Everyone’s coming to the cottage.
For fans of “Heated Rivalry” who have not yet satisfied their appetites by watching the hit mini-series, bingeing the “Game Changers” book series it was based on, or catching the show’s two stars on almost every red carpet and talk show — one more source of participatory fandom now emerges: You can rent the cottage from the finale episode, starting in March.
In the series, the cottage, owned by hockey player Shane Hollander, is outside Montreal. But the real home where those scenes took place, called “Barlochan Cottage,” is in Muskoka, Ontario near Walker’s Point, about a two-hour drive from the Toronto Airport. “Cottage” is a bit of a regional term, in this case: What Americans may picture as a quaint log structure in Ontario can refer instead to a seasonal second home, usually located near a natural draw, like woods or a lake.
In the Season 1 finale episode of “Heated Rivalry,” the cottage serves as the setting of one of the emotional climaxes of Shane’s relationship with fellow hockey player and rival Ilya Rozanov. Perhaps a bit heavy handed as a visual metaphor, the cottage’s exterior is almost entirely glass — the risk of exposure it foreshadows is satisfied when Shane’s father discovers them kissing.
Airbnb will release dates for booking Barlochan Cottage for $248.10 CAD per night, or about $181 USD, starting March 3. “Airbnb wanted the price to be reduced to make it affordable for more people,” said Jayne McCaw, who started managing the property a few weeks ago. The figures were chosen with intention beyond price, too: “It is their two hockey numbers put together,” Ms. McCaw said, 24 for Shane in Montreal and 81 for Ilya in Boston.
Airbnb reached out to the cottage’s owners following the success of the show, but the home’s owners had already thought of renting it, tapping Ms. McCaw’s company to manage it. The home was built in 2020 and designed by Trevor McIvor, whose architecture firm has designed several other lakefront cottages around Ontario. Its owners wish to remain anonymous.
Shane and Ilya may have enjoyed the intimacy of the cottage for two, but the space can accommodate several more people: The three bedrooms are furnished with queen-size beds, and the dining area has a table that seats eight. The cottage is also pet friendly.
The property features nearly 400 feet of private waterfront, plus a fire pit. And for those hoping to work on their hockey bodies, the home also includes an exercise room with machines and free weights.
