Poets Cove Resort & Spa

Amazing Experience, the resort isnt 100% polished (could use some love) and money spent on it but it's still very clean. 8/10 for resort (could be a 10 easy if the furniture was re-stained and odds and ends fixed, pool area probably is where its the most rough.) Customer service is great, and grounds where very tiddy. 10/10 Had an amazing time and price is very good value for the stay. Value 9/10 The restaurant was also enjoyable but price was a little high for the portion sizes but the food was delicious and on point 7.5/10 value, dining service was 10/10. Overall a great place to stay on beautiful Pender Island.

The reviews seem to be a tad outdated but definitely a mixed bag of ratings. Many, I note, were in the height of the pandemic. Having said that, when we arrived, they had a booked for January and not Dec 28th. But reception found us a room and we were booked! Our one night stay was without flaw. We didn't use the spa, nor kayaking. We were simply here for a quick getaway from the hustle and demands at home in Victoria. We were also interested in Poets Cove itself.|We began with lunch in the Aurora Dining room. The service from our young waitress was excellent. We should have gotten her name but long dark hair, tall, slim, and very attentive. Worthy of the 25% tip we left. The menu was not extensive but included enough for everyone to find a tasty treat. We ordered the vegetable club on foccacia bread. It was delicious along with the generous portion of yummy fries. My husband and I shared the plate. Quite enough for a lunch. Our room was lovely, the fireplace was on when we entered making it warm and cozy on a cool/cold Island night. We had to request house coats and a few other items but they were brought to our room quickly. We planned wine and cheese in our room then donned our house coats and went to the hot tub. Lovely. Just the right temperature. We had a nice visit with a couple also from Victoria. All in all, we were not disappointed. A couple of recommendations however would have given it a 5 plus rating. We tea drinkers love our tea, but not from a Keurig. No matter how many times you try to cleanse the machine, it still tastes like stale coffee. A small kettle or microwave and a nice selection of teas would be appreciated. Also, there's a fridge in the room. Placing a small amount of 'dairy milk' would be soooo appreciated. The coffeemate edible oil option didn't go well with my tea. Oh yes, glass cups, not disposable ones. Pender Island strongly promotes reusable products.|One last item might be a small lotion from your spa, may have enticed me to book in a session. Thanks for the lovely, relaxing stay.

Beautiful spot and delicious food but the room was in direct sunlight with no air conditioning (very hot even with the doors to the patio and to the hallway open the whole time). The staff did not seem welcoming. Overall I did not enjoy my stay.

It looks like our experience was pretty similar to many others. First, the staff we interacted with were all great. Pleasant, helpful and prompt. The resort is in a stunning location. Can't ask for a better view or a quieter resort. We were there in late November, it appeared a lot of the cottages weren't occupied. We had a fantastic dinner at Aurora, the resort's restaurant. We were greeted by the chef, and the service and meal were all top notch! The Executive cottage was beautiful. Very roomy for the 5 of us. Beds were comfortable and the place was quite well cleaned at first glance. Now the things that needed attention; it looks like at the cottages need a deep clean, inside and out. Algae on the outside of most cottages. The walkway to the house and the porch and doormats were covered in fir needles. Dirty Windows. The water in the hot tub did not look clean, and had fir needles and debris in it. There was what looked like a coffee spill on the dining room wall. The Master shower floor was dirty in the corners. My wife found a hearing aid in the floor. Can't think that was cleaned before we rented it. I must say otherwise the bathrooms were spotless, so that may be a one off day. We had to ask for toilet paper the first day. One spare and two very small used rolls left for us. Same with paper towel for the kitchen. Only a few sheets left. No dishcloths or tea towels left for us.(A call to the desk, and they did deliver those to us) One tiny puck of soap left for 5 people to use. One bathroom had no conditioner at all in the dispenser... We called for some and left a message at the front desk, but we never got it. The knives in the kitchen were unusable. Worse than the butter knives, actually. The beautiful French doors off the master bedroom and the dining rooms were nearly impossible to open, and one could not be locked. The bathroom doorknob was nearly falling off. Lots of things like this that need adjustment, it replacement as they are worn out. The tired toaster was missing one handle. One we used the trash bag that was in the trashcan. .. There were no spares. There was no lightbulb in the desk lamp. The TV remote was broken and taped together..... But the navigation buttons don't work. I know we got a 30 percent discount on the cottage, but still, for $500 per night, I expect more. Even just leaving us with enough supplies for our 3 days there would have made a big difference!! I'm not sure if it's the management or ownership here at fault, but it could so easily be an incredible place to stay with some TLC. THANK YOU to the staff we did interact with, and the amazing restaurant and staff ..... That part was very much appreciated. I hope the change did the best soon. We would really like to return when these issues are addressed!

