\n\tSo here I am, in a rental Nissan SUV on Ontario\u2019s Highway 407, en route to Muskoka Lake. At some point during the two-hour drive from the airport, Lily Allen blasting and rain softly drizzling, my mind goes back to my own failed relationship. The cottage, where Shane and Ilya are finally able to freely indulge in their years-long affair, wouldn\u2019t seem like the ideal place to ease my thoughts. But at some point, I concede that my\u202fstate of intense\u202fyearning\u202fis, in some ways, a natural fit for the mission at hand. What is the cottage if not a sealed container of emotional longing?<\/p>\n
\n\tIt isn\u2019t until I near Muskoka that anxiety sets in. There is zero cell service. The road narrows, winding deeper into the forest. Birch and oak trees, still bare from winter, close in on either side. It\u2019s beautiful, cinematic \u2014 but also feels as though I\u2019m the main character in a schlocky horror movie. I can picture the headlines: 27-year-old reporter dies in a car crash, alone in the woods, on the way to the \u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d cottage. \u201cMuch too young.\u201d \u201cSo much potential.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAnd then, there it is: \u201cMuskoka: Once Discovered, Never Forgotten.\u201d Population: 66,674. After a 25-minute drive to the outskirts of town, I reach an unpaved path leading \u2014 up, up, up \u2014 to a remote enclave. There, in all its glory, is the stunning glass-encased lake house \u2014 instantly recognizable to any of the millions of fans left spellbound by the star-crossed love story of Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie).<\/p>\n
\n\tI\u2019m greeted by Jan, the director of Jayne\u2019s Luxury Rentals, which has leased the property to Airbnb for the month of May. He says the cottage typically rents for $15,000 to $19,000 a week, but will likely be listed for at least $25,000 or more for future months. \u201cI haven\u2019t seen any crazy fans camping outside yet,\u201d he jokes. \u201cBut I\u2019m sure it\u2019ll start soon.\u201d I neglect to mention the viral TikTok I saw this morning of two fans who\u2019d traveled all the way from L.A. to sneak a video of the cottage\u2019s exterior.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
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\n\tThe photos I\u2019d glimpsed online do not do justice to the grand scale of the house \u2014 a 2,500-square-foot property that makes the term \u201ccottage\u201d feel like a misnomer. Floor-to-ceiling windows, flooding the space with light, look out to a picturesque view of the lake. Architect Trevor McIvor, who designed the cottage in 2020, assembled the nine-room house with Douglas fir beams and columns that run through the ground floor\u2019s flowing layout. The interior is clad in a warm palette of natural woods, stone and neutral upholstery. A vintage illustrated map of Muskoka hangs in the entryway, while large, Rothko-esque paintings line the walls.<\/p>\n
\n\tBut my sense of awe is soon overtaken by a lingering stench. Rather than the earthy aroma of sandalwood and florals that I had imagined, I\u2019m faced with a sour, vaguely rotten odor \u2014 incongruous to the pristine, seemingly untouched space in which I\u2019m standing. It\u2019s subtle enough that I\u2019m sure it\u2019s just an unfortunate blend of cleaning products, but it does evoke, for a moment, the image of a dead animal lodged somewhere in the timber structure.<\/p>\n
\n\tJan leads me to the dining room table, a chandelier of exposed candle-style bulbs hanging overhead. In the show, it served as the setting of Shane and Ilya\u2019s climactic dinner with Shane\u2019s parents; now, it\u2019s topped with a complimentary bottle of red wine and three Muskoka-branded hats (navy, red, white). I\u2019m reminded that I will be staying in this palatial mansion by myself for the next 48 hours, and give Jan a shy smile as he walks me through a booklet detailing notable sights in the neighboring towns. A zipline park in Bracebridge. A rock-climbing gym in Gravenhurst. A boat tour in Bala.<\/p>\n
\n\tAs a \u201cnon-activity\u201d person, these local attractions stir nothing in me except for the immediate desire to lie down. For some reason, I find myself slightly annoyed that much of the population finds so much enjoyment in such energy-exerting activity. I blame my mom who, when explaining her utter distaste for running, says that \u201cendorphins make her depressed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tI lie and tell Jan, \u201cThis is amazing, so much to do!\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAfter he leaves and I\u2019m able to roam freely, the novelty of this experience finally takes hold. I can feel the pulse of \u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d at every turn. The heather-gray couch where Shane and Ilya promise to be honest about their feelings is now draped with a throw blanket printed with a topless photo of Storrie and Williams. In the adjoining kitchen, a granite-topped island holds an espresso machine and seltzer maker. Pale wood cabinetry is stocked with every kitchen appliance imaginable. I swipe the leather bar stools and get chills thinking of Williams and Storrie, in this exact spot, rehearsing scenes that would change their lives forever.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\tUp some stairs, I drop my luggage in the master bedroom, a window-wrapped cocoon where Shane and Ilya say, \u201cI love you\u201d for the first time. On the bed, two towels rolled tightly atop the pillows; in the corner, a primordial-looking brass sculpture, resembling an anthropomorphic tree; on the nightstands, two mushroom-shaped table lamps. I don\u2019t bother changing out of my plane clothes before road-testing the mattress: a perfect balance of firm and plush. Next door, a shower tiled in charcoal gray marble is framed by a wall-spanning window overlooking the woods outside. It\u2019s a shame no scenes were filmed here \u2014I can vividly picture Shane and Ilya embracing under the rainfall shower head. It\u2019s even more of a shame that I\u2019m staying in this romantic ensuite bedroom alone.<\/p>\n
