Unique places to stay in nature
Learn about five types of accommodation that offer different ways to immerse yourself in nature.
Learn about five types of accommodation that offer different ways to immerse yourself in nature.
When was the last time you sipped a steamy morning beverage in the still of the forest or enjoyed a sizzling breakfast cooked in the open air? Imagine spending your days in the wilderness and your nights reconnecting around a crackling fire, as you fall asleep under a starry sky.
If you’ve been aching to spend more time in nature, there are plenty of ways to get outside in British Columbia. This is the year to try something different—to literally expand your horizons, be it in a yurt, a cabin, a wilderness lodge, or even a teepee.
Here are eight types of accommodation that offer different ways to immerse yourself in nature.
Glamping
To blend indoors with outdoors, try glamping, a more luxurious alternative to camping. The luxury oceanfront tents at Browns Bay Resort just north of Campbell River offer real beds and a living section that opens up onto the deck for barbecues in the ocean breeze.
Located in the mountains above Okanagan Provincial Park, Chute Lake Lodge offers canvas “glam tents” and yurts. Work up an appetite cycling the KVR trail or padding a canoe on the lake and gather around private fire pits for evening s’mores.
Wake up to bird song at Radius Retreat near Radium Hot Springs, where there’s a thousand acres of wilderness to explore. With both hike-in and easily accessible yurts (some provide quick entry to trailheads for those with mobility issues), the mountainside location offers dramatic views of the Columbia Wetlands and a peaceful atmosphere that cultivates wellness and creativity.
Rooms with a view
Stoke your creativity by staying somewhere with a unique view of the landscape. Located in the village of New Denver between the Selkirk and Valhalla mountains, Adventure Domes offer curvy cottages wrapped in nature. Find inspiration rock climbing in Valhalla Provincial Park, paddle Slocan Lake, cycle or hike local trails, and soak in nearby hot springs.
Angular and Instagram-worthy, the Black Box Container Home is a stylish way to experience the Kamloops desert, with a view of the South Thompson River and an outdoor fire pit. At Myra Canyon Lodge and Ranch above Kelowna, a converted school bus offers views of the valley from bed.
The “log castle” Tower House at The Chilko Experience Wilderness Resort is architecturally fascinating, with a third-floor observation deck onto lake and mountains. Relax in the remote Chilcotin location and explore the sweeping landscape by ATV, heli-hiking, and more.
Eco resorts
The feeling of awe experienced deep in the wilderness makes you want to preserve it for future generations. Nimmo Bay Resort provides up to 80% of power needs through a hydro system fuelled by streams and waterfalls. Stay in a luxury waterfront cabin, relax in a floating cedar sauna, dine on foraged ingredients, and find exhilaration in an outdoor rain shower.
Near Kootenay National Park, Nipika Mountain Resort is completely off-grid, sourcing power from the sun and forest. Expend your energy in the Rockies mountain biking, trail running, hiking, or canoeing the Kootenay River. At night, sit on your log cabin porch and soak up the stars.
Reached by kayak in Desolation Sound, Cabana Desolation Eco Resort’s buildings are made from sustainably harvested or recycled building materials. On summer nights, catch the thrill of bioluminescence, a natural phenomenon of light dancing through water.
Wellness retreats
The serenity of nature can be profoundly healing. At Nectar Yoga Retreat on Bowen Island, daily guided yoga and meditation classes help you to find that mind-body connection amid a grove of maple and alder trees.
At Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast, Shades of Jade Inn and Spa offers quiet reflection surrounded by cedar trees near Henderson Beach. Reconnect with the healing power of touch at the day spa, which offers massages, facials, and more with natural Sea Flora skin care products made from organic seaweed.
Wilderness lodges
Spotting bears, orcas, and other wildlife in the wilderness is a primal experience that helps to put things in perspective. In Broughton Archipelago Marine Park, explore by boat and recount the adventure while watching the sun set at Farewell Harbour Lodge.
Perched on 100 hectares of private rainforest near Terrace, Little Wolf Resort offers guided or non-guided fishing adventures. From your red cedar lodge base, set out for wildlife watching on private hiking trails along the Skeena River and through the Great Bear Rainforest.