Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/136981
destinations » out & about Surf-Town Sophistication Approachable luxury on the waterfront at Long Beach Lodge Resort On a blissfully warm Friday in May, dogs sprint every which way among families exploring the shoreline of Cox Bay in Tofino, B.C. Despite the spirited action, the sprawling beach is so vast that it's easy to feel alone. The sun is beaming, but the crooked, wind-blasted trees framing the beach tell the story of a different season, a reminder that this waterfront town offers year-round adventure and famed, tempestuous storm watching. Situated on the beach's edge is Long Beach Lodge Resort, a West Coast-chic property with 41 well-appointed rooms in the main house and 20 two-bedroom cottages tucked away in the forest. The proximity to great surf is appealing, but the real jewel of the lodge is its Great Room, an expansive dining room and lounge space with floor-toceiling windows that give meaning to the term "oceanfront." Owner Tim Hackett says the Great Room is a near replica (though much bigger) of a room in his Victoria home – right down to the wooden posts, exposed beams and fireplace. "I wanted a West Coast style of house and that's what we did here," he says. The welcoming space is adorned with local First Nations artwork, including a striking raven head that acted as the building block for the room's esthetic. "I bought that two years before I built the place," says Hackett. "I said, 'I'm going to build the place around this raven head.'" One meal in the Great Room with a fiery Tofino sunset painting the horizon and it's easy to understand why 60 per cent of the hotel's guests are return customers. However, Hackett says it's the lodge's new Surf Club that's bringing more people back these days. Located behind the main lodge, the club building offers luxurious changing rooms, a hot tub and sauna, a full rental outfit with surf instructors and a gift shop with a coffee bar, complete with a custom-made surfboard light fixture. The vibe is laid-back but the hospitality is high-end – perfectly on point with the Long Beach Lodge Resort experience. To keep the lodge's surf services top-of-mind, another custom-made surfboard lighting fixture is to be installed – this time over the reception desk. It will certainly amplify the coastal-cool ambience, but one peek out the waterfront windows and visitors need no reminder that the resort is a bona fide surf destination. ■ – Kristen Hilderman PHOTOS Josh Lewis, Long Beach Lodge Resort; (sunset) Kristen Hilderman; (chocolate) Chocolate Tofino; (beer) Adam Chilton; (notebooks) Petra Mueller. For more information on Tofino go to tourismtofino.com. See SOURCES on page 42 TAKE IT HOME Island offerings to bring back from your journey Handmade bars and island-inspired truffles from Chocolate Tofino will melt in your mouth. From $2.95; chocolatetofino.com 40 | BC HOME & GARDEN July/August 2013 p40-41_Travel.indd 40 Grab a bottle, a pack or fill one of Tofino Brewing Co.'s reusable, refillable glass growlers with one of their five craft beers. Our fave: Dawn Patrol Coffee Porter. From $5.35; tofinobrewingco.com Local artist Marion Syme designs charming hand-drawn notebooks that make great gifts and are the perfect size for pockets and purses. $10 for 3; postelsiapress.com 13-06-07 11:47 AM Benjamin