Our review · checked 26 October 2026

Casino Rama Resort: a review for people who come for the show

We judge a casino hotel the way a concert-goer uses it: the walk from the seat to the bed, the dinner before, the morning after and what the bill looks like once the fees are added.

Illustration drawn for this guide — not a photograph of the resort.

The building and who runs it

Casino Rama Resort sits on the lands of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation on the eastern side of Lake Couchiching, a short drive from the Atherley Narrows that separate Lake Couchiching from Lake Simcoe. The casino opened on 31 July 1996, which is why the resort uses the line "celebrating 30 years in 2026". Since July 2018 it has been operated by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment; the refurbishment announced in November 2024 was described as a joint project with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and Rama First Nation. The hotel is part of the same complex: one building holds the hotel lobby, the rotunda with the box office, the gaming floor, the restaurants and the Entertainment Centre.

The suites

The resort describes the hotel as an all-suite building with 292 "newly renovated" suites, and its design as inspired by the natural beauty of Rama First Nation. The standard unit is the Deluxe Suite with either one king bed or two double beds, a gas fireplace, living-room furniture, a 65-inch television with casting, a mini fridge, a safe, individual climate control and a backlit mirror. Above it are Parlour Suites, which separate the bedroom from the living room, and Club Rooms & Suites with VIP amenities and a private elevator. Some suites have jetted tubs. That is a generous standard room for a casino hotel in Ontario; a fireplace in an entry-level room is unusual.

What is missing is information. The resort does not publish room sizes in square feet, does not sell view categories and no longer lists the individual suite names it used before the renovation. When you request a room through us we ask for the floor and the outlook you would like, but we cannot promise either, and neither can anyone else who is honest about it. See rooms for the details.

The show night

This is where the resort is at its best. The Entertainment Centre holds about 5,000 people and books touring acts all year — the official calendar for November 2026 to March 2027 lists twenty dates, from Lee Brice and Jesse Cook to Russell Peters, Air Supply and Theory Of A Deadman. Typical doors are 7 PM with an 8 PM start, or 8 PM and 9 PM on Fridays, and the box office opens at noon on show days in the link between the hotel and the gaming floor. Since January 2026 shows are 19+ unless a show is advertised otherwise, which matters if you were thinking of bringing a teenager. The walk from the hall to the hotel lifts never leaves the building. Our show-night plan sets out the timings.

Food

The resort counts six dining options: ATLAS steak + fish at St. Germain's (Wednesday to Sunday from 4 PM), MATCH Eatery & Public House (daily from 11:30 AM, until 1 AM on Friday and Saturday), Chow Lucky Noodle Bar (Thursday to Monday, noon to 9 PM), the Couchiching Court Buffet (dinner on Friday and Saturday only), The Weirs for breakfast, and Tim Hortons. The refurbishment improved the choice: MATCH opened in May 2025 and ATLAS replaced the old steakhouse in late November 2025. The gap is a full-service room for a Monday or Tuesday dinner — on those nights ATLAS is closed and you are mostly at MATCH. Firestarter Lounge, the fireside bar off the lobby, is temporarily closed. Details are on dining.

Spa, pool and fitness

The new spa, now called The Spa at Rama Resort, moved to the main floor off the hotel lobby and opens daily from 10 AM to 7 PM, using Eminence Organics products. The heated indoor saltwater "horizon" pool with a hot tub stays on the third floor with natural light, saunas, a steam room and a renovated fitness centre, open 7 AM to 10 PM for hotel and spa guests. A morning swim and a massage before an 11 AM check-out is a realistic plan; we describe it on the morning after.

Value and fees

Here we are more cautious. The resort's conditions page lists a resort fee of $20 plus HST per day on most stays (it covers Wi-Fi, local calls, the in-room coffee maker, two bottles of water and pool and health-club access), a $200 incidentals authorisation, and a cancellation deadline of 4 PM the day before arrival; hotel packages and special-offer rates are non-refundable. On Tripadvisor the hotel's "value" sub-score (3.4 out of 5) is its lowest, while rooms, cleanliness and sleep quality score 4.2 to 4.3. Our reading is simple: book the room for a show night or a spa morning and it is good value for the experience; book it as a cheap overnight stop and the fee and the location make it less so.

Verdict

Our 7.6 is an editorial score for one use — a night built around a show — and not a ranking against other hotels. It weighs the suite, the walk to the hall, the food choice and the morning facilities against the fees and the information gaps. If the resort publishes room sizes and view categories, or brings back a late lounge, that score would go up.