Ontario — Rama (Orillia) — door age 19
Casino Rama Resort near Orillia: concerts, lake country and new rooms
Last revised · hotel facts verified
No. 8 of ten in our 2026 rankings
Lake country, a stage for 5,000, and a refit in progress.
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Rama is a concert-and-lake weekend two hours up the 400: a big stage, a quiet setting near Orillia, and a resort halfway through a refit that is bringing new rooms, a spa and new restaurants. Ask which floors are finished before you book; that decides whether your room is old or new.
How the 78 points add up
| What we judged | Share | Mark /10 | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms & sleep | 26% | 7.5 | 19.5 |
| Pool, spa & downtime | 20% | 8.0 | 16.0 |
| Getting in & out | 20% | 6.0 | 12.0 |
| Restaurants & bars | 17% | 8.5 | 14.4 |
| Stage & events | 9% | 10.0 | 9.0 |
| Gaming floor | 8% | 8.5 | 6.8 |
| Total, rounded | 100% | 78 |
The room to ask for
There are 289 rooms, and the question that matters is which ones have been redone. Room renovations were under way from the second floor upward by May 2025, but the resort hasn't published specs for the refreshed rooms yet, so ask for a finished floor when you call.
Swim, steam, unwind
A new spa with saunas and steam rooms opened on the ground floor; the pool remains up on the third. The refit also enlarges the fitness centre.
Arriving and parking
You'll need a car. Toronto to Orillia takes about two hours up Highway 400, and the resort sits just outside town on Rama First Nation land. Nearby: the Leacock Museum (a National Historic Site), Couchiching Beach Park's sand and gardens, and Hardwood Ski and Bike for trails in summer and skiing in winter.
Where to eat and drink
Three openings in a row. Wok dishes, bowls and soups arrived with Chow Lucky Noodle Bar in fall 2024. In May 2025 came MATCH (Eatery and Public House), right by the main rotunda. November 2025 brought a first for Ontario, Gateway's signature steak-and-seafood brand; the room is called St. Germain's, home of Atlas Steak and Fish, in honour of the late Chief George St. Germain of Rama First Nation. A Tim Hortons covers coffee.
What's on stage
With seats for more than 5,000, the Entertainment Centre ranks among Canada's biggest casino stages. Names announced for the end of 2026: Colin James; the Righteous Brothers; Jesse Cook; the Celtic Tenors. Recent announcements priced tickets from about C$25 to C$89.
Downstairs: the gaming floor
Gateway doesn't publish its own numbers. Wikipedia's numbers, which you should treat as rough: 50 tables, about 1,800 slots, 192,000 sq ft. CTV reported a new look and upgraded machines in May 2025. Rama opened in July 1996; in November 2024 Gateway, OLG and Rama First Nation announced the current overhaul of rooms, spa, gym, gaming floor and restaurants. Ontario's age, 19, applies.
Our take
For Ontarians, this is the lake-and-concert weekend. Hold off until the refit reaches your floor, reserve a table at Atlas, and time the trip to a headliner, the reason most people make the drive.
Routes in: airport, downtown, transit
Each route below opens live in Google Maps with Casino Rama Resort as the destination. Any time or distance we quote is the one the named source publishes; the map adds today's traffic and timetables.
Drive · Union Station, Toronto
This is a drive-in resort. Destination Ontario puts Orillia about two hours north of Toronto via Highway 400, and the casino sits on Rama First Nation land close by.Figures from: Destination Ontario
Drive · Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ)
No airport distance is published. Landing at Pearson, use the link for the live time up the 400 corridor.
Before you book Casino Rama
Is Casino Rama under renovation right now?
Yes. Gateway announced the refurbishment in November 2024; the plan takes in restaurants, the gaming floor, a new spa with fitness area, and the rooms, with parts finished during 2024 and 2025. Ask which floors are finished when you book.
How long is the drive from Toronto?
Allow roughly two hours; it is Highway 400 north most of the way.
How many people fit in the Entertainment Centre?
More than 5,000, which makes it one of the largest casino stages in Canada.
Paper trail
- Gateway Casinos: casino page
- World Casino Directory: casino page
- Destination Ontario: reference page, casino page
- CTV News: casino page, casino page (another)
- Wikipedia: casino page
- Yogonet: casino page
- CDC Gaming Reports: restaurants
- Songkick: venues
These facts were verified on 23 October 2026 against the pages listed above. Room rates, fees and opening hours move — ring the hotel before you set off. Seen something that has changed? Write to us. More nearby: Ontario · the rankings.