Wickaninnish Inn

This hotel in town has definitely been a dream of mine up until the time I finally made it. Now that I’m not there anymore I want to go back as soon as possible. The hospitality of the staff made it a much more inviting place to be as well as the surrounding natural area. We had an amazing room with Cliff use from one side and a beach view from the other it was absolutely breathtaking from morning tonight when the sun went down at around 11 PM, pretty cool Huh.
The staff made sure we had everything we needed and always with a smile and to their pleasure, The rooms were clean and comfortable and had everything we needed for going on the beach we had rain jackets robes so that was a specially made by a local sustainable organic company that I now buy from off the Internet. If I ever get the chance to go back I will definitely be back at the inn and stay as long as possible in ToFino as I didn’t get as much time as I needed but I’m thankful to get any time at all.

We stayed 3 nights over USA Thanksgiving weekend. Had a great time. Staff was super friendly and always opened the door for us. This was the most high end place we have ever stayed. The rooms were clean and luxurious. The view from the room was incredible. My only complaints were the Wi-​Fi was very spotty and frustrating, also I expected the TV stations to have more channels and only a few were HD, definitely puzzling for a place that’s $ 400 – 600 a night. I would suspect most who come here would not care about the TV or WiFi but I did. Other than that great experience.

Beautiful hotel with beautiful views and nice rooms. Extremely comfortable beds. They had a nice basket of beach toys for my kid to use during our stay. Room also had lots of helpful items like a britta filter and water bottles, beach towels, blankets & backpacks. Strangely, they also provided us with beach chairs but no sun umbrella (we asked) and that beach has no natural shade! It was sunny and hot the whole time so we had to improvise something out of a regular rain umbrella. Also, beach chairs are very limited and patrons sort of fight over them so you have to get them early. Why don’t they just buy more?! Service is very professional and a bit aloof. Not warm.
Reservation process was difficult and misleading. It seemed straightforward online. Found the room we wanted, booked it and added a note that the 3^rd person was a child who would need a roll-​a-​way bed (room notes specifically said this was available). Got an email confirmation for the room type, the dates and the roll-​away bed. 2 days later came a phone call from the hotel informing me that we were in a different room type but the view was ‘just as good’ AND that there was no roll-​a-​way bed available for one of the nights during our stay. They said our son could just sleep in the king bed with us. Uh… excuse me? He’s almost 6 and thrashes around all night. No thanks! At this point we’d booked two other hotels before and after the Wick for our entire stay on Vancouver island so changing dates would have been very hard. We asked if another room was available with 2 queens or some other arrangement but they were booked. After several calls back and forth with some kind of supervisor they finally came up with a bed for us that we could keep during our entire stay. Again, buy more roll-​away beds! Would not have expected that from a hotel of this caliber and at this price point.
3 stars due to reservation fiasco but also because of the food! Food options at the hotel are very limited and offerings are super bland! They really need some kind of food store or deli on premises. On a summer day where it is light until 10pm all the food options close and you’re stuck having to go into town. My review of their restaurant is here:

A wonderful, relaxing getaway
This great hotel has awesome service and an attention to detail that I very much appreciated. The rooms were cozy with a beautiful view of the ocean. The bathroom with the soaker tub was relaxing and calming. We very much enjoyed our three night stay there.
One drawback was that we asked for a half bottle of champagne but were given and charged for a full bottle. When we brought it up they told us we ordered a full bottle. I know we hadn’t so it showed the lack of training from the hotel staff to argue with us about this. That was a disappointment.

Absolutely magical. Every time I’m here I wonder why I haven’t come back sooner. Perfect location, perfect staff, perfect restaurant, perfect rooms. Romantic and so so relaxing.

This place was definitely worth the price. The scenery was beautiful, the room was immaculate, and the service was impeccable. From the huge bath overlooking the ocean, to turndown service at night, to bikes to take into the city, the whole experience was amazing. The food at the restaurant (the pointe) and the café (driftwood café) was also high quality and delicious.

