Where is HGTV’s Renovation Resort Showdown filmed? Location details explored

Renovation Resort Showdown came back to HGTV for season 2 on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 9 PM ET/PT, filmed once again in Campbellford, Ontario.

In a July 2025 article, Country Living confirmed that hosts Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler have returned to guide another round of cabin makeovers, this time with bigger budgets, more weeks to work, and new challenges.

This season, four design-and-build duos from across North America are competing to turn empty waterfront cabin shells into finished vacation homes.

Each week, they tackle themed challenges, from luxe primary suites and detailed custom headboards to expansive kitchens and striking great rooms.

McGillivray and Baeumler, who fans often call “frenemies,” provide guidance and critique while a rotating panel of guest judges evaluates the work.

Teams, budget, and weekly design challenges in Renovation Resort Showdown

The structure of Renovation Resort Showdown season 2 raises the stakes compared to the first. Competitors must take newly built cabin shells and turn them into fully realized vacation homes, rather than working from aged cabins.

Each team works with an eight-week schedule and a $150,000 budget, balancing time management with design innovation. The four duos reflect a mix of relationships and backgrounds.

Married couple Cami and Chris represent Toronto, best friends Melissa and Shannon arrive from Charlotte, husband-and-wife pair Rasheeda and Jake join from Philadelphia, and father-daughter team Hollie and Graham bring experience from Orangeville.

Each pairing enters the competition with its own approach to construction and design in Renovation Resort Showdown.

Every episode centers on a specific challenge. Teams are tasked with delivering luxury and function through spaces such as primary bedrooms, kitchens, and great rooms.

Custom furniture and inventive design details, like headboards and feature walls, are expected to play a role. These builds are judged weekly not only by hosts Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler but also by guest experts who bring fresh perspectives.

As McGillivray and Baeumler explained in earlier interviews, time pressure continues to be the hardest part of the process.

The hosts provide feedback while also testing how the teams adapt to unexpected obstacles, ensuring the finished cabins reflect professional standards.

Hosts’ return and future of the series, Renovation Resort Showdown

The reunion of Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler is a central feature of Renovation Resort Showdown season 2. Both well known for their HGTV work, the pair step into the roles of mentors, evaluators, and occasional challengers for the competing teams.

Their partnership has previously been described by McGillivray as that of “frenemies,” a dynamic that continues to entertain viewers as they balance collaboration with good-natured rivalry.

In this season, the waterfront setting emphasizes transformation on a larger scale. Starting from cabin shells rather than deteriorated properties allows the competition to highlight creativity and vision more than structural repair.

Each week, the hosts watch as the contestants bring forward designs that must meet both aesthetic and functional goals.

Baeumler commented in past discussions about renovation competitions that they give “the average person interested in home renovation” a chance to see what professionals can do under pressure, a principle that carries through into this new season.

Audience anticipation was strong ahead of the premiere. Viewers on social media quickly expressed enthusiasm for McGillivray and Baeumler’s return, noting the “bromance” between the two and excitement for the design reveals.

With season 2 now underway, the question of further seasons remains open. McGillivray previously noted the importance of location in shaping the competition.

For now, the focus is on how these four teams will handle the challenges of building vacation cabins by the water, and which pair will walk away with the $100,000 prize.

Stay tuned for more updates.