“The Gulf Islands archipelago – a string of some 100
partially submerged mountain peaks lying in the Straight of Georgia, between
Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia – is Canada’s answer to
Washington’s San Juans, though no where near as busy… Of the five most visited
southern Gulf Islands, Salt Spring is the most popular and also the largest…
Incongruously perched above the town amid 30 acres of flowering English
gardens, towering Douglas firs, and water views is one of western Canada’s most
exclusive hideaways, the Tudor-style Hastings House.”
This was, I believe, the most relaxing four days I’ve ever
spent on any vacation, ever. I knew HH was on Salt Spring Island, and I knew
that SSI was not Vancouver Island, but I did think there was a bridge between
the two. There is not. Enter the surprise second ferry.
I’d planned to do a couple of things on Vancouver Island
while staying at Hastings House because I’d taken the days I spent there off
work, but because taking a ferry anywhere is a bit of a hassle, I immediately
re-thought those plans and decided I wouldn’t leave the islands until
check-out. Because I’m not much of an
outdoor type, this meant that my plans were mostly sleep, eat, read, nap, sit
by the fire. And it was GLORIOUS!
Hastings House delivers warm muffins to your door each morning, a hot breakfast at the dining room is also included. So my days mostly consisted of collecting my muffins and eating one of them, getting ready for the day and wandering to the dining room for yogurt, fruit, and a fresh-baked croissant. Because I also stayed on Texas time, I was generally the first person at breakfast and I got peace and quiet and to choose my own table every morning.
After breakfast, it was back to the room to read, once it
hit about lunch time, I sometimes did a little excursion to a cidery, then back
for my afternoon nap.
The day rounded out with dinner in the dining room (2 of the 4 nights), and then sleeping with the windows wide open (so the room was chilly) and waking up about 2am to grab the remote and turn on the fire. IT WAS GLORIOUS!
Monday, October 11th was Canadian Thanksgiving and Hastings House did a holiday dinner on Sunday. Turns out Canadian Thanksgiving is very much like an American Thanksgiving, at least when it comes to the menu – turkey, stuffing, potatoes, carrots, etc. The food was good, but the company in the room was not. If you follow me on Facebook you’ve already heard the story. Luckily, both sets of complainers checked out the next day so I never had to hear them complain again.
Hastings House was a splurge hotel for me, but have I mentioned? IT WAS GLORIOUS!