Had a great experience here this past weekend. Was able to get their Black Friday deals on the room so it was a reasonable price! Hotel room was lovely with the ocean view and the staff were friendly The resort could use a little TLC, but overall it was a great experience!

Poet's Cove Resort is great. There is a quaint nautical theme, the rooms are super clean and the grounds are meticulous. The crisp architecture looks like it was built last week. Everyone is super friendly. Love it. Only downside is that the Lodge rooms do not have any microwave available to use... at all.

Lovely resort. Very quiet, easy to get to, the restaurant was amazing and the service was great. We had a beautiful room as well, facing the water.

We went to Poet's Cove marina early this summer. At one point we heard that the dock was booked out so were disappointed. When we arrived, we thought we'd take our chances and speak with the dock office person and the other dock staff. We found them so helpful in helping accommodate us as they updated their bookings (i.e. some boaters don't show up). We were impressed with how they went out of their way to help us - the communication was key, efficient and very professional. ||Because of this, we booked Labour Day weekend, which just happened to be our special anniversary. We so appreciated the very personal, warm welcome from all the dock staff. They are so hard-working and so approachable. ||Communication has been top-notch - especially from the office manager - thank you CL!! This is a very popular marina and we can see why. Please know that you truly made our anniversary special. We will be back!!

Room was very dirty even after repeated attempts to talk to staff. No air conditioning, ceiling fan broken and wobbling and took a chunk out of the ceiling. Clearly children in the room before us with blood and snot on the walls, screen in window popped out, and food littered inside furniture. Definitely a trip I'll talk about for a while.

Do not stay at Poets Cove Resort, Spa & Marina, Managers rude and completely unhelpful and honestly seem to just not care at all. After sending countless emails to management, which none were replied to and trying to follow up with a head manager via phone (who ended up having absolutely no interest in trying to make things right) We spent the last three days in a filthy hotel room, there was mildew in the shower, food under the couch and under the cushions on the outdoor patio furniture, fan and furniture was covered in dust. There is a French fry that has been outside our room since we checked in. This was a free stay to compensate my last stays mishap (I got food poisoning from eating at the restaurant, so I would avoid their restaurant too Syrens Bistro) the cleaning staff also pushed into our room when I was in the shower insisting to clean, which was super uncomfortable. Would definitely not recommend. This stay has been less than ideal and the hotel is a complete joke. Because it's a free stay that's compensation enough. THIS HOTEL IS PART OF THE ALDESTA HOTEL CHAIN WHICH OWNS HARRISON HOT SPRINGS RESORT AND FAIRMONT HOTSPRINGS RESORT.

First the employees were all lovely and extremely honest when asked. They all admitted the hotel is grossly dirty and rundown and has not been renovated for 20 years. They were very apologetic but there was nothing they could do. This hotel used to be awesome because it's in the greatest location and is built beautifully. My pictures speak louder than any more words. I just wish someone would've posted pictures like this prior to us checking in which we checked out after two nights. I was able to get sleeping bags to cover the bed because we were in fear of bedbugs knowing how dirty and old everything was. All the rooms look this way and every day guests were lined up at the front desk complaining. Thanks for the 10% discount, generous not! Enter at your own risk! Most of my pics posted on front page not sure why not here on my post. Please look through them, it's a must.

Food was wonderful Great spot to enjoy the day We stay in the marina and docks are in nice condition Pool is fun and and xtra bonus I would rate the marina higher but the gentleman that runs the fuel dock is not a very enjoyable person to deal with Not a one off He's very miserable

We stayed in a 2 bdrm villa. The views were amazing but we were really disappointed with the cleanliness of the room. There were obvious stains not cleaned in the main bathroom baseboards and the state of the suite was worn and ragged in many places. The stair carpeting was gross and it looked like guests trample it with muddy boots without the facility cleaning or maintaining the carpet over time (carpeting was also curling and bubbling in the upstairs rooms. The shower curtain was stained moldy which again shows signs of lack of care, considering that shower curtains are not expensive and easy to replace. For all the dirt and grime we saw, we didn't feel comfortable sitting on the furniture which also looked quite worn and stained from guests over time. For the price we paid, I would expect the room to at least be sparkling clean (even if it was worn). The floor plan and views were great if the hotel was interested in keeping up the cleaniness maintenance of the suite.

