For West Coast fishing the Kyuquot Sound area is as good as it gets - awesome scenery, a funky…read morevillage atmosphere, wildlife galore and very high numbers of sport fish - Chinook, Coho, Halibut, Ling, Snappers.... In the past few years I've gone on 2 week-end trips with Beach House and on both trips we had a great time. Accommodation and meals were delux and fishing was superb. Unlike most other lodges that cram 3-4 guests per boat, Beach House only takes 2 guests in 23 ft boats that are fully equipped for offshore fishing areas - which were typically about a 20-30 min run from the lodge. They have experienced guides who have been fishing Kyuquot for years. You will go home with a lot of fish and great memories.

We came to Mike and Lynn at the Kyuquot Beach House with an atypical request: we had zero interest…read morein fishing but instead wanted to experience the sea otters that frequent the Kyuquot area. This is the most reliable place on Vancouver Island to see them, and they did not disappoint! We spent our trip among rafts of nearly 100 sea otters, watched them crack prey open on their chests, even hearing them vocalize back and forth with their offspring. The scenery in this remote location was breathtaking, it was something special. Mike also took us to see a large colony of steller sea lions, tufted puffins, and even a minke whale showed up! The opportunities for photography were endless! The lodge itself was warm and comfortable, and getting there was easy (we drove the highway and logging road with a pickup from Mike to take us to Kyuquot itself) and I know flying there via floatplane would be a breeze! Lynn was an amazing chef, we were fed constantly with wonderful food (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and coffee and tea when ever we wanted). I came with some strange dietary requests for being at a fishing lodge (vegan!) and Lynn was very accommodating. One night, Mike made fish and chips with a secret batter recipe and fresh caught halibut which my dad really enjoyed. Mike and Lynn's two daughters Isabel and Ava were lovely young ladies who were very polite and helpful. This was a bucket list trip for my dad and I, and we were so happy with the hospitality at Kyuquot Beach House. This really is a magical place with lots of wildlife to experience, we can't wait to go back one day!

Lovely peaceful place. Sitting just outside the door to our room watching the water and listening…read moreto the sounds of the water are so relaxing. Very clean rooms with all sorts of lovely detail in the restored wood used in the rooms. Can't wait to go back again. Bed wonderful, bathroom roomy and with heat and great water pressure. Barbecue other deck good for fixing your own dinner.

I was fortunate to stay in a water-view room. It was lovely. I am looking forward to returning.read more

If you are looking for a kayaking paradise, or just a relaxing location away from the crowds, this…read moreis the place. Couldn't recommend it more. The almost infinite number of paddling trip options out from this inn are all filled with stunning scenery and wildlife spottings. Paddled right by a black bear foraging on the shoreline. The cabins are very clean, colorful, comfortable, and well stocked for cooking or grilling the food you bring. The innkeepers are great people, helpful, and are very interesting to talk with. If you're driving, you'll need to take a short boat ride to get to it and back from Telegraph Cove. The ride is fun, laced with good conversation, has beautiful scenery all around, will take all of your gear and kayaks, and doubles as an excellent whale watching excursion as it crosses the Johnstone Strait and environs.

Paddler's Inn is absolutely amazing! Such a luxurious way to finish our trip after camping in tents…read morefor nearly a week. I'll begin by stating Bruce and Josee are absolutely wonderful hosts. They were responsive to all our questions as we planned our 7-day kayak trip almost a year in advance of our stay and were kind enough to accommodate us for an extra night at the last minute when we changed our schedule to permit a little more time in the area. Bruce picked us up in his boat promptly along with another couple and dropped us off on an island of our choice to begin our adventure. We spent 4 days paddling the archipelago before our rendezvous at Paddler's Inn for a gorgeous and tranquil finale. We stayed 3 nights in total, two of them in the Cliffside Cabin, which we absolutely loved. Bruce and Josee have spent decades developing their property into the attractive getaway it is. They have a couple trails you can follow to a sizeable lake, a cliffside lookout, and a scenic sunset view with a nearby bench. If you are eager for some creature comforts or souvenirs, you can paddle a short distance around the point to the local store/mail house on your way to Bill Proctor's house/museum. We cannot recommend Paddler's Inn enough! They can accommodate both large and small groups and they recently added a central gathering lounge out on the water with a roof and propane fireplace. We had a chance to get to know some other paddlers as they began their adventures, though those seeking solitude can easily find space to not be disturbed. We will definitely return the next time we are in the area and look forward to visiting with Bruce and Josee again. Don't think twice about planning your stay at Paddler's Inn! - Tyler and Brett

