TRAVEL HiddenGem
Blessed with spectacular beaches, Vancouver Island is a summer playground for lovers of sand and surf. While the Tofino and Uclue- let region is known internationally for its waves, oceanfront lodges, fine dining and art galleries, its neighbour to the southwest— the region stretching from Port Renfrew to Sooke—is a stunning destination perfect for those hoping to feel as though they’ve hap- pened upon an unbeaten path.
STAY Situated on Whiffen Spit Beach, Sooke Harbour House is a destination inn renowned worldwide for its charming, West Coast-style accommodations and award-winning dining room. Dedicated to supporting local food producers and artisans, owners Frederique and Sinclair Philip have made their property a true showcase of the region’s natural bounty. Stunning original artworks by area artists line the walls throughout the inn, while guest rooms showcase locally crafted millwork and ceramics. Uniquely appointed with great attention to detail, each of the grand guest rooms features a wood-burning fireplace, an oversized soaker tub and/or misting shower, a bar stocked with port, coffee, tea and cookies and a private terrace—where guests take in views of the Olympic Mountains, the ocean and frolicking whales, seals and otters. Sooke
74 VANCOUVER VIEW May 2012
[ BY ALISON MALONE EATHORNE ]
World-class waves and wilderness meet award-winning accommodations on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island.
Harbour House offers in-room spa treat- ments—including massages, wraps, scrubs, facials and aesthetics—that utilise herbal oils made with ingredients from the surrounding land and sea.
HISTORY Built in 1929, the idyllic clapboard farmhouse was purchased in 1979 by Frederique and Sinclair Philip. Te couple had met in Nice in 1967 and soon discovered they shared a passion for cooking for friends, using local ingredients. With their children in tow, the Philips moved to Toronto in 1978. Having long dreamed of running a bed and breakfast in a way that echoed their lifestyle in France, the Philips were thrilled to come across Sooke Harbour House the following year. Since then, the couple has taken the property from five guest rooms to 28.
DINE Recipient of several culinary and wine awards over the years, the restaurant at Sooke Har- bour House has long drawn food connoisseurs with its commitment to serving seasonal, or- ganic cuisine sourced from the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. Seafood is served the day it is caught, while salad greens and herbs are pulled straight from the inn’s extensive on-site garden, where head gardener Byron Cook carefully tends to an oasis of over 200 edible plants. Te restaurant’s daily-changing four-course menu might include dishes such as Vancouver Island freshwater crayfish tomato
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