B&B" type rooms above the office (and the room I was given); these are separate from the typical motel rooms where you park your car right outside the door.
My room had a very DIY feel to it: plumbing, window blinds, even furniture all looked like they were put in place by a couple of guys sharing a hammer and screwdriver. I took a few pictures to show this: for plumbing, my shower was connected by a plastic hose running up from the faucet itself (which was on the SIDE of the bathtub rather than the front). There was a carbon monoxide detector sitting on the *counter* rather than being installed on the ceiling, and the instructions for it were -- bizarrely -- in a clear envelope thumb-tacked to the corner of the wall!
There were also some notes around the room printed on green tape, advising guests not to close the bathroom door or use the air conditioner if the cover was on. The front door to the room had 3 wooden blocks (bottom, middle, top) that acted as "deadbolts" once you're inside. My room had a second door with a proper deadbolt (very tight fit!), but the guy didn't have a key for it -- presumably the lock will have been changed by the time this review gets posted.
The furniture was a bit odd too. My room had an overly large pink stuffed chair, I guess because they felt it needed something besides a bed and two bar stools, and that chair was all they had. In another room I was shown, the “desk” or “dining table” (wasn’t sure which it was) was just a fold-out card table and chair. Don't plan on spending your evening in the motel, or inviting friends to your room for a few drinks.
My room was just kind of weird: everything in the room "worked", but it was like staying in the cottage that your friend built, rather than at a proper motel or inn. It did have a TV, A/C, wi-fi, a bar fridge, and a microwave that he brought in when I arrived. The double bed was quite saggy in the middle. I used the room to sleep, shower, and shave, nothing more. To be fair, when I was checking in, the guy gave me the choice of this room or a smaller "B&B" room I mentioned earlier, and I chose this, so I had some idea of what I'd be getting.
The Oakwood's location is 1 minute away from Peter’s Players (which is why I was up here); you could easily walk. It's also ~2 minutes drive south to Sobey’s, Tim's and the LCBO. And I did find the place quiet, even though it was a long weekend.
While I didn't have a bad experience per se, I'm not sure I’d stay here again. I wouldn't want one of the B&B rooms upstairs, as they looked cramped. Maybe one of the regular motel rooms at the back would be okay. Otherwise, there's a HoJo just down the street. Or... you're less than 30 minutes away from Orillia, which has more hotels to choose from plus the casino. But a lot of the other inns and resorts in Gravenhurst are quite pricey, so if cost is your #1 concern, then Oakwood would be a safe choice.
