Clayoquot Retreat

You walk up through the evergreens and the cabin appears: cedar, post and beam, with 25-foot windows catching the forest light. Clayoquot Retreat is an original West Coast cabin on a private half acre, steps from the South Chesterman Beach access trail, and it has been updated so the rustic charm comes with heated floors and a hot tub. At night you fall asleep to the sound of the ocean.

Sleep in Comfort

Three bedrooms sleep six, and every bed has a memory-foam mattress. The primary bedroom is upstairs with a queen bed and an ensuite bathroom with a stand-up glass shower. On the main floor, one bedroom has a queen bed and the other has a bunk bed, with a bathroom beside them that includes a shower and bath. Both bathrooms are newly renovated with heated slate floors and stocked with locally made organic products: botanical shampoo, soap and body wash from Tofino Soap Company and lemongrass hand soap from Mint in Ucluelet. Room-darkening shades and extra pillows and blankets are provided.

Gather and Unwind

The wood-burning stove is the heart of the living room, and a shelf of books and board games (Scrabble, Qwirkle, Sequence, cards and crib among them) keeps evenings unplugged. There is no TV or cable here on purpose; this is a cabin retreat by the ocean, though high-speed Wi-Fi is there for remote work. The kitchen is well stocked for a group of six, with stainless-steel appliances, an island, assorted spices, a blender and a hand mixer, and the dining table seats six. Coffee drinkers get a French press, a drip coffee maker, a grinder and a starter bag of beans from Tofino Roasting Co. Outside, the huge deck holds the hot tub, an outdoor table and a propane BBQ, and a fire pit sits in the forest with Adirondack chairs around it. A hammock is strung for slow afternoons.

Adventure at Your Doorstep

Chesterman Beach is the reason to be here: a long sweep of sand for surfing, tide pools and beach walks, with the cabin's own quiver of three 8-foot surfboards and three boogie boards ready to go. Beach chairs for six, beach towels, kids' toys, a slack line and a beach cart are all provided. Back at the cabin, an outdoor hot shower and a wetsuit rack wait for you. The property sits within a bird sanctuary, so dogs stay clear of the shorebirds.

Thoughtful Touches

The main-floor queen bedroom and bathroom are fully accessible for guests with mobility needs (the bunk room has three steps and the primary is upstairs). Families find a travel crib, children's dinnerware, kids' books and toys. Two parking spaces are on the property. A long-term Tofino resident lives in a separate caretaker suite with its own entrance around the back, keeping your stay private. The owners are Tribal Parks Allies on the unceded territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and donate 1% of earnings to conservation.

Come to relax, unplug and let the ocean set the rhythm.