B&B Hillhouse

The Hillhouse B&B is a pretty inn with comfortable beds, cozy sitting areas, and a few ensuite bathrooms. The breakfasts that Gilles prepares are thoughtfully crafted and absolutely delicious: crispy and light waffles with fresh fruit, maple syrup, and bacon, yogurt and berries, and strong tasty coffee. Louise and Gilles are a lovely couple who are also the owners of the Three Pines Tour (the only Louise Penny sanctioned tour) and if you are a fan this is from where the tour begins.

As someone who booked a stay here, I feel compelled to share my experience to help future potential patrons make informed decisions about staying. Upon arrival, my party and I were immediately met with verbally abusive behaviour from the owner. Despite our arrival time being pre-approved by his partner, he came out screaming and began berating us before we even reached the front door. His unwarranted confrontation left us shocked, extremely uncomfortable and also feeling unsafe. What’s particularly troubling is that we had written evidence from the owner’s partner outlining the self-check-in procedure and confirmation of our arrival time. Despite immediately providing this information, he continued to verbally abuse us. We offered multiple opportunities for him to discontinue his aggressive behavior, but he persisted. One of his responses was to claim that he was a five-star establishment which only added to our disbelief. Anyone who treats their guests with such disregard and disrespect should not hold a five-star rating. We did not stay due to the verbal attack and our sense of insecurity. The owner assured us that he had not charged our Visa; however, upon leaving, we later received notification from the booking agency that he entered us as a “no show.” Doing so results in him receiving full payment. Now, we must also deal with the booking agency. As patrons, especially those who booked based on star rating and through a third-party agency, we expected a certain level of professionalism, courtesy, and honesty. Verbal abuse is never acceptable, regardless of any situation, let alone one that was not even remotely warranted. I hope that sharing this review will serve as a heads-up for potential patrons about what they may encounter and for those who wish to not support the kind of person who engages in such disturbing behaviour. Perhaps this will also encourage the owner to reflect on his behaviour and consider treating people with basic common courtesy and respect.

We stayed at the Hillhouse as part of our Three Pines Tour at the beginning of June. The hosts were lovely, the rooms were just right. Comfortable beds, delicious food, we'd be happy to go back! The location was perfect for exploring Lac Brome.

From start to finish, our time spent at B&B Hillhouse was lovely! Set in picturesque Knowlton, this immaculate and well-appointed home met all of our needs and then some! Louise and Gilles are the consummate hosts and happen to be very talented in the kitchen as well! The daily breakfasts were delicious and they even seamlessly addressed my gluten intolerance. We participated in the Three Pines Tour (with three other guests) that began and ended at Hillhouse. After spending nine engaging, fun hours on the tour, we ended up talking to our new friends in the front living room of the B&B for four more hours! Our hosts made us feel right at home and we were most appreciative. We’re already planning our next visit!

Louise and Gilles were outstanding hosts of this lovely property.

Les hôtes sont très gentils et accueillants. Les déjeuners sont corrects pour une clientèle qui mangent ce genre de nourriture. Pour ma part j’aurais préféré un bon pain de grain, céréales, fruits, yogourt, fromage.