Highly impressed. Expensive, but worth the $ for a special occasion. We came here for our honeymoon in September, and the weather was PERFECT (a HUGE difference from the stormy weather we experienced when we came before in March). This hotel sits on a small cliff overlooking beautiful Chesterman beach, depending on the view from your room. We had a middle level room, that looked out thru the trees and onto the beach, definitely not one of the better views, but still amazing. I cannot even speak enough about the positive feng shui in these rooms! The beds are amazingly comfortable, and the two person tubs are the best I have been in. The hotel offers complementary bikes for cruising and has a stocked library with many great movies to chose from, all for free! The rooms are even stocked with items for use that come in incredibly handy; rain gear, a back pack, beach blankets, beach towels, binoculars, and small flashlight. We bought a few bundles of wood and enjoyed a private beach campfire, with our beach blankets. SO romantic! I hope that we are able to come back to this great hotel again, but it is quite expensive! We paid $ 400 – 500 on our room, and there is definitely the ability to spend much more! We did not eat at the restaurant, as it was also too expensive. We did, however, enjoy some «tapas-​style» meals at the café which were A-​MA-​ZING. The chef here is a genius. But it will cost you! Overall, worth the buy, but be prepared to fork out the $! Sadly, my biggest complaint was the wireless. I feel that if you are spending $ 400+ per night, the wireless should at least be usable. Not so!

The best hotel we have been in. It might be expensive to spend ~$ 800 a night but the value for what you pay makes it not expensive at all.
We went there for 3 nights in summer and now plan to visit there in November as well.
I will definitely go there again and recommend my friends too.

Stayed here with family for 3 days between xmas and new years. Although the stay was short, it was relaxing.
The rooms were cozy, clean, and offered lots of amenities. From books, rain coats (boots can be found at the front desk), coffee, CDs, etc… In the morning, you could see otters swimming off in the distance.
The views and location was amazing. It was nice to watch and hear the large waves come ashore.
The food from the restaurant was delicious (we ate out breakfasts here) also interesting. There was a special brunch menu and I had a «breakfast poutine» (fries, cheese curds, pork belly, and gravy). I never thought i’d enjoy a poutine for breakfast.
The staff were friendly, chatty, and also good at suggesting ideas for things to check out.
The inn is right on one of the beaches, so if the tide is out I’d recommend a long walk on the beach to check things out. You could see HUGE starfish on some of the rocks.
For rainy days, there is a library with books, games, puzzles, and dvds.

Heavenly. Just watch the waves come crashing in, go hiking, do nothing, have a wonderful meal. Reminded us of the feel of Big Sur. Loved the hotel, our room, and LOVED Tofino. Never saw so many stars at night.

A good hotel in a magnificent location. «The Wick» as it’s affectionately called, sits on an inspiring rock formation that overlooks Chesterman Beach. The hotel is divided into two parts: the Beach Building, the newer building down on Chesterman, and the Pointe Building, which is the original hotel carved into the rocks. Most of the photographs of the hotels are taken from the Pointe building which, from what I saw when I was there, has the better views. The Beach Building is newer and has larger suites, but lacks that whole «waves crashing on rocks and spraying into the air while you look out into the nothingness of the Pacific Ocean» feel to it. It’s more beach pastoral.
We selected a South-​facing room on the top (third) floor of the Pointe Building. The views were wonderfully desolate. Floor-​to-​ceiling windows, gas fireplace, balcony overlooking mudstone rock formations, a double soaking tub facing the window (no one can see you, it’s all wilderness… or so I hope!), and heated floors in the bathroom. These heated floors were awesome! The entertainment center was also hidden. You pushed a putton and an LCD TV popped out of the armoire. If you didn’t want to look at it anymore, you pushed another button. Pretty cool. Ipod hookups too.
Despite the amenities in the room, the room was not fancy or big. There was nothing particularly luxurious about it, which I liked because it fit in with the natural beauty of the surroundings. I think my husband was expecting more ornate luxury. However, the complimentary binoculars on the fireplace erased his misgivings about the cozy room by keeping him occupied for a few hours of spying-​on-​surfers out in the waves.
One morning, a bald eagle circled the rocks outside our room and landed on a tree. It was truly PHENOMENAL to witness the majesty of such a creature so close-​up! After resting for a few seconds, it was up in the air again, swooping down to grab another small bird from the water!
I want to give this high-​end Relais & Château gem 5 stars, but there were little parts of our stay that were surprisingly lacking. The CDs in the room made me laugh a little — one was Sarah MacLaughlan’s Fumbling Into Ecstasy. The parking valet was hit-​or-​miss. Sometimes the valet boy was there, other times, he wasn’t. The front desk was friendly enough, but no one went out of their way to suggest any activities or offer to make dinner suggestions. There wasn’t really a separate concierge desk. The Driftwood Café, the smaller «casual» dining café in the Beach Building barely had any indoor seating (3 tables) and the menu consisted of several items that weren’t able to be prepared in-​house and had to be brought over from the main building. The staff at the Wick were all friendly and pleasant, however, you got the sense that many of them were exchange students from French-​speaking countries who were learning about the hotel and hospitality industry. Not bad, but you expect more experience when you’re paying a high price. The one exception was our waitress at The Pointe Restaurant (separate review). Beware, there is also no shuttle into town.
Overall, a really good hotel in a to-​die-​for location. I would return if I had the opportunity to do so. Listening to the waves crash on the rocks while reading a book and being kept warm by a fire — the definition of bliss is certainly made of this!

