FALL SALE: Save up to $1,058 on our small-group trips! Limited spots. Book Now.

The Best Hotels in Nanaimo, Canada

The nature that surrounds Nanaimo makes this part of Vancouver Island a hub for outdoor adventurers
The nature that surrounds Nanaimo makes this part of Vancouver Island a hub for outdoor adventurers | © Andrew Ly / Unsplash

Wake up to Pacific Ocean views and unspoilt Canadian nature on your doorstep at one of the best hotels in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island.

MGM Seashore

Bed and Breakfast

Hosted by a retired married couple, this north Nanaimo B&B offers three room types for travelers, each with its own merits. Guests of the Sunset Room have private access to the outdoor hot tub, while those in the Honeymoon Suite have their very own jacuzzi and gas fireplace. All units are equipped with their own private decks for taking in unobstructed sunset views over the water.

The Grand Hotel Nanaimo

Hotel

The Grand Hotel Nanaimo room with lamps, desk and headboard, pattern bedsheets
Courtesy of the Grand Hotel Nanaimo / Expedia.com

This boutique-style hotel in Nanaimo offers 70 rooms of varying sizes and styles. Deluxe rooms are equipped with their own tub and shower, gas fireplace and balcony, while suites go the extra mile to make you feel at home. The hotel is framed by a lush, fragrant garden with roses, fig trees and an olive tree – be sure to wander through it at some point during your stay. And there’s a whiskey bar too – stocked full with over 150 whiskies from all corners of the globe, including Japan, Scotland and India.

Coast Bastion Hotel

Hotel

Coast Bastion Hotel room with headboards and green blankets
Courtesy of Coast Bastion Hotel / Booking.com

Located in downtown Nanaimo, the 179 units at Coast Bastion Hotel each have a Juliet balcony that looks out over the water. For ultra-relaxation, go for the Coast Premium King Suite, which comes with its own jetted tub. This hotel is big on offering guests local experiences – it even has its own beehive that is used to harvest honey. Their on-site restaurant, Minnoz Restaurant & Lounge, serves fresh local seafood dishes such as lobster ravioli and tuna niçoise.

Surf Lodge and Pub

Cabin, Lodge

Surf Lodge and Pub exterior at night with lush grounds
Courtesy of Surf Lodge and Pub / Booking.com

A short 20-minute ferry ride from Nanaimo, Surf Lodge and Pub enjoys a natural setting on the rugged shores of Gabriola Island. Guests can rent entire cabins with one to three rooms, or choose from a selection of individual rooms, all of which offer views to the sea or forest. The Sunset Lounge Dining Room – one of two on-site restaurants – is always buzzing and serves up a rotating menu based on whatever fresh and locally sourced ingredients are available.

Long Lake Waterfront Bed and Breakfast

Bed and Breakfast, Suite Hotel

Long Lake Waterfront Bed and Breakfast interior of a room with lake view and four poster bed, wood floors and rug
Courtesy of Long Lake Waterfront Bed and Breakfast

All suites at this waterfront bed and breakfast on Long Lake – about a 10-minute drive north of downtown Nanaimo – come with a picture-perfect view of the lake. Choose the Deluxe King Suite, which includes a spa bath and four-poster canopy bed. You can take in the beautiful scenery here, or hire a complimentary kayak or stand-up paddleboard at the property’s floating dock to get a closer look.

Kiwi Cove Lodge

Lodge

Kiwi Cove Lodge lounge area with fireplace, wood floor and terrace visible outside
Courtesy of Kiwi Cove Lodge / Booking.com

Kiwi Cove Lodge spreads over 10ac (4ha) by the waterfront, around 20 minutes south of Nanaimo towards the town of Ladysmith. It has 12 cozy guest rooms and – as you might have guessed – its own kiwi vineyard, which takes pride of place at the property. There are 134 vines here that grow two types of kiwi – you can taste them both at breakfast (and whenever you’re feeling peckish) – and there are even kiwi paintings displayed in the lodge, including impressionistic images created from original digital photographs. Safe to say, the hosts here are mad about kiwis.

Buccaneer Inn

Motel

Buccaneer Inn room with simple design, art on walls and lamps
Courtesy of Buccaneer Inn / Expedia.com

The family-owned Buccaneer Inn puts you within a few hundred meters of Nanaimo’s Departure Bay Terminal, so you won’t have to travel far once you reach the island. Its selection of units ranges from smaller ones, such as the nautically themed Cozy Studio, to the newly renovated three-bedroom Seaview Cottage, which comes equipped with a gas fireplace and a private backyard with deck and barbecue. If you’ve come here to laze by the channel, there’s nowhere better to do just that. In your serenity, watch bald eagles swooping down for fish and the BC Ferries boats sailing by.

Quarrystone House Bed and Breakfast

Bed and Breakfast

Quarrystone House Bed and Breakfast room with large bed and carpeted floors and hot tub
Courtesy of Quarrystone House Bed and Breakfast / Expedia.com

The four rooms at Quarrystone House Bed and Breakfast on Salt Spring Island invite guests for a tranquil escape on their 5ac (2ha) property. Each room is outfitted with a private patio, where you can enjoy sunset views and look out to the shimmering waters of Stone Cutters Bay. Each room also comes with a jacuzzi tub and fireplace, ideal for a romantic getaway. Note that there aren’t any direct connections between Nanaimo and Salt Spring Island, and the 1.5-hour journey between the two includes a 25-minute ferry ride.

Stonekroft Guesthouse

Bed and Breakfast

Stonekroft Guesthouse exterior with bridge and lush gardens
Courtesy of Stonekroft Guesthouse / Booking.com

This intimate B&B sits on the western shores of Shawnigan Lake, about an hour’s drive south of Nanaimo, and is an ideal base for those looking for some adventure. You can hire a canoe, or go swimming and hiking in the surrounding area. Inside, there’s just one double room and two suites fitted with a kitchenette, and a balcony or patio with access to a communal barbecue. The home-made breakfasts are a standout feature here, as are the fresh pastries and fruit served in the afternoon.

Culture Trip Fall Sale

Save up to $1,058 on our unique small-group trips! Limited spots.

toast-message-image
close-ad
Edit article