Frequently asked questions

Food

Some of my group members have special dietary needs. Can Wilderness Edge help?

If a guest has a specific allergy or dietary needs, enter that information into our PDF Booking Form that is provided by our Event Expert.  Please have each guest entry completed 2 weeks prior to arrival. For food allergies, we exempt the use of an allergen in our regular meal plan when able, but do not alter the existing menu. For vegetarian and special diet requests were we prepare special food there is an additional fee.  Our chefs will be happy to accommodate each person.

When are meals served?

Using the PDF booking form you can select a wide range of meal times to customize it to suit your agenda. If you request times that are quite far from our normal times there are additional fees. Our default meals times are: Breakfast: Monday – Sunday 8:30 – 9:15 am Lunch: 12:00 – 1:00 pm daily Supper: Sunday – Thursday 5:30 – 6:15 pm | Friday 7:00 – 7:45 pm

How are meals served?

All group meals are served buffet style.

What type of food is provided?

The menu is “chef’s choice” and is usually a choice of two main entrees, vegetables and a starch (potatoes, rice or pasta). A full salad bar is provided at lunch and supper. Daily menus are posted outside the dining room.

Will our group get to sit together in the Dining Room?

Yes, each group staying here has their own unique meal time and you will be going through the buffet line together and sitting down together.

What options do we have for snacks?

Your group will be provided an evening snack at 9pm in our dining room. We commonly provide freshly baked cookies, a variety of flavor bagged potato chips, and apples, bananas, and oranges every evening with our groups. There are punch and filtered water beverage machines in our dining room along with a hot water station for tea, and also coffee with a choice of milk, creams, and sweeteners. We do have special meeting room options if you would like to have meat platters, cheese and crackers platter or anything else from our menu within the PDF Booking Form Meeting Room Meal Options area.

May we bring our own snacks/drinks for our meeting room?

Yes, BUT please do not bring any peanut items as there are a lot of people with allergies that may use that meeting room soon after you.

May we choose our own menus?

Only if you are an exclusive group… in other words, your group is large enough that you have contracted every guest room in Wilderness Edge (100 – 140 rooms). Otherwise, your meals will be chef’s choice to best meet the needs of all groups in house. If you will be an exclusive group leader, check out the menu options:

Meeting Space

Is a meeting room included in our retreat package?

Wilderness Edge provides inexpensive meeting space you select in your PDF booking form.  By charging a small fee we are able to give each group a choice of where they are meeting instead of assigning them to the smallest room that will fit everyone.  We think it is a better way to book meeting rooms.

May I pick my meeting room?

Yes, your meeting room is chosen by you to match the individual needs of the group.  Some groups need one room, other need various breakout rooms and meeting spaces.  You choose the meeting room space that works for your event.  See our PDF Booking Form for details.

What is included with our meeting room?

Meeting rooms are set with the appropriate number of chairs for your group size, a podium in the front and a table in the rear. Each room comes with with a screen or large 65″ – 70″ TV and general room lighting. Your booking form gives you a number of different options including setup styles (i.e. theater-style rows, semi-circle, classroom style, etc.). Work with your coordinator and event expert to determine what will best fit your group in your assigned meeting room.  Additional charges may apply depending on your audio/video or other needs.

What if we need an extra meeting room / breakout rooms?

You select the space you need in the PDF Form provided to each group leader.  Each group is unique and our booking form allows you to select one or many meeting spaces.

May I request special set up?

Yes, we generally charge $2 per person, per setup if our staff do the setup for you.  Consult the PDF booking form for complete details.

Do we have to share our meeting room?

Your meeting room is available exclusively for your group for the duration of your contracted retreat times.

Lodging

What time may we check in to the guest rooms?

Guest rooms are generally available for check-in at 4 pm daily. Your PDF Booking form allows a huge amount of flexibility in regards to check-in times starting as early as 8 am.  Early check-in options are an additional cost to the event.

What is the process for checking out?

Check out of guest rooms is at 10 am the day you are leaving. Keys simply need to be dropped off at the front desk (into a bucket) by 10 am.  Check out of the building is only at 2pm, so that gives you time to still enjoy your morning and have lunch with us before you leave.

May I add more people or get additional rooms?

Yes, as long as we have the space available. If you anticipate having more people than you had contracted for, make sure to let your event coordinator know as soon as possible to ensure that there is space available. (Space meaning: guest rooms, meeting rooms and dining room). Adding more people to the rooms you already have reserved is not usually a problem, but it’s always a good idea just to let your coordinator know if you are expecting more people whether you need more rooms or not to ensure that there is enough space in your meeting room and enough food ordered in time.

How many people can I put in a room?

We have a wide variety of guest room types.  Some have one bed, other two and even others four or five.  We have standard rooms and two room suites.  Talk with your event expert or consult our website for complete details.  Suffice to say we have a lot of room and a lot of beds in this place.

Will our rooms be all together?

If you all book the same room type, then most likely you will all be on the same floor or wing. The earlier you book your event, the better the room selection.

Is there a camping option for my group?

