Mollemos K.
Yelp
My husband and I just returned from a vacation to Vancouver/Vancouver Island. We stayed at the Black Rock Oceanfront Resort for 3 nights, and really loved it. I do think that it was a little overpriced, as some parts of the resort looked a little rundown, but overall, we thought it was gorgeous. The setting couldn't be more perfect. The resort overlooks a rocky beach, and there is a trail head for the Wild Pacific Trail just steps away. We were just in awe of the beauty of the area. Here are my thoughts on a couple specific areas:
Our room:
We stayed in a room with a king bed overlooking the rain forest. My main gripe with Black Rock, and the reason I docked it a star, was that there is no a/c. I realize that this is standard for many places in the Pacific Northwest, but...our room was so damn stuffy! We left the balcony door open for a few hours one night, but I got so many bug bites that we didn't do it again. Otherwise, I loved the room. The bathroom was amaaaaaazing. The big soaker tub, the rain shower shower head, the heated floor tiles...ahhhhhh.
The location:
Like I said, it was gorgeous. However, we did drive to Tofino one night, and I think next time I would prefer to stay there. Not because I didn't enjoy Black Rock, but just because there is more to do. The town is bigger, there are waaaaay more restaurants, more beaches, trails, etc. Ucluelet is nice, but is not geared towards tourists, which is fine.
The lounge/restaurant:
We ate breakfast in the restaurant, Fetch, twice. The first time I had two eggs over medium (cooked perfectly), toast, potatoes, and fruit. Delicious! The fruit actually included blueberries, cherries, and pineapple, as well as the standard grapes, honeydew, etc. Everything was great. The second time I had a green smoothie, which is really just green juice, and the chocolate chip pancakes. They were just ok. Not bad, not great. Thinner than I like my pancakes to be. We didn't eat lunch or dinner there at all, since there weren't really any great vegetarian options.
I thought the drinks in the lounge were good. I had pinot grigio and pinot gris, and the prices seemed really reasonable, although that may be because I live in Chicago and routinely pay $9-10 per drink.
The staff:
They COULD NOT have been nicer. We never needed help with anything other than getting an extra fan and pillow, but every time we walked past the front desk, the staff there said good morning/afternoon/evening. Every time we walked past a housekeeper they said hello/have a nice day. The servers in the lounge and restaurant were falling over themselves to help us. We stopped at the front desk a few time to ask questions about the area/restaurants/the trail, etc. and they were so friendly and thorough. Loved it!
The spa:
I got a massage from Heather at Black Rock's Drift spa. Mmmmmm. I did a 45-minute back massage for $90 and added on a 15-minute scalp massage for $30. A little pricey, but it was overall very good. I thought the scalp massage would be more like what my hair dresser does when she shampoos my hair before a cut, which I loooove, but it was different. She kind of cradled my head and rubbed it and also pressed on some pressure points. Didn't feel bad, but was definitely not what I was expecting/hoping. Overall, it was a very nice spa experience. It was quiet, serene, and smelled delicious.
I know some people complained about the parking, but I didn't think it was that bad. With the ocean on one side, a national park/trail on the other, and a condo building on another, there was really no other place to put it. And why come to such an outdoorsy area where you plan on walking miles on a trail to complain about walking a few extra feet from the parking lot?
Overall, it was an amazing experience. My biggest complaint was the a/c. That is the ONLY reason I would think twice about coming back!