This place is way overpriced, and offers little more than a nice restaurant on a beach setting. The beach access could be found for way less cost.
When I was there, the inclement weather kept all of the guests in their rooms with nothing to do but read or watch videos. No gym, no place even to meet other guests.
We had power outage in part of our room, and nobody ever came to fix.
My wife and I were looking forward to a great honeymoon dinner there, but we were refused our dinner table because we arrived late.
To top it off, they valet parked my car in the rain with all of the windows rolled down! Ruined my upholstery, but didn’t offer any compensation. For one night, it cost us US$ 600. after all of their taxes and add-​on fees. With that same money we could have had a really nice time in Vancouver or in Victoria.
Don’t believe the 5-​star reviews. From my reading of them, they’re not genuine guests.

Beautiful location and lovely room with stunning views. Beds extremely comfortable. Loved the food and the spa Tai massage as well as yoga was wonderful. Nice turndown service. CDs provided and books as well as binoculars, rain gear. Not bad internet service.
Lose points for not having filled our breakfast order which we had left on the usual sheet on the door knob before going to bed. Apparently no-​one had bothered to pick ours up. Ordered for 8:45−9 in order to make it to the nature walk at 9:30. After breakfast was 15 min late we were about to call down when we thought we should check to see if for some reason they had left it in the hall, and there was our order still hanging there. When I called down they were apologetic and 20 min later our breakfast arrived, but the mistake meant we missed the nature walk. Given it is only on Wed and Sat, and we were checking out Friday, we missed this altogether. While it put a big damper on our first day of our honeymoon at the Wick, we didn’t get the impression the staff were too concerned. I mentioned it again at checkout when the front desk person asked how everything was, and she said she’d tell the manager, but immediately asked if aside from this everything was good. It was like they wanted to brush it aside as no big deal. This is the most expensive hotel I’ve stayed in and I’ve never, after having stayed at many many hotels, had my breakfast not delivered. It’s such as basic service and would be like not getting your wake up call in terms of screwing up your schedule. From then on we were skeptical about the likelihood of service so called down for breakfast and for having picnic lunch made up instead of using their order sheets.

