Must-see hotels in Vancouver Island

  • Free Spirit Spheres

    Vancouver Island

    When it comes to extravagantly unconventional accommodations, these three wooden spheres, handmade by owner-inventor Tom Chudleigh and suspended like…

  • Wickaninnish Inn

    Tofino

    Cornering the market in luxury winter storm-watching packages, 'the Wick' is worth a stay any time of year. Embodying nature with its recycled-wood…

  • Ocean Island Inn

    Victoria

    The kind of hostel that’ll make you want to become a backpacker (again), the Ocean is a fabulous blitz of sharp color accents, global travel memorabilia…

  • Black Rock Oceanfront Resort

    Vancouver Island

    Ucluelet's fanciest hotel feels like a transplant from Tofino. Set dramatically on the Pacific waterfront and painted the same gray hue as the rocks, it…

  • Crown Mansion

    Vancouver Island

    The effortlessly regal Crown Mansion is easily worthy of its name. Dating from 1914, this country hotel mixes modern comforts with handsome historical…

  • Abigail’s Hotel

    Victoria

    A boutique hotel with the ambience of a B&B, the historic, regal and faintly English Abigail’s is Victoria’s most Victorian accommodations despite the…

  • Riding Fool Hostel

    Vancouver Island

    One of BC's finest hostels colonizes a restored Cumberland heritage building with its rustic wooden interiors, large kitchen and lounge areas and, along…

  • Kwa'lilas Hotel

    Vancouver Island

    A beautiful manifestation of Kwakwaka’wakw culture, this new-ish cedar-wood hotel is rich with indigenous art. The modern, uncluttered look extends to the…

  • Wildpod

    Tofino

    Luxury 'glamping' comes to Tofino in the shape of these six yurt-like pods made out of PVC that sit perched on the waterside at Grice Point in full view…

  • Inn at Laurel Point

    Victoria

    Guarding its own landscaped promontory overlooking the harbor with rooms offering views in either direction (toward or away from town), this indie…

  • Oswego Hotel

    Victoria

    Well hidden on a residential side street a short stroll from the Inner Harbour, this contemporary boutique sleepover is an in-the-know favorite. Suite…

  • Hotel Zed

    Victoria

    If you like an accommodations that – in its own words – likes to 'rebel against the ordinary' then you'll love the Zed, an eccentric motel that has been…

  • Ecolodge

    Tofino

    This quiet, wood-built education center on the grounds of the botanical gardens is popular with families and groups for its selection of rooms, large…

  • Surfs Inn Guesthouse

    Vancouver Island

    Hidden from the road behind vegetation, this funky collection of brightly painted houses and cottages hosts four choices of lovely accommodations, ranging…

  • Fairmont Empress Hotel

    Victoria

    One of the most famous hotels in Canada, the Empress was built in 1908 in French-chateau-esque style. There have been numerous renovations and a who’s-who…

  • Painted Turtle Guesthouse

    Nanaimo

    Vancouver Island does well with hostels and this superbly located Nanaimo venture is an ideal overnighter if you're heading to Tofino, Victoria or up…

  • Seine Boat Inn

    Vancouver Island

    Named for a local fishing style utilizing weighted nets, the Seine sits on a forest of pilings above the water in an attractive dockside building. The…

  • Sooke Harbour House

    Vancouver Island

    Whether you opt for the Emily Carr or the Blue Heron, each of the 28 guest rooms here has a decadent tub or steam shower, while most also have wood…

  • Abbeymoore Manor B&B Inn

    Victoria

    A Victoria B&B worthy of Queen Victoria, the Abbeymoore has a decidedly posh address and was designed in the arts-and-crafts style in 1912. Seven deluxe…

  • Pacific Sands Beach Resort

    Tofino

    Offering comfortable lodge rooms, all with full kitchens, and spectacular three-level beach houses, this family-friendly resort hugs dramatic Cox Bay…

  • Swans Suite Hotel

    Victoria

    This former brick-built warehouse has been transformed into an art-lined boutique hotel. Most rooms are spacious loft suites where you climb upstairs to…

  • Old House Village Hotel & Spa

    Vancouver Island

    There’s nothing particularly old about this high-quality modern hotel with slick rooms, slick service and a steamy year-round outdoor pool. Raising the…

  • Ocean Village Beach Resort

    Tofino

    This immaculate beachside resort of beehive-shaped cedar cabins – hence the woodsy aroma when you step in the door – is a family favorite with a…

  • Hummingbird Guesthouse

    Vancouver Island

    With four large suites and a huge deck with its own hot tub, this modern B&B has a home-away-from-home feel. There's a shared kitchen on each of the two…

  • Royal Scot Hotel & Suites

    Victoria

    It's still possible to sniff the essence of the 1970s at the Royal Scot, one of the better midrange options crowding the banks of the Inner Harbour, where…

  • Kingfisher Oceanside Resort

    Vancouver Island

    A boutique waterfront lodge wrapped around an attractive garden with a driftwood arch and rooms oriented to focus on the ocean, framed by islands and…

  • Huntingdon Manor Hotel

    Victoria

    The noticeably ‘olde’ white clapboard edifice along the harbor hides a comfortable, well-priced hotel that mixes stiff wood-paneling with large, modern…

  • Blue Willow Guest House

    Vancouver Island

    A surprisingly spacious, delightfully tranquil Victorian-style cottage, this lovely B&B has a book-lined lounge, exposed beams and a fragrant country…

  • Inn on Long Lake

    Nanaimo

    This family-owned deluxe motel is handily located just off the highway. But don't worry about noise: all the rooms face the tranquil lake which acts as…

  • Black Bear Resort

    Vancouver Island

    More a superior motel than a resort, this hillside spot overlooks the town and is conveniently located across from the town's shops and restaurants…

  • Telegraph Cove Resort

    Vancouver Island

    The dominant business in Telegraph Cove, this well-established heritage resort provides accommodations in forested tent spaces as well as a string of…

  • Strathcona Park Lodge

    Vancouver Island

    This rustic lakefront resort is the perfect way to encounter the wilderness without sacrificing too many home comforts. Its wide array of accommodations…

  • Whalers on the Point Guesthouse

    Tofino

    Close to the action, but with a secluded waterfront location, this excellent HI hostel is a comfy, wood-lined retreat. Dorms are mercifully small (the…

  • The Suites at Whiskey Landing

    Vancouver Island

    The old apartment-style hotel along the harbor is no more, but some of the former suites can still be rented out privately including these two – a studio…

  • HI Victoria Hostel

    Victoria

    This quiet downtown hostel in a high-ceilinged heritage building has two large single-sex dorms (sleeping 44 guests, no less), three small mixed dorms and…

  • Helm's Inn

    Victoria

    One of downtown's best-value hotels, this three-building, motel-style property has 42 surprisingly large rooms, all with handy kitchen facilities (either…

  • Ecoscape Cabins

    Vancouver Island

    This clutch of immaculate cedar cabins is divided between compact units, with flatscreens, microwaves and sunny porches, that are ideal for couples; and…

  • Coast Bastion Hotel

    Nanaimo

    Downtown's best hotel has an unbeatable location overlooking the harbor, with most guests enjoying sparkling waterfront views – when it's not foggy. Rooms…

  • Chesterman Beach B&B

    Tofino

    This classy, adult-oriented spot located among a string of B&Bs has two main rooms, each with a private entrance, and amazing access to the beach close at…

  • Coast Victoria Hotel & Marina

    Victoria

    This Victoria branch of a West Coast hotel franchise has a wonderful waterside location sandwiched between the Inner Harbour and Fisherman’s Wharf. The…