We spent 3 nights in Tahsis for a fishing trip. Was an unbelievable experience. This beautiful…read morelittle marina is like stepping back in time. We didn't stay at the lodge but did dine on the dock twice while our catch was processed. It's well covered & comfortable even in the rain. Very friendly & attentive staff, including the dock hands & fish preparers. Portions were large and tasty, awesome nachos. Will be back!

Just back from spending 5 days at Westview Marina & Lodge. Spent 4 nights at the lodge and 3…read moredays fishing with their guide service. Fishing was fantastic as it tends to be in this part of the world, but the balance of the stay and amenities were equally great. Room was nice. Food was great. Service was a 10!. Everyone from the owner John to our guide Colton, and all of the staff always had a smile on their face. We are already booking for next year. Can't wait!!

Seasmoke Tours whale watching trip was a lot of fun! We got picked up at Alder Bay Resort since we…read morewere staying in Port Hardy. We knew we were in for a treat when we saw a couple of seals hanging out on the dock as we were waiting for the boat to pick us up. The weather was gorgeous and the sea was calm. We got to see lots of Dall's porpoises running along side our sail boat, and hung out with a humpback whale named KC! We also got to see a major rare find: We spotted 3 Minke whales right out of Alert Bay on our way back. It was amazing. This tour was definitely worth every penny for the great sightings, views, and stories. Maureen & Dave were a lot of fun and have a lot of great information on the area. They're very knowledgeable about the local wildlife. Huge bonus: Maureen baked fresh blueberry muffins in the morning and fresh scones with jam & cream right on the boat! I couldn't have been happier with this tour.

We were really excited about booking a whale watching tour outside the busier Victoria area. We…read morespecifically chose a more intimate experience in Alert Bay because we thought the secluded setting would make the longer drive from Victoria worthwhile and give us a more up-close experience. Unfortunately, that wasn't really the case. Sea Smoke had a friendly, knowledgeable crew, a new and comfortable boat, and the overall process was smooth. Our main criticism was simply how far away we remained from the wildlife. Other whale-watching boats, tour boats, and even research vessels were consistently much closer to the whales than we were. I completely understand the importance of maintaining a respectful distance from wildlife, but the distance we maintained felt excessive compared with the other vessels operating in the same area. In the end, we spent much of the experience watching the whales through binoculars and even then it was too far. What was particularly disappointing was that the photos and videos on TripAdvisor, Google, etc. gave the impression of much closer wildlife encounters. That simply wasn't our experience. We chose Alert Bay specifically because we were willing to make the extra effort for what we hoped would be a more intimate and memorable experience. Had we known beforehand that the viewing would be from such a distance, we likely would have booked elsewhere. Especially since they advertise their new electric motor so much. I hope Sea Smoke takes this feedback constructively.Everyone (12 people on our boat felt the same) The crew was nice and the boat was excellent unfortunately, for us, the distance from the wildlife made the experience fall short of what we were expecting from a whale-watching tour.

John was an absolutely amazing fishing and wildlife guide! He was an incredible host, with some…read moreamazing stories to share, and went out of his way to ensure we had the best experience possible. We visited Broughton Island and fished off the back of Malcolm Island. We saw more humpback whales than I thought possible, lots of porpoise, and had a memorable visit with the sea lions. Thanks John for such great memories, we thoroughly enjoyed our day out on the ocean.