I desperately needed a vacation. I was looking for a place that was quiet, with inspiring landscapes, active outdoor activities, passive relaxation, and good food. The Wickaninnish has all of those things and more. I was blown away by this place — both for the stunningly beautiful setting and the thought that went into every detail of my interaction with the staff and the ways in which they prepare to pamper each guest.
The Wickaninnish had been on my radar, I had seen an ad for it a year or so ago, I perused their website and promptly bookmarked it. I often clicked on their website and dreamed of the vacation I’d have there. I decided to head west for a visit with family in Seattle for Thanksgiving and then head up to the Wick. I called to reserve my room and reviewed logistics with the man who booked my stay — driving the rental car from Seattle to Vancouver, taking the Tsawwassen to Nanaimo (3hr) ferry, and driving from Nanaimo to Tofino (3hr). I wanted a room in the Pointe Building with a fireplace, a balcony, a king bed, and a soaking tub. During the conversation, the man asked me about my pillow preference. Hmmm. Really? No one has ever asked me about my pillow preference and I didn’t know how to answer. I said, «I’ve never really thought about it». He said, «We’ll give you an assortment and you can let us know which you prefer». Yes, this is customer service. Though their rooms are pricey, I thought this time of year would be perfect for me — off season rates, quiet beaches, and a more subtle experience because of the dip in tourist visits.
Upon arrival, the staff is expecting you (maybe they were worried i’d get lost on a mountain pass?) and eagerly helps with luggage and car parking. They take you to the room and show you around — because — this is no ordinary room. Are you thinking of a hike? There is a brita filter and stainless steel water bottles for your use. Are you thinking of going to the beach? There is a backpack and beach towels in the closet. There could be a rain shower at any point as this is «Storm Season» — there are raincoats and umbrellas in the closet. If you need wellies come down to the desk and we’ll get a pair that fits you. If you’re cold there are some Hudson Bay Blankets folded in the closet. Really? Yes. They have thought of EVERYTHING. Oh, the view, yes, you might enjoy checking out the wildlife guide on the mantel and brand new binoculars. Feel free to take them with you on your hike. Do you need dinner reservations? Spa treatments? Let us take care of it for you. Do you need a ride into town?
I loved this place. Basically, if you get yourself there, they will take care of the rest. It is quiet. It is beautiful. The service is impeccable. I hope to go back each year. I love that my phone didn’t work there (I didn’t want to pay for an international plan) and I was unable to get any email. The hotel offered to put a router in my room — but honestly, it was quite peaceful knowing that my boss couldn’t find me! That is my idea of a vacation. Next time, spa treatments!

Falling asleep to the sound of crashing surf just outside our doors. Yep, that’s a perfect way to relax and rejuvenate. We had a lovely stay at the Wick.
The location of the Wick is stunning. It’s about as close as it can be to the Pacific without sitting in the water. Beaches surround the property on both sides and there are several hiking trails in the woods around the resort. This truly is the perfect environment to kick back. The Wick is renowned as a storm watching location and I could easily see that if the waves were really bad they would put on quite a show smacking into the rocky shore.
Service was impeccable from the start. We had no less than three people helping us to our room with our luggage and explaining some of the features of our suite. Cards with the next day’s weather forecast were left for us each night. We even returned from dinner to rose petals strewn about the room and a hot bath waiting for us, hey now! We were on the second floor right about the spa, overlooking the ocean. Our room had everything you could want: comfy king bed, fireplace, coffee machine, soaking tub, chairs, balcony, plasma tv, desk, Bose stereo, and even Deadliest Catch regulation rain gear for our use. Bald eagles flew right by us each morning we sat on the balcony drinking coffee. We took a few of their bikes out for a ride and had lunch in town and explored a bit. Hikes nearby the Inn gave us fantastic views and we were able to go out on the sandbar when the tide was out and see all of the starfish, urchins and mussels that were on the rocks.
The spa was great too. We had massages in the private hut that sits on the rocks. Spa facilities were very nice as well and it was a very soothing afternoon. The hotel restaurant, The Pointe, was excellent as well. The main dining room is a huge round room with panoramic views surrounding a copper fireplace. We came back later in our stay and made a meal of snacks and light apps with a few pints of the local craft beers they have on tap.
Tofino is just up the road and it is a cute little fishing town. We went to town most nights for dinner and also took a sightseeing cruise and float plane from there. There is a national park on the way up to the Wick and several beaches and trials along the way. This is supposed to be a great area for surfing.
Give yourself plenty of time getting up here, it’s remote. We took a morning ferry from Vancouver and drove about three hours along scenic, yet windy, mountain roads to get here. It could be slow going if you get stuck behind a truck or RV.

Unbelieve experience. From the food, to the views and locations to the people and service, everything was perfect. I cannot recommend the Wickaninnish enough. All of the little details are taken care of, this is a diamond in the rough.

