An Homage to Vancouver Island’s Salish Roots

Just steps from the harbourfront walkway, the nine-storey, 172-room hotel is comfortably located in Nanaimo’s core with access to restaurants, cafes and local attractions like the Vancouver Island military museum.

Building constructors at Nexii used sustainable concrete, manufactured in Squamish, for the exterior of the building with near zero on-site construction waste, using non-toxic materials that also reduce energy use by the property, and with its simple block style design, the hotel was completed in just three years. 

The site location was once the place where Coast Salish people bred and cared for the now extinct wool dogs, a small, white, long-haired dog. Giving a deeper sense of place, guests are immediately welcomed inside by a Snuneymuxw woven tapestry, just one of the many carvings and other artwork from artists like Joel Good, Dr. William Good, Sandra Moorhouse-Good, Aunalee Boyd-Good, Sophia Seward-Good, and Thea Harris, that can be found through the common spaces and rooms. 

Rooms are comfortable and straightforward available in three configuration types: two queen beds, one king bed, or a king bed with a single sofa sleeper bed with partial views onto the city or harbour.

The street level bistro, fit with comfortable booths, or ‘media pods’ as the hotel calls them, is spacious and comfortable with flat-screen tv’s, perfect for relaxing or for business types to schedule an impromptu meeting.  The food is simple and unfussy with breakfast staples like egg wraps and oatmeal and lunch and dinner classics like chicken wings, burgers and pizza alongside healthier options like grain salads and hummus with vegetables.

You’ll also find a fitness room open 24 hours a day, a pool and hot tub, two meeting rooms and in-house laundry facilities.

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This original travel article first appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.

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