My partner and i just got back from an off-season stay and already can't wait to go back. I have no idea why reviews on here are showing 2-3 stars,as our experience was great. We stayed in one of the lodge  rooms, with a private patio next to a man- made waterfall and with a private patio overlooking the ocean (all of the lodge rooms have a private patio with ocean view as well as a gas fireplace). The staff were awesome. The in-resort  Sirens Bistro has a cozy atmosphere, pool tables & ekavated comfort food - we had the poke nachos which i would definitely recommend.  The bar staff were so friendly, we kept going back throughout our stay, it really felt like our neighbourhood bar back home in Mt. Pleasant.There are a ton of trails and cliffs nearby for exploring (Mike at the front desk even circled some must-see features on our map!)and the resort is close to town .  On-site  parking is included in the room price aand there's free wifi onsite. Best of all, despite it being early  November, both the pool and hotrub were actually open,and the outdoor pool was even heated! Due to a storm in the first night, power was knocked out but the staff were on it and kicked on the generator right away - definitely an adventure. This is a great place in a gorgeus location run by friendly people who care about delivering a great experience. If this is what you are looking for, i hi ghly recommend it.

staying at the marina with your boat be aware of hidden fees. we stayed two nights and were charged with using hydro when I told them specifically we did not need it as we have solar panels. we were also charged a spa and resort fee we knew nothing about and we're not told about this .

No idea why they even ask you how you'd like your eggs when they don't even have a cook capable of frying an egg.m anyway. I asked for over easy, they came out with the whites like soup. I asked if I could have the whites firm and the yolk runny (over easy). The cook came out with some totally solid burned like rubber eggs and said "here's your well done eggs". Pretty pathetic that you can get a better breakfast at A&W. Heads up A&W if you have a guy with Poet's Cove on his resume apply throw that resume in the trash.

Celebrated my bf's birthday weekend at poets cove and enjoyed every moment. The view from the room was gorgeous! We had trouble with the fireplace and the front desk came to the room to fix it quickly. I let the resort know that it was a birthday celebration and they made sure to keep things a surprise. The spa had to push back or massage time by 15 min so they called the room. My bf picked up and they made a point to ask for me without divulging anything to tip him off to the surprise. :) my bf loved the resort and island. The was clean and we were able to bring my bf's dog. Everyone was super friendly. It was a perfect get away. We are definitely planning a return trip someday :)

My partner and I recently planned a wedding at Poets Cove Resort on Pender Island for a group of about 40. The team we worked with were very responsive and accommodating to our needs. We immediately felt comfortable with our decision to host our wedding at Poets Cove. The resort itself is a diamond nestled in a beautiful bay on the most scenic and peaceful of the Southern Gulf Islands in BC. We were very excited to share the entire experience with our guests. Pender Island is like a park and the grounds of Poets Cove even more so, with manicured gardens of expertly curated plants and flowers. We enjoyed watching sunsets perched above the marina from hot tubs and pools carved of granite. Much of the resort is located among large cedar, arbutus and oak trees. If you enjoy luxury with nature, Poets Cove has found the right balance. Scott, the Events Coordinator offered us many options for the ceremony, dinner and reception locations. They were very happy to customize our event anyway we saw fit. Scott was helpful and experienced with weddings and able to help us save costs with several optimizations. We appreciated his organization and responsiveness. Chris, the Food and Beverage Manager really did his best to accommodate our overall needs including ensuring our guests with more complex dietary needs would not be left out. Chris, with the help of Fairmont trained Executive Chef Jesse, prepared a well rounded selection of three course platted meals once we made the difficult decision to forgo the multiple and tempting buffet options. We were continuously impressed by the team's willingness to accommodate us either with cost savings, seating and table arrangements, decorations or with the specific dietary needs of a few of our guests. We really enjoyed working with the team at Poets Cove and feel that it was the least stressful part of the whole wedding planning experience. They really exuded the small island friendliness and outgoing nature we love about Pender. Since the wedding we have been back and warmly greeted by the staff. We enjoyed lunch and drinks on the patio and I have found my new favorite seafood chowder. Incidentally, my previous first favorite was at the Fairmont Whistler. Great job raising the bar Jesse! Poets Cove is like a secret gem on a magical island. The views around the resort are stunning. I recommend walking to the left of resort past the Executive Cottage towards the sea and taking in the ferns, tall grasses and enormous oak tree. Not far past a grove of arbutus trees near the beach, you'll find a lighthouse hidden from those on land. It's the sort of place one expects orcas by day and aurora by night. Looking forward to returning soon,