Wow, having read the reviews, I’m wondering: did I miss something?
My guess is that my aversion to The Wick stems from the fact that I don’t drive a gold-​coloured Lexus. If I did, I am certain that I would have loved this place. However, I’m more of a black German auto sort of fella. And, as a result, I’m wondering if I actually visited the same place as all of the other reviewers…
Arguably, The Wick is trading on a name it built over the course of the past decade or so. No doubt in 1996 it was THE place in Tofino. World-​class food. World-​class view. World-​class accommodation. Today, it is one of a handful of excellent alternatives when you head up island.
So why three stars? Quite simply, given the price you pay to stay here, it doesn’t deliver; particularly the much vaunted restaurant which I was utterly disappointed with. That’s not to say it isn’t a nice experience spending some time here. Rather, it’s a question of whether or not you’ve had a chance to compare The Wick versus its peer group in the area.
Is it a nice place to lay your head? Yes. Does it offer a spectacular view and passable food? Yes. Heck, you can even test drive a Lexus hybrid to replace your current planet-​hating ride.
If this sounds like the sort of place that you’d like to spend $ 600+/night to stay at, you’re in luck. Otherwise, I would suggest you do a bit of research before you hit the road. I can think of at least two places that, in my opinion, are on par with The Wick at a fraction of the price; however, they don’t offer complimentary access to Japanese luxury cars.

Wow.
I’ve done my share of high-​end places, but the Wickaninnish Inn is something really special. Yes, it is a beautiful building, great kitchen, well-​cared for, in a spectacular setting, but what really did it for me was how completely genuine every single staff person was. Everyone on the property just seemed really happy to be there and happy to have me there to share the experience with them.
I’ve never had a hotel experience that really gives you that «coming home» feeling before. It was magical.

Although I would have loved to stay here overnight, we did have the opportunity to have breakfast here.
If you’re looking for delicious food with great views, I highly recommend the brunch. It wasn’t crowded at all, and we were seated right away.
Then…we waited to get noticed. Which wouldn’t be so bad, but due to the emptiness of the restaurant, I was surprised.
Got the peach/​apple/​strawberry juice to start, along with some coffee. I got the lemon buttermilk waffles, he got the fish and chips (it’s brunch, why not?)
The waffles, although not lemony at all, were very delicious. The rhubarb and walnuts were a nice touch. He seemed to enjoy the fish and chips, and I can vouch for the fact that the chips were amazing.
The views are what make this place. It was absolutely POURING outside, but watching the waves was awe-​inspiring.
What took out a star was the service. Our waitress, while quite nice, did not have much of a personality, and was kind of slow in taking our order, bringing our food, and closing us out.
I’d recommend this place, however, and strongly suggest a stop here for brunch.

We’ve been here 2 out of 5 nights and I can’t help it — I have to tell you now this place is ⁵⁄₅ stars!
I’ll start with the service, as it’s exceptional. Personal notes left by the people who clean your room, restaurant service that makes you feel like you’re a regular when you’ve only just arrived, spa service that treats you like a star, and front desk staff that always seem to be quietly observant in order to anticipate your every need.
The location here is stunning. STUNNING! Perched right on a rocky shore, we listen to the waves each night from Room 312 (do make sure you get a room on the 3^rd floor — better views up here). Eagles fly by with their catch dangling in their talons and surfers can be seen running into the waves to catch a set. Another perk that I appreciated — you get whiffs of freshly baked bread permeating the salt air on occasion.
The spa is attentive without being overbearing. Do book a couple’s massage if you can — you’ll enjoy being in the Cedar Sanctuary with the sound of the waves at your footstep. And also be sure to check out the Rainforest Steamroom — it even has a window to the outdoors (not that you can see much through the steam, but it does add ambience).
The food is great in both buildings. This morning we had pastries in the café — we’re talking chocolate croissants that would make the French jealous, along with other goodies. The Pointe Restaurant also is fantastic.
Perks you’ll appreciate at the hotel: free bikes, a Philips Senseo coffee maker with local Caffe Umbria coffee pods (it’s that new fangled coffee maker that looks like an espresso machine but actually just brews one cup at a time — seriously good), a two person tub with a picture window looking out to the ocean, a fireplace that lights with the flip of a switch, free wifi, beach access. Well, you get the picture. Everything you expect, want, and more. Yeah, it’s remote (hey, we came all the way from SF!), but it’s worth it. Stay in Room 312 and you can read the notes from all the others who’ve stayed here and loved it. Including me.