SETTLE IN When “Glamping” officially entered the cultural lexicon around 2007, high maintenance holidayers around the world rejoiced! Finally, the hospitality world was offering up getaways with access to nature, fresh air and the soothing sound of rain on your tent without all that schlepping. By definition, Glamping is camping that offers resort-style services (and marriage-saving amenities). Rockwater Secret Cove Resort, open year-round on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast, has taken this concept and given it a sexy, West Coast spin.
Nestled into stunning Secret Cove, Rockwater feels like three resorts in one. You have The Lodge, with its traditional 16-room motel-style layout, newly renovated dining lounge, and ocean view pool and patio. Then there are The Cabins. These rustic, throwback cottages were originally designed for salty dogs (or the occasional folk goddess). Yes, the one and only Joni Mitchell stayed in cabin 11 for months while her Sunshine Coast home was under renovation. But it is what’s behind door number three, or rather along a 1500-foot cliffside boardwalk, that will prompt you to pack away that mildew-scented sleeping bag for good.
The Rainforest Suites are the work of Vancouver-based designer Lucille Fares, who designed the 16-by-24 foot safari-style, luxury tents to enhance—not compete with—the natural environment. The tents are accessed by a 1,500-foot elevated cedar walkway that looks a lot like the upscale version of an Ewok village. It’s unclear whether a fictitious mammaloid would actually appreciate a Jacuzzi tub, fireplace or heated floors, but I know I sure do.
The six-minute trek from the parking lot to my cliffside oasis leads me through towering Douglas fir and abundant rust coloured Arbutus. A bald eagle offers up a shrill welcome and my nostrils sting (in a good way) from the fresh smells of the sea. I can feel the city stress leave my body with every step. In my hand is a key to suite 63, which is one of 13 tents with unobstructed ocean views and private balconies. Five of the suites are perched up high in the forest canopy and the other Eight rooms dangle over the water’s edge. I’m thrilled to see that my tent is close to the ocean, but elevated enough to provide pretty views of Thormanby Island.
The interior of my Rainforest Suite is chic and understated, featuring natural materials like wood and slate. There is a wonderful ocean-view hydrotherapy tub for two.
If you’re like me and dream of spending 24/7 in a bath robe, you’re in luck. Rockwater offers a full room service menu from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. everyday and I’m happy to report that the breakfast I ordered arrived in less than 15 minutes, and piping hot. Dominating the open concept room is, of course, the pillow top king bed where you should be spending the majority of your time.
This is an adults-only area of the resort after all! That being said, canvas walls are thin, and in the warmer months you will probably want to open the zippered windows or balcony doors. Come ready with earplugs or simply embrace the sensual sounds of nature.
DINE In 2016 Chef Mike Bono (formally of Vancouver’s Cascade Room) joined the team and has seriously stepped up Rockwater’s food game. The breakfast offerings range from organic yogurt with fresh berries and local honey to decadent bennys served on crispy potato latkes. The lunch menu is limited, but what they do, they do very well. Don’t miss out on the tender fried chicken with housemade biscuits and collard greens. The dinner menu wowed me with smoked Castelvetrano olives, port poached pear salad with Danish blue cheese and the winter squash risotto with pine nuts and brown butter. The wine list is small, but features some great Okanagan standouts like Blue Mountain’s Pinot Noir, and the beer list has a few great micro-brews.
SPA Starting mid-April and running until early October, the resort offers singles or couples a unique experience at their “Spa Without Walls”. It’s a tented massage space, much like the rainforest suites, where you can enjoy a bliss, relaxation or Ayurvedic massage literally steps from the ocean’s edge. Or you can just grab a kayak or canoe (also offered on-site) and go find your own bliss.
TRAVEL Getting from Vancouver to Rockwater Secret Cove Resort takes approximately 90 minutes. Take the Langdale Ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Gibsons. These car-friendly ferries run regularly all year long, but daily schedules vary from season to season. Always double-check bcferries.com before you begin your journey. It is a 45-km drive from Gibsons to Rockwater, and it is a scenic one. Take your time and enjoy it!