We do have a large yard where people do occasionally tent. Due to local by-laws you are required to be registered as an overnight guest in our centre with a hotel room.  So it does not save you any money to tent, but for some, it’s just the thrill of being outdoors.  As a registered guest, you have private access to that guest room and use of the showers and washrooms as well as a place to go to if it starts to rain in the middle of the night.

How are rooms assigned?

Rooms are assigned by your group leader inside our PDF booking form.  It is all done electronically and works extremely efficiently.

Contracting

If your group is less than 10, you don’t qualify for group status but instead, book using our online room reservation system.

What should I know before calling to contract my group?

We need to know the type of event you are planning (i.e. women, youth, couples), as well as the number of guests that will be attending. Please have a couple of possible dates in mind so we can check availability.

What is included in my retreat or conference package?

Wilderness Edge package rates include lodging, meals and a wide variety of recreational activities. A meeting room is provided at a small additional fee for groups with a valid contract.

What are the benefits of having a group contract?

Wilderness Edge Meal & Lodging package rates include lodging, meals, meeting space and a wide variety of recreational activities. Each group is assigned an event expert to assist with meeting room, rooming list, and agenda needs. We’ll work with you on a payment plan, with an initial 10% deposit to get you started.

How many people do I need to have to qualify as a group?

We are able to contract groups that have at least 20 guests if we already have another group of 30 or more.  All groups of 20 or more that are accepted into our system have access to all our package rates and group benefits at any time. Please note: Groups of 1-19 guests are permitted to book with a group contract within 30 days of the event. Groups of 20 – 29 more guests may book 3 to sometimes as much as 6 months in advance. Groups of 30 or more guests may book 6 to 13 months in advance. Groups of less than 10 guests may contact Reservations directly to book as Personal Retreat guests within 30 days.

How many guests can you accommodate?

Sandy Cove has 140 guest bedroom and about 100 guest rooms in total that can accommodate up to 300 overnight guests. Additional overnight guests can be accommodated in our local hotels. With special arrangements and use of a large outdoor tent we can accommodate groups of 400 for meal services.

What are your rates?

Package rates include lodging, meals, meeting space and a variety of activities. Please call to discuss the specific rates for the type of rooms and occupancy you have in mind.

Are there taxes and gratuities?

If you are a tax-exempt organization, you will not be charged the tax you are exempt from. There are no other gratuities or surcharges.

Are there additional fees?

Some groups like to add on audio/visual equipment to enhance their retreat. Our amazing outdoor activities are very popular and provided to our overnight guests at deep discounts.  All prices are listed inside the PDF Booking form and it will tell you at all times the price of your selections.

What type of payment do you accept?

Master Card Visa Company business cheque Cash e-transfers

Can you accommodate youth groups?

Yes, we can. Typically youth retreats are booked within 6 months of the event date and we have special reduced rates for those 15 and under.

If we bring a women’s group, will there be men’s groups at Wilderness Edge?

On any given weekend, Wilderness Edge can host between 1 to 3 groups. While you do share dining space and recreation facilities, each group is assigned their own designated meeting space.

Technology

Do you have WI-FI?

Yes, we do…but keep reading. We encourage you to disconnect from technology in order to reconnect with family, friends and your unseen inner world. However, we understand that not everyone can completely disconnect. So we are happy to offer FREE wireless access throughout Wilderness Edge Retreat and Conference Centre and a computer kiosk is located near the office for those wanting to use our computers.

What’s cell coverage like?

Cell coverage is generally good on the grounds, but can diminish the “deeper” you get into the retreat centre.

May I bring my own sound/video system?

Yes. Sound systems, projectors, and other AV items for the meeting rooms are available for a rental fee or you may bring your own. If you would like to rent equipment, reserve it through your PDF Booking Form in the Meeting room options area. Each meeting room comes with either a screen for a projector or a large flatscreen TV 65″ – 70″.

May I rent your system and substitute some of my personal equipment?

Absolutely, provided that the system is compatible with what you are bringing. Due to our room setups and our desire to give you the best reliability possible, we cannot break up our sound or video packages.

How do the equipment rates work?

The rates are for the whole retreat.  So you have all your equipment the entire time your here making it very easy and convenient.

Transportation

How do I get to Wilderness Edge?

We are one hour east of Winnipeg.  From #59 Hwy North you turn onto #44 East and continue until Beausejour.  You toggle 1 mile south and then continue on the #44 East until the #11 North.  Take the #11 North until the 211 East.  That will bring you to Pinawa.  Turn into Pinawa at the large Welcome and turn left at the gas station 200 meters and turn into our parking lot.  Map

Do you have free parking?

Yes! We have a large parking lot.

Are there limits to how many vehicles we can bring?

No, although we encourage you to car pool if possible.  If you are a group of 300 or more then we can talk about it.

Do you have any suggestions for transporting my group to Wilderness Edge?

Winnipeg River Charter Services provides motor coaches of all sizes.

Is there public transportation?

Winnipeg International Airport is located about 1.5 hours west of us. Winnipeg River Charter Services provides from vans to motor coaches so they may be your best option.  Beaver Bus lines also comes out here as well.

Groups we’ve served We have served groups right across Canada and the United States as well as people from 50 other countries over the last 20 years.