Keeper's Kitchen Inn in St. Shotts, Newfoundland Hotel Review

In St. Shotts, where the population hovers around 50, an unusually artistic bed-and-breakfast flourishes way off the beaten path at 1 Main Road. Inspired by six generations of lighthouse keepers, the Keeper’s Kitchen Inn calls itself a place “where the light finds you.” Innkeepers Michelle Myrick and Reidar Olsen double as hosts, storytellers, musicians, chefs and guides. The inn is 10 minutes south of Newfoundland’s Irish Loop driving route, just over two hours from St. John’s and about half an hour from St. Vincent’s Beach, where people come to watch whales from land when the capelin spawn close to shore.

Value for Money

Downstairs, Cape Freels, Cape Pine and Cape Race (named for lighthouses) are ensuite rooms, while Bakeapple and Marshberry (named for local berries) rooms on the main floor share a large, accessible washroom just outside their doors. All-inclusive rates now include gourmet-style meals (two hot breakfasts with Olsen’s hand-rolled Danishes and Myrick’s berry preserves, one lunch and two dinners), a signature cocktail/mocktail before dinner, all-day access to coffee, tea and homemade treats, plus surprise treats. Wine is extra, and so are packed lunches on the day you check out. Rates are based on double occupancy, but solo travellers can request a custom discounted rate. Myrick offers optional foraging feasts, wellness workshops and gut health and fermentation workshops (which I can vouch for), while Olsen leads lighthouse or shipwreck hikes.

Safety + Accessibility

There’s comfort in knowing that the innkeepers live on-site here in what was once a booming fishing village and now has a post office but no gas station or shops. While there is no cell service, you can stay connected through the inn’s free WiFi. Having meals available is important since it’s roughly 35 kilometres in one direction, or 55 kilometres in the other, for the nearest takeout.

The Story

Myrick’s dad — one of a long line of lighthouse keepers — built this treasured house, but after he, his son and brother died in a tragic 1987 drowning, the heartbroken family shuttered the home. Decades later while riding out the pandemic in Norway, Myrick and Olsen decided to renovate and turn the lights back on. Keeper’s Kitchen opened June 24, 2022. “The land was calling me back,” says Myrick over dinner before playing a few tunes. Her neighbours, mostly in their late 60s, 70s and 80s, fretted that the B&B would be a flop, wondering “who’s gonna come down that road and for what?” But Keeper’s Kitchen has been a hit and Myrick says “showing people this gem of a community has been an absolute joy.”

Sustainability

As part of its sustainability program, the inn partners with Island Skincare, a local company that produces hand-harvested and hand-crafted skincare products using Newfoundland botanicals. Although I was able to stay just one night in 2025, that’s changing. For 2026, the inn is moving to a shorter, more intentional season of special gatherings. It will open on select dates between mid-July and mid-September, and there will be a two-night minimum with an all-inclusive rate.