The best-kept secret, this amazing oceanfront travel destination awaits you in BC this summer. The Black Rock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet, BC is as close to the ocean edge as you can get with endless opportunity to catch the different moods of the ocean.
Peace will come to you, watching the water dip and swirl, listening to the crashing waves, while you are nestled in a warm, silky faux fur throw on the balcony. That might be reason enough to make the trip, but there is so much more to make the three-hour journey from Vancouver worthwhile.
The one-bedroom lodge suite has a perfectly appointed kitchen for four with everything you need to cook meals. A perfect little dishwasher to help clean up means you can easily not ever leave your suite once you get there. I have done exactly that on more than one occasion. The kitchen is not the main selling point, though the bathroom is.
Stepping into it is like sliding into a black cocoon. A huge black slab of rock makes up the vanity. The shower? Well, you can have a party in the shower. The walls are glistening black stone and the small black river pebbles on the floor massage your feet as the rain shower or the shower accouterments of choice caress your skin. A deep, shapely snow-white oval tub rises out of the black slate floor. On the wall, a sliding window opens so you can watch the clouds drift past the balcony doors of the bedroom as you soak up the bubbles.
And if you really must get a break from your suite, there is the world-class Drift Spa. My favorite; a sea salt scrub, Vichy shower, and a luxurious massage leave you devoid of stress and barely able to move. You can slowly come back to life, while sitting on a beautiful lounge drinking cucumber waters or enjoying a lovely tea, looking over the patio out to the sun sparkling on the ocean. A marine spa focused on nature, they use an island-made line of natural seaweed products.
If you are not up to cooking after that, you might decide to take advantage of the fabulous restaurant or lounge. Every meal is delicious and the to-die-for ocean view through the floor to ceiling windows is a beautiful accompaniment to any meal. The piece de resistance is the house made decadent sorbet. Not always available, it is to die for. Try it if you can.
Thursday to Saturday you can sit in the lounge and listen to live music as you cuddle up by the huge fireplace.
You can finish the day off with a dip in the small pool, and then veg in one of two hot tubs poised right at the edge of the rock overlooking the crashing waves below. One can meet any number of interesting people from around the world, happy to chat and share their day’s explorations. You might hear about bear or whale watching, fishing, hiking, surfing or beach combing.
The whale and bear watching tours provide a peek into west coast nature. I was fascinated to learn there is a species of brown bear that is only found on the island. On the bear watching trip, it was amazing to see the bears feeding at the water’s edge at low tide. They swat huge boulders with one paw, rolling them over like cotton balls to find the seafood underneath. They lumber slowly down the beach feasting at their own private smorgasbord. It is amazing how quickly they can move when alerted by the sound of movement on the boat. Interesting fact: bears cannot see well so their hearing and sense of smell are acute and alert them to danger first. We were encouraged to sit very still on the boat as the sound of the survival suits’ crisp material travels too well.
The beach just to the side of the hotel is a bonus, perfect for an impromptu picnic. Then there are the miles of sandy beach at Long Beach. You can be there in a ten-minute drive. You will find one of the best surfing locations with a pristine beach that cannot be imagined, only experienced. Stop and learn about the West Coast culture at the Kwistis Visitor Center perched right on the beach oceanfront. I lived in BC for twenty years before I made the trip. It is such a shame.
Give this travel destination a try! You will return home refreshed with wonderful memories of this hidden west coast jewel.
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