Vancouver Island offers a great variety of sites and activities for visitors to experience. At the souther tip, Victoria offers tourists great pubs, the Inner Harbour, Butchart Gardens, and of course, tea at the Empress Hotel. Along the eaast cost, Parksville has vast sandy beaches where you can walk out nearly 1 kilometer during low tide. Central Vancouver Island is home of Mount Washington which offers great skiing in the winter. And of course, the rugged west coast offers nature lovers everything that is stereotypical west coast: rain forests, majestic trees, and rugged shorelines, and lots of fog that combine to produce breath-taking sceneries that so many travelers from around the world come to experience.
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At the heart of the west coast of Vancouver Island are the towns of Tofino and Ucluelet, and the 40km stretch of beach and costline between them. In addition to the great scenery, people come here for the variety of outdoor life it has to offer: surfing, salmon fishing, beach combing, hiking and camping.
Review of the Black Rock Resort in Ucluelet
The accommodation jewel of the region is Black Rock Resort in Ucluelet. I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days here and take in everything the resort has to offer. In short, the resort is absolutely amazing.
Common Areas: The hotel architects took great care to take advantage of the oceanfront location and to maximize the views. Upon arrival, guests enter the hotel to experience a wide and open lobby with 30-foot tall glass wall overlooking the Pacific Ocean (see image below). The restaurant and lounge offer the same great stunning views, plenty of seating options indoors and out.
Pool, Hot Tubs and Fitness Center: The hotel features a small but adequate swimming pool and two hot tubs. The entire pool deck area is overlooking the rugged rocky coast line and offers splendid views of the waves crashing on the beach. It is fun to enjoy the warmth of the hot tub while being surrounded by a damp, soggy and foggy weather that this region is known for. Having 2 hot tubs is a nice perk, offering privacy if desired or the opportunity to mingle with other guests. The fitness center is modern, clean, and offers a variety of free weights, machines, treadmills and stationary bikes.
Rooms at the Black Rock Resort: Guest rooms at the Black Rock Resort are nothing short of stunning. I had the opportunity to enjoy a full 1-bedroom suite. Its features include: a full kitchen (dishwasher, fridge, stove, sink and ample coffee and tea), a separate bedroom; living room and dining area; enormous 200+ square feet plush bathroom; living room and dining room with natural gas fireplace; and an enormous patio patio (roughly 200 sq ft.). The décor was modern, stylish, plush and had a west coast vibe to it: cedar, slate, cool colors yet warm and cozy. The patio offered ocean views that were nothing short of stunning.
Partial view of the bathroom. This window opens up to the bedroom and the view beyond. Not shown, the massive waterfall shower tiled with slate.
Staff: We found the staff first rate. From restaurant staff to front desk to cleaning services, all of our encounters were friendly and helpful.
Related: Using Priceline for Hotels on Vancouver Island, Canada
I cannot help but rave about the location of this resort: immediately on the ocean overlooking the rocky coastline of the Pacific Northwest. Hikers will also be delighted to learn that guests have immediate access to the Wild Pacific Trail offering up to 8 kms of hiking immediately outside the resort, literally.
Travel and Leisure Magazine rated nearby Wickeninish Inn #1 resort in Canada but I whole-heartedly disagree. Having stayed at both, there is no comparison. Black Rock is undoubtedly my favorite resort in Canada.
Additional Photos of the Black Rock Resort
Exterior of the building at the Black Rock resort.
One of the sandy beaches near Black Rock, great for surfing and beach combing.
Weather can change quickly. 5 minutes prior to this photo, there was nothing but blue skies and sunshine. Here, a surfer enjoys the waves at a beach not far from Black Rock.