ACCOMMODATION
On Vancouver Island
On Vancouver Island, it seems everywhere you turn you meet someone living the dream. And you could
too. Here is where to stay on the West Coast's idyllic isle.
The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa
Victoria
The capital city of British Columbia is full of young movers and shakers who are infusing their hometown with newfound style. Check out hipster boutiques Rebel Rebel and Addiction in the newly designated SoJo area (lower South Johnson street) or the organic tea emporium and spa Silk Road in Chinatown.
While you might enjoy traditional high tea at The Fairmont Empress, when it comes time to lay down your head, check out the new Oswego Hotel. Each suite in this 80-room boutique property is fitted with flat-screen TVs, Acca Kappa toiletries and fully equipped kitchens (complete with freshly ground coffee delivered daily). With things this comfortable, you may very well consider an extended stay.
Frederique and Sinclair Philip founded this gracious country inn overlooking the Pacific Ocean in 1979, and the talents and personal touches of the two innkeepers are apparent everywhere. Each of the 28 rooms is uniquely decorated by Frederique, an artist with a creative eye for handcrafted furniture, antiques and original art. With wood-burning fireplaces, complimentary port and luxurious bathing options like a steam shower for two or a soaker tub on an oceanfront balcony, you won't want to leave your suite in the morning… and, luckily, you don't have to: Your bespoke breakfast in bed will be delivered to your room.
Sinclair Philip, a leader of Canada's Slow Food movement, has brought the inn's dining room to equal acclaim. Relying on fresh, local and seasonal ingredients (many from the on-site edible, organic garden), the menu changes daily, and whatever delights are concocted, there's sure to be a wine to match. The property's wine list (one of the 77 best in the world) has been granted the illustrious Wine Spectator's Grand Award for several years running.
Set 1,500 feet above sea level in the coastal mountains, this Relais & Châteaux property will have you feeling on top of the world. Whether you drive slowly up the winding path or helicopter in, there is an immediate sense of grandeur when you arrive at the Top Hotel in Canada (as named by Travel + Leisure in 2007). Tucked away in a rustic alpine setting, the hotel has a surprising Mediterranean vibe with a columned dining room and luxurious European furnishings in the suites.
The on-site amenities go on and on, but highlights include a private cooking class held in the villa, a one-on-one yoga course and an afternoon in the spa being slathered with organic products from Éminence. And though it's hard to come down from on high, make sure you take time to do a culinary tour of the lush farms and wineries of the nearby Cowichan Valley.
You won't mind the sleepy feel of this seaside town once you book a room in this new waterfront hotel. Set on the Saanich Penisula, this boutique hotel is a perfect base to explore the Gulf Islands. Being surrounded by so much natural beauty, it's also nice to know the hotel is taking pains to protect it with a geothermal heat pump system that borrows and returns excess heat from the ocean and small touches like placing refillable bottles of (complimentary) still and sparkling water in the suites.
The superb dining room features menus with local, seasonal dishes and seafood (like line-caught halibut) that supports sustainable fishery practices. And the 3,250-square-foot Haven Spa follows suit with seasonal signature treatments like a springtime body scrub with local balsam fir and wild violets. You might choose to tuck in to your modern, spacious suite with a novel from the hotel's Book Butler service, but for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, take advantage of the stunning outdoors and go whale-watching with Jeff, a charismatic skipper with Emerald Sea Adventures.
Useful information
Addiction, 587 Johnson St., 250-370-0336
(Poppy Wilkinson is the editor-in-chief of onAir. She last wrote about Toronto in the February issue.)
Getting there
Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz offer convenient service between Victoria and major Canadian, U.S. and international cities. Take a trip! Plus, take advantage of our great deals on hotels and car rentals.
TOP PHOTO: JOHN SIGNAL
SOOKE HARBOUR HOUSE: POPPY WILKINSON
SIDNEY PIER HOTEL & SPA: JOHN SIGNAL
Published monthly by