Consider it Canada’s Napa Valley. Like the proverbial Garden of Eden, abundant with fruit orchards, profuse with lucid lakes, chock full of mom-and-pop-owned herb and vegetable farms, and vaunting nearly 200 independent wineries, British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley is an epicurean tourist’s ultimate paradise.
As a gourmet traveler, you’ll want to visit in summer or autumn when the jardin is in full bloom, chewing and digesting your way through the culinary region. You’ll stop on impulse at farm stands, in fields, at garden-to-fork restaurants, and inside tasting rooms, helmed by family winemakers. Based in Kelowna, an engaging city on the shores of Okanagan Lake, surrounded by vineyards, farms, orchards, and pine forests, you’ll be in the heart of the region.
Aptly imbued with the valley’s attributes, your charismatic hotel, Prestige Beach House Kelowna, part of WorldHotels Crafted collection, has a prime location across from Kelowna’s popular Hot Sands Beach. A family favorite, its amenities cater to kids, with complimentary bikes and beach toys. Like other members of WorldHotels (an upscale collection of independent hotels under the BWH Hotels moniker curated and implemented by passionate hoteliers), Prestige Beach House distinguishes itself as an intimate hotel, resplendent with local character.
Ready to explore Canada’s British Columbia with an insider’s spirit suffused with local flair? WorldHotels just launched a British Canadian portfolio ideal for summer travel. Read on to discover more of our BC favorites.
Salmon Arm
Home to the longest wooden freshwater wharf in North America, exuberant Salmon Arm buzzes in the summer. Between Vancouver and Calgary on the southern portion of Shuswap Lake, BC’s most coveted recreational destination, the gorgeous city spreads out in the shadows of mountains along an seemingly endless expanse of glimmering water. Envelop yourself in luxury at Prestige Harbourfront Resort Salmon Arm, WorldHotels Luxury collection, with 120 sleek rooms and suites, most with lake views and private balconies. Onsite restaurants, two pools, a state-of-the-art fitness room and a glamorous spa make Harbourfront Resort as attractive to honeymooners as families.
Sooke
Whale watch, kayak, hike, scuba dive, zip line. Sleep. Repeat. Bring your family and take over the spacious two-bedroom Pacific Penthouse Suite at Vancouver Island’s Prestige Oceanfront Resort, WorldHotels Luxury collection. An ideal perch, abundant with water views from five terraces, and equipped with a private hot tub, plus outdoor kitchen, the suite ensures the perfect place to return home after busy days spent outdoors. A classic hotel, blessed with a world class spa, Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke prevails with summer getaway vibes.
Vancouver
Enjoy Vancouver’s thriving arts scene, hiking paths along the sea, beaches, and world class restaurants. Tuck into a suite at the newly renovated Georgian Court Hotel, WorldHotels Elite Collection. You’ll be minutes from peerless shopping on Robson Street and cheering distance from a plethora of sporting venues. The urbane Georgian Court’s unique redesign includes the Orchid Floor: 18 rooms and suites enhanced with extras (such as flat irons) envisioned to cater specifically to female travelers.
Prince George
Adventure buffs can’t get enough of far Northern British Columbia’s base camp allure. Bike, hike, and fish the region’s unspoiled wilderness. In the evenings return for pampering at Prestige Treasure Cove Resort Prince George, a full-service retreat. Situated near Cottonwood Island Nature Park, Central BC Railway & Forest Museum, and the David Douglas Botanical Garden, the hotel boasts restaurants, a swimming pool, and the Treasure Cove Casino.
Nelson
Dubbed the “Queen City” for its 350 storybook heritage buildings and nostalgic, fully restored (and operating) streetcar, picturesque Nelson sits amid the breathtaking Selkirk Mountains on the shores of Kootenay Lake. Enjoy the city’s trove at Prestige Lakeside Resort Nelson, part of WorldHotels Elite collection, a 101-room inn ensconced in parkland but walking distance from Nelson’s attractions. Taking advantage of its location on the water, Lakeside Resort has a popular patio restaurant on the shore, and provides easy access for water activities from boating to stand-up paddle boarding.
Featured image: WorldHotels