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← Pender Island Cozy Cabin Escape: Otter Bay & Bedwell Harbour

Where to stay · Pender Island (Otter Bay & Bedwell Harbour)

The Tides Cottages

Heritage cottages with wood stoves and a shuffleboard court, a short walk from the ferry.

what it is

renovated heritage cottages (budget/solo)

the damage

from ~$140/night

from Victoria

~40-min direct ferry from Swartz Bay

The Tides is three oceanfront acres of heritage buildings on MacKinnon Road, anchored by a main house built in the 1920s and the full size shuffleboard court that came with it. Five cottages share the property, from the Elm studio up to Arbutus, a three bedroom, three bathroom house with a wood burning fireplace and its own ping pong table.

The smaller cottages, Rose, Lavender, Oak and Elm, run on kitchenettes or full kitchens, wood stoves in most, and large private decks with ocean views, and the whole place is aggressively pet friendly, down to supplied dog bowls, towels and biodegradable baggies. A seasonal pool, hot tub and sauna are all pointed at the water.

The trump card is geography. The property sits at 1329 MacKinnon Road, the same road that serves the Otter Bay ferry terminal, which makes this one of the rare Gulf Island stays where walking on the ferry actually works. You could leave Victoria after breakfast and be losing at shuffleboard by noon.

The setting

Three oceanfront acres at 1329 MacKinnon Road on North Pender Island, on the same road as the Otter Bay ferry terminal, with the cottages, pool and shuffleboard court all facing the water.

Getting there

Drive 30 minutes from Victoria to Swartz Bay, then walk on or drive onto the Otter Bay ferry, 40 minutes on a direct sailing. The cottages are a short walk up MacKinnon Road from the terminal, so arriving car-free genuinely works; walk-on fares are cheap and need no reservation.

good to know

Book direct through the property's online reservation system. The pool, hot tub and sauna are seasonal. Pets are genuinely welcome, with bowls and towels provided. Expect multi night minimums in busy periods, though the Elm studio has taken single midweek nights in the shoulder season.

Why it works

  1. 1Five heritage cottages with wood stoves and ocean view decks
  2. 2Seasonal pool, hot tub and sauna facing the water
  3. 3Full size shuffleboard court, original to the property
  4. 4Walkable from the Otter Bay ferry terminal
  5. 5Pet friendly down to the biodegradable baggies
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Details as of 2026-07-05. Rates, seasons and policies drift, so confirm when you book.