I discover just how true that really is as soon as I open the door to Room 25 at the Sooke Harbour House on Vancouver Island. On entering the room, I immediately feel at peace. This is exactly what I need at the halfway point of our marathon/journey.

I drop off my bags and join Joseph and co-owner Sinclair Philip out on the terrace. The view is incredible. From this height, you feel as if you’re on the deck of a ship. You can see the mountains jutting out on both sides of the Juan de Fuca Strait and boats gliding in the distance. Joseph suddenly snaps me out of my reverie. “An otter! Come see this, Marie-Julie!” The animal scurries across the garden and disappears behind the flowers. Maya is ecstatic. “Otter! Otter!” she shouts.

What an introduction to the Sooke Harbour House!

***

The invitation from Sinclair Philip, co-owner of the inn, could not have come at a better time. A few days into our visit to British Columbia, we still had not decided on where to spend our last three days in the province. Despite the influx of tourists at this time of year, I was pushing for Tofino, Canada’s best destination for beach bums. But at the same time, I kept thinking that two days was too short for a trip to Vancouver. Then came Mr. Philip’s email. We hopped on a ferry from Vancouver to Swartz Bay, and less than an hour after disembarking, we were in Sooke.

Mr. Philip is fluent in the language of Molière, as he studied at Laval University and spent part of his life in France. In fact, that is where he met his wife Frédérique. The story of the inn is inextricably linked to that of the couple, as related by Mrs. Philip in her delightful book The Art of Sooke Harbour House (sold at the inn). “Sooke Harbour House has been our family’s project since 1979,” she writes. “It all happened like a fairy tale. I met Sinclair Philip in Nice in 1967, only a month after he had arrived in France. He was a young student on his first trip abroad with goals of exploring Europe and perfecting his French.” Although he had planned to go on to Africa, he spent the next decade in his sweetheart’s homeland. “During those years in France, we lived in a small village of 400 people at the end of a valley. Although we lived very frugally, we always had large gatherings of friends over for long meals, prepared with local ingredients freshly picked from our own large vegetable garden and from nearby farms.” In 1978, they settled in Toronto, and a year later, they moved to British Columbia. “On a business trip to Vancouver, Sinclair found the Sooke Harbour House. Much to our surprise, we went on to become the owners of an inn!”

The Philips also made the inn their home, and for 16 years, the couple’s four children have run up and down its stairs. Mrs. Philip spends her days and evenings working in the hotel kitchen. “Fortunately, I’ve always had lots of energy,” she notes. She is definitely energetic, but she’s also a warm and impassioned person. She is the kind of woman you take to immediately, approachable and ready to fight for what she believes in. It is not surprising that the Sooke Harbour House feels like home: she decorated all 28 rooms herself.

Each room is unique. A sculpture in Room 4, where we spent our second night, creates the impression that a corner of the room is covered in tree branches. And, several of the rooms, including ours, have ceramic sinks created by local artist Alice McLean.

There is art everywhere. At the entrance to the inn, trumpets and a kettle adorned with utensils welcome guests. In the garden, sculptures have been “planted” among the various plants. The Philips also take a great interest in Native culture. In front of the facade overlooking the Strait, stands a totem pole representing each member of the family.

The dining room walls are decorated with crab shells. “I caught them myself,” Mr. Philip—a deep-sea diving aficionado—told us during one of our memorable meals at the inn. Equally worth mentioning are the bathtubs, which are in the bedroom rather than the bathroom. Maya, who had been objecting vociferously to bathing lately, was so charmed by this detail that she took three baths in one day!

Don’t get me wrong: despite its relaxed appearance, the hotel offers impeccable service. And the restaurant at Sooke Harbour House is one of the finest in the country. “We were serving dishes made from local ingredients long before it became fashionable,” noted Mr. Philip. “Our chef Edward Tuson raises pigs, has deer, and owns about sixty apple trees that he uses to make exquisite juice.”