\n\tEager to take advantage of the nature I\u2019m deprived of in New York City, most of my first day is spent on the back patio: a 400-square-foot waterfront hideaway where many of the finale\u2019s most memorable scenes unfold. The fire pit where Ilya rests his head on Shane\u2019s legs is now wrapped in a protective cover, puddles of rainwater pooled from the night before. I spot the grill where Shane makes a surplus of burgers (\u201cThe recipe was for eight. Leave me alone.\u201d) and the lawn where they juggle a soccer ball while talking about their futures. Down a private stairway to the lake is the floating rock where they share a playful kiss.<\/p>\n
\n\tUnlike the sun-soaked scenes in \u201cHeated Rivalry,\u201d grey clouds now hang low overhead. Still, I\u2019m stunned by the beauty of the landscape. I hadn\u2019t even heard of Muskoka a few weeks ago, and now it feels like the kind of place where, if I ever stumbled into a few million dollars, I\u2019d immediately start my search for a second home. As I walk down toward the water, I can hear my breath in the vast silence, a reminder that I\u2019m alone in the woods, at least 20 minutes from any real sign of civilization. I think back to Jan\u2019s assurance that the area is so safe, most people don\u2019t bother locking their doors. But I can\u2019t shake the feeling that this is the perfect setting for a cabin-in-the-woods murder.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\tAfter double-checking the locks, I move back inside, where the uncertain stink from earlier has thankfully subsided. I prop myself on a couch in the Muskoka Room, a secondary living space tucked a few steps above the main floor. In the show, the couch faces a television where Ilya plays video games and later, distracts Shane with a blowjob during a phone call. In real life, the TV has been replaced by a large abstract painting mounted above an electric fireplace, a small geometric stone sculpture perched on the nearby side table.<\/p>\n
\n\tAs the sun sets, I realize I\u2019ve barely utilized the majority of the sprawling property. I almost forget there\u2019s an entire downstairs: two guest bedrooms, a master bathroom with a full-length bathtub, a private gym and an expansive home theater with reclining chairs. The many amenities, catered toward vacationing couples or large groups, are mostly wasted on me. For example: a remote-controlled TV rises from a countertop in the kitchen and swivels to the adjoining living room. But when alone, watching TV is an activity I find to be much more enjoyable on a laptop \u2014 in bed, horizontal.<\/p>\n
\n\tIn the center of the space is a monolithic granite fireplace. I briefly consider the unthinkable: building my own fire. I know myself, though, and besides being a \u201cnon-activity\u201d person, I\u2019m also severely lacking in rugged survival skills. In a moment of self-defeat (or self-acceptance?), I decide that I would rather not risk burning down one of the most famous properties in Canada.<\/p>\n
\n\tAs the light outside fades into darkness, each corner of the home begins to taunt me. I also realize I haven\u2019t eaten since my morning pitstop at Tim Hortons. I leaf through the informational booklet to find a restaurant or bar where I can pass the remaining hours of the evening. The time has come for me to indulge in the type of activity I do unequivocally enjoy: eating, drinking. I land on a nearby pub, Frosty Pints.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe dingy sports bar, reeking of cigarettes, is bustling with locals \u2014 all men over the age of 50, save for two women \u2014 watching hockey (Boston vs. Toronto) on one of the six TVs. I wonder if anyone here clocks the parallel to Shane and Ilya\u2019s Boston-Montreal rivalry. But looking around, everyone seems far more invested in the real-life game than the gay, smutty one that brought me here. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen it,\u201d a young, blonde waiter says of the show, while others listen in with blank expressions.<\/p>\n
\n\tOne Pilsner in, thinking about my own hopeless love life, the promise of \u201cthe cottage\u201d begins to feel like nothing more than a fantasy. But when an older couple at the bar tells me their love story, I realize Muskoka was seeped in romance long before \u201cHeated Rivalry.\u201d Cheryl and Bobby met here as teenagers \u2014 14 and 15 \u2014 on a family trip. After losing touch for decades, and each marrying and divorcing other people, Cheryl sent a letter to his family\u2019s old cottage in hopes of reconnecting. Against all odds, it reached his brother who relayed the message. They met up and \u201cit was instant.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tTheir faces scrunch in delight as they take turns sharing enchanting details about their life, pulling up photos on their phones. Married 20 years, they now live in their own cottage on Muskoka\u2019s Kahshe Lake. They spin vinyl, have tea parties with neighbors, kayak every weekend, and receive frequent visits from a 100-year-old tortoise named Norman. They describe the bliss they experience here as \u201ccottage brain.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tNeither has heard of \u201cHeated Rivalry,\u201d but they undeniably live in their own version of \u201cthe cottage.\u201d When I tell them what the show is about, they laugh it off. \u201cWe\u2019re not watching that!\u201d they exclaim. \u201cBut I\u2019m sure the scenery is just beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":37263,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[16164,17,8166],"class_list":{"0":"post-37262","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-canada","8":"tag-airbnb","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-heated-rivalry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37262\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}