The Wickaninnish Inn

Oh where to start with the Wick? Firstly , the rooms are fantastic and every last detail (from wet weather gear and backpacks through to blankets or beach shoes) has been thought of. The location is also stunning at the top of Chesterman Beach. The concierge team are amazing and will sort out any trips you need and our housekeeping/ turn down team and the servers in the restaurant were lovely. BUT … the Wick has managed to create an overall service culture that feels overly formal and fussy . As a result you can be made to feel that you should be thanking them for being allowed to stay there rather than being warmly welcomed into a home away from home. It’s the little touches that are missing… no welcome drink or suggestion on where you’d be comfortable if you arrive earlier than your check in slot; the Welcome Ambassador at the gate who doesn’t recognise you even after you’ve been there for 5 days . It all just feels very impersonal And then we come to the Pointe/ on the rocks bar. These both seem to have been designed with the external paying customer in mind rather than hotel guests. You can’t just wander into the bar and have a casual drink (as you can in virtually every other hotel in the world) Everything has to be ‘set up’ and you’re left hanging around in the lobby for ages before you get seated. As a result service times (from arrival to getting a drink or food) are typically over 35-40 mins. This is no issue if you’re planning a treat tasting menu or a long lazy brunch but becomes a real problem for a hotel breakfast (especially in a location where people have a lot of activities booked eg hiking, cycling or whale watching etc) . We booked the b&b package and wished we hadn’t (despite the food being amazing) . Twice we had to leave without all of our food or having to rush down in 5 minutes as service took so long) I understand why (as a restaurant) you don’t want to offer a buffet option but for hotel guests the current experience doesn’t fit the bill. It’s a real shame as The Wick has so much to offer but, for the price paid, we left feeling a little underwhelmed. The ethos was encapsulated for me when we weren’t asked how our stay was at check out. Similarly we’ve had e mails through with invoices but none with a feedback form/ opportunity to provide feedback directly. From the reviews it’s clear that a lot of people love this hotel - maybe it was just not for us .

This is a very very special hotel. The initial greeting at the Garehouse is so professional and this set the tone for the rest of our stay. The rooms are lovely. We were in the Beach House on the second floor. The view was amazing and we enjoyed lighting our candle provided and watching the sun go down. The beach is quiet and very very clean. The room had a lovely little balcony with chairs. Breakfast was superb and the view!! The only negative is that there is no AC only a ceiling fan. We were able to open the door with the screen closed.

I stayed here 22 years ago and although the hotel is still excellent and would get a 5-start review, the expensive experience was ruined by the tasteless tasting menu (see The Pointe review). We booked one night on the walk-in rate so it was very expensive (we had been ket down by the Shoreline Tofino). The room was excellent and the staff very efficent and friendly.

Very good hotel. Everything you need is being fulfilled. Staff very kind and welcoming. Spotless clean. Good beds and very modern . But no Aircon on a hot day. The breakfast was not the best but quite expensive. Coffee was eighter burnt or very strong. Both restaurants are not to great standard. But the crab on the beach is something else. It is a great experience and very good quality. Location is great for exploring the area .

I can barely get over what a wonderful experience we had at the “Wick.” Our room was stunning in the Pointe Building as it was on the corner with sweeping views over Chesterman Beach and also to the ocean. The bath is huge with a wonderful candle to light while sipping on a provided glass of port. There’s a cosy fireplace and all the amenities you can imagine, plus they provide wet weather gear, a backpack, blankets etc. for adventure tours and a thick wool blanket which is perfect for reading on the balcony on a cool afternoon. Bikes and helmets are available and it’s no more than 20 mins into town as there is a bike path the entire way. I joined the on site nature tour led by Rachel and it’s fascinating, twice a week at 9:30. There was not a question she couldn’t answer and I could have spent hours being guided through the abundant forest and beaches, there’s so much she shared with us. From beginning to end what stood out the most was the staff. They are genuinely wonderful people who will stop at nothing to help your stay be amazing. They anticipate your every need without any air of arrogance. The overall atmosphere is relaxed and calming. I started planning our trip 6 months ago (we took the seaplane which is well worth it as the views are spectacular) and Baptiste was an incredible concierge who went above and beyond to ensure our itinerary would cover all our interests and all our tours were fabulous. Special shout out to Daniel who happily stopped for us to get ice-cream, the shuttle drivers including Rhys and Jessie, Jamie at the bar with a wealth of bar knowledge and reception staff who were helpful and funny and made sure we were on top of our daily schedule. Nothing was too hard and the efforts by management to ensure a great guest experience should be commended and will bring us back again soon. I left with a few gentle tears in my eyes.