The menu changes every evening, with the chef creating dishes from seasonal ingredients, according to his inspiration. Roasted pumpkin soup with apple and pear compote, grilled scallops, lavender crème brûlée…all equally delicious. A sommelier suggests the best wines (including many from British Columbia) to accompany the meal. Vincent Lamontagne, our wine steward originally from Quebec, has been with the inn for nine years. He lets us novices taste each selection. Over the last 25 years, Sinclair Philip has put together one of the world’s top 77 wine lists (more than 15,000 bottles from around the world!) As for breakfast, it is served in the comfort of your room.

Despite the inn’s reputation and all the artwork, we were never given the impression that our daughter’s presence was a disturbance. On the contrary, everyone seemed to enjoy her company, despite her occasional outbursts. A babysitting service is available for couples who would like to enjoy a more intimate meal. Joseph and I were able to share a quiet moment while a young girl (who spoke French) kept Maya busy, visiting us from time to time at Maya’s request.

***

Over the years, the Philips’ garden has become a real tourist attraction, with a tour every morning at 10 a.m. The great variety of edible plants and flowers is what draws the crowds. We taste some of these, and Maya declares them to be “yummy”. A few hours later, we catch her helping herself to the garden’s treats, petals clinging to the corners of her mouth…We will have to be doubly vigilant when we return to the city!

We later cross paths with some newlyweds who were married at the inn. This enchanted spot has become a prime location for weddings.

About 80 people work at Sooke Harbour House, including six to eight gardeners, depending on the season. “We have lived, and are still living our dream,” Frédérique Philip tells us. Joseph and I agree. This place is so perfect that it seems dreamlike. Two nights in this haven felt like a weeklong vacation. Despite the price of the rooms (from $430 to $640 a night in high season), we promise each other that we will come back soon. With Maya, of course!

Vancouver Island

Pros
The temperature rarely drops below zero, even in winter

The wealth of fauna and flora

Cons
Public transportation is practically nonexistent. The best way to get around is by car…or bicycle!

Bears, cougars and wolves… Forget about walking in the woods after nightfall.

Did you know that…
… Air Canada offers flights to Victoria, Nanaimo and Comox on Vancouver Island?

… the ground rarely freezes in this region? The Philips use herbs and flowers from the Sooke Harbour House garden year-round to create their exquisite dishes.

… the wine list at Sooke Harbour House has received the prestigious Grand Award for seven consecutive years from Wine Spectator magazine?

… Butchart Gardens has been recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada since 2004? The first garden was created in 1904 by Jennie Butchart. Today, close to a million people visit the Gardens each year.

… the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria presents exhibitions on the 150-year history of the province? For example, War Brides: One-Way Passage about the women who married servicemen stationed overseas.

… the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, also in Victoria, offers exhibitions on forts and explorers, as well as pirates?

… Vancouver Island is the 11th largest island in Canada and 43rd in the world?

… it is Canada’s second most populated island, after Montréal?

… it is surrounded by four straits (Queen Charlotte, Johnstone, Georgia and Juan de Fuca) and by the Pacific Ocean to the west?

… it has been inhabited for about 8,000 years?

… British Captain George Vancouver took control of the island, ending a dispute with the Spanish? The Nootka Convention, signed in 1792, settled the conflict. Three years earlier, Captain Estéban José Martinez had built Fort San Miguel near Yuquot.

… you can surf near Sooke in winter? There is no instruction available, however, and you need to bring your own gear, advises avid surfer Vincent Lamontagne. In Tofino, on the other hand, equipment and courses are available year-round.

For more information:
Sooke Harbour House: www.sookeharbourhouse.com
BC Ferries: www.bcferries.com
Tourism Vancouver Island: www.vancouverisland.travel
Victoria Airport: www.victoriaairport.com
Maritime Museum of British Columbia: www.mmbc.bc.ca
Royal British Columbia Museum: www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
Butchart Gardens (Victoria): www.butchartgardens.com

This report would not have been possible without the collaboration of Air Canada (aircanada.ca), the Canadian Tourism Commission (www.canada.travel) and Sooke Harbour House. Special thanks to Sinclair and Frédérique Philip for their hospitality and generosity, and to Lana Kingston at Tourism Vancouver Island for putting us in touch with them and providing reams of valuable information.