Where to stay · Port Renfrew
Wild Coast Wilderness Resort (formerly Trailhead Resort)
The village fishing lodge where cabins come with crab cookers and the hot tub admits dogs.
what it is
suites & cabins with hot tubs (mid-range)
the damage
from ~$115-145/night on aggregators; Hiker Huts are the budget end
from Victoria
~2 hr by car
Wild Coast Wilderness Resort sits at 17268 Parkinson Road in the middle of the village, and until recently it was Trailhead Resort, a name locals will keep using for another decade or so. The lineup runs from full cabins with fully equipped kitchens, starting around 1,200 square feet, down to snug heated Hiker Huts that smell of fresh cedar and hard earned ambition.
The details are gloriously west coast. Every guest gets access to a barbecue, a crab cooker and a fire pit, and the hot tub and sauna are officially dog friendly, a policy that raises questions best left unexamined. The Coastal Kitchen cafe is on the property, so breakfast is a shuffle across the lot rather than a drive.
The lodge doubles as a fishing operation, running halibut and salmon charters, and the walls are hung with Vancouver Island fishing memorabilia and local First Nations artwork. Aggregator rates hover around $115 to $145 a night, which for your own cabin two hours from Victoria is roughly what a downtown hotel charges for the parking.
The setting
At 17268 Parkinson Road in the centre of Port Renfrew, on the main road through the village, with the Coastal Kitchen cafe on site and the marina and trail staging points a few minutes away.
Getting there
Highway 14 from Victoria via Sooke and Jordan River, about 107 km and two hours of coastal curves, no ferry required. The resort is right on the main road with parking at your door. The West Coast Trail Express bus (May to September, about $72 from Victoria) stops in Port Renfrew, so car-free works in season.
good to know
Why it works
- Heated cedar Hiker Huts for trail people
- Dog friendly hot tub and sauna
- Coastal Kitchen cafe right on the property
- Barbecue, crab cooker and fire pit access
- Halibut and salmon charters from the lodge