One of the most special elements of the Inn is our proximity to nature, perched just steps away from the ocean. With constant exposure to the wind, weather, salt, and sand, much like a ship at sea, it inevitably becomes a challenging place to maintain. For this reason, we close our doors every January to tackle what has fondly become known around here as the Closure Olympics. By reserving this month as a focused time to efficiently concentrate on these upgrades, we ensure that our guests can savour the calm and quiet during their stay throughout the rest of the year.

There is always a variety of projects to work on, and each closure is different. This year, we are focused on our general maintenance such as replacing the hallway carpeting through our guest room floors as well as special projects including refinishing the custom amenity boxes in each room. Although it is time-consuming to sand down and refinish them, we believe in breathing new life into these pieces that might otherwise simply get replaced. Solid wood truly stands the test of time, and this is one of the reasons you will spot real wood rather than veneer throughout the Inn.

A focal point here at the Wick, the intricately-carved wood front doors of both the Pointe Building and the Beach Building have also undergone a facelift. Built in 1996 and 2003 respectively, these pieces were carved from solid yellow cedar by our very first resident carver, the incredibly talented late Henry Nolla. Both sets of doors have undergone recarving and refinishing in the artful hands of wood craftsman and local carver Robinson Cook, who has masterfully restored them to their former glory.

At our Ancient Cedars Spa, our beautiful Cedar Sanctuary overlooking the ocean has been outfitted with a new slate roof with copper sheeting as well. Within our 12 suites and 3 premiere rooms, new TV lifts have been installed and finished with reclaimed wood, accommodating a large TV to be tucked into the ceiling and away from sight when not in use. These are just a handful of the many projects that have been underway, with many also taking place in the back of house to improve the inner workings of the hotel behind the scenes.

Whenever possible, we strive to approach every project at the Inn through the lens of sustainability. Upcycled and reclaimed solid wood is featured prominently throughout the property, the nicks and nail marks visible and celebrated. Carpet tiles are used in place of long continuous rolls, the benefit being that should a section of the carpet be stained, the affected tile can be replaced rather than pulling out the entire carpet. Experimentation with a new oxidation cleaning process for our washing machines is also underway, which if successful, will be adopted for all washing machines at the Inn. This process cleans materials in shorter cycles while using less hot water and extending the life of linens. We are the first in Tofino to adopt this method, and we hope to see it implemented throughout the hotel soon.

Thank you for your patience during our annual closure. With every nook and cranny now shined to perfection our doors are open once again, and we are pleased to welcome you back to a sparkling Inn on your next visit to Tofino!

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