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We decided to celebrate my belated birthday with a relaxing getaway at the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa in Courtenay, BC on Vancouver Island. Originally we had our eye on another spa resort in British Columbia, but the prices in the summer were insanely expensive so we opted for the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort. The hotel checked all of our boxes: it is quiet and serene, has a lovely spa as well as facilities such as a steam and sauna, and it is very close to restaurants with delicious food. It’s also dog-friendly (there’s an extra fee per night), so we were able to bring our little pup Olive along. Keep reading to find out the highlights from our two-night stay!
GETTING THERE
The Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa is just over an hour drive away from Nanaimo ferry terminal. From Vancouver, the ferry ride is about 1.5 hours from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. I’d highly recommend renting a car to get around Courtenay. As far as I could see, there are no easy ways via public transit to get to the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort, but parking is free for hotel guests staying on property. The hotel is about 10-20 minutes driving away from the town center, where all the restaurants are.
HOTEL PROPERTY
The hotel is situated right by the ocean and a coastal forest, so it very much felt like an escape to nature for us. Our room had sliding doors that opened to a small patio leading to a grassy court area with lots of trees, flowers and areas to sit and relax. There were even fire pits for night time lounging and relaxation. Our room was just steps away from the spa, pool and sauna, which was very convenient. We were also a short walk from a small beach, where there were also lounge chairs. Our room was very comfortable and the beds were nice and spacious.
There is a restaurant on the hotel property, but we opted to leave the hotel to explore Courtenay for food. We made use of the steam room and sauna at the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort, which we had unlimited access to during the duration of our stay. The pool was very nice, though there were limited lounging chairs by the pool and we found that people would wake up early to reserve them.
PACIFIC MIST SPA AND HYDROPATH
We booked a massage with a registered massage therapist and a one-hour hydropath session at Pacific Mist Spa at the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort. To be honest we did not care for the RMT massage at all and at $200 for a 60-minute massage, we not book it again if we returned. However, we really enjoyed the Pacific Mist Hydropath, a very unique hydrotherapy experience. We were led through the path, which included different kinds of showers, mineral massage pools, waterfalls, steam caves, tidal baths and more. The entire experience takes an hour and it is $119 per person (before taxes). We felt super relaxed after and enjoyed the lounge areas in the spa.
The facilities at the Pacific Mist Spa were very nice and the lounge areas had a beautiful view. In the women’s changeroom there were areas for spa guests to freshen up after treatments or after using the sauna/steam room. I also really enjoyed the tea offered at the spa.
Overall the Kingfisher Island Resort and Spa was the perfect choice for our mini-getaway. It was a great way for us to unwind and relax. To read about the food we enjoyed while in Courtenay, click here.