I visited Poet's Cove to have a massage at their Spa this past weekend. (September 2019) We really enjoyed our massages and refreshments. We also enjoying the small hot tub that overlooks the beautiful docks after our treatments. The only thing we were hugely disappointed in was the "EUCALYPTUS STEAM CAVE". Before our massages we checked out the hot tub and steam cave.... when we opened up the glass door to the steam cave it stunk of musty mold. NOT of refreshing eucalyptus. Where didn't even dare to step in and "steam" ourselves. After our massages we decided to try it one more time and again, we were hit with gross moldy smell... super disappointing as we were really looking forward to enjoying all the spas amenities and getting our moneys worth. (Our 60 mins Massages were $135 +) Keep this in mind when booking your spa appts!

Great location, really pleasant and clean rooms and front desk very friendliness , lovely summer resort!

We are returning guests to Poet's Cove and we were shocked at how run down and disorganized it was compared to our last visit over 10 years ago. We came in by boat and the marina was 1/4 empty on a long weekend probably because nobody would answer our request to book a slip. Our cottage #15 was supposed to be an ocean view and we were in the trees and could not see the marina at all. The cottage was very dirty and tired and needs a big deep clean. Totally not worth the cost. The restaurant staff was lovely but overworked and overwhelmed. We waited 1 1/2 hours outside with our dog for our dinner. The decks need a good power wash and the lower pool was so hot we couldn't go in it. People were openly drinking alcohol in the top pool and it felt like a cheap all-inclusive resort with no rules. The new owners have completely dropped the ball here. We will never be back and regret having to write the review. Not worth the 5 star pricing not even worth a 2 star in our opinion.

Wow what a great resort. 1st class all the way! The villas and cottages are awesome . The food at both restaurants on site has been amazing!! Definitely will come back!!

Very fully priced for very average place. Indifferent service and a filthy cottage. When we booked the cottage we asked for and were told we would get two double beds. When we arrived we found one room with a double bed and a room with two single beds. When I spoke to manager about this, she just said we had been lied to. No interest in addressing. Cottage was run down and filthy: beds were saggy and lumpy, hanging and broken curtain rail in one bedroom, filthy rugs, stained sofa and armchair (really filthy), piles of stale food stuffed into kitchen cupboards, blinds broken and would not lower in main area, multiple lights burned out. You get the idea. Was yelled at by very strange woman who worked in coffee shop by the dock, rude and very odd. Asked for different pillows, said they would be delivered, later said had no such thing, felt like the business model is to just blow people off. very Not helpful about large up front charges to my credit card. Pluses: nice location, food was good. Conclusion: If you don't care about how you are treated or the dilapidated condition of your expensive room or cottage, give it a try. We would NEVER pay such a full price again for such filthy accommodation and such indifferent service.

Just pub food. The Sweet potato soup had quite a watery taste and seemed as though it had little to no spices. The sriracha lime fries seemed to be fries covered in Cajun seasoning or something similar, not quite a sriracha flavour. The patio was comfortable, and the beach out front was nice.

Worst meal I've had on Pender Island. The firecracker chicken was terrible. Our water glasses all had lipstick stains on them. Tried to discuss with the waitress the issue. She then microwaved the dish and the kitchen made little effort to rectify this. Had a few of my partners fries. They seemed palatable. The view is good. Worth looking at another restaurant.

Underwhelmed so far. Checked in last night to a villa (tough to find the room entrance in the dark), no coffee in the room, could not tell if there were fresh sheets on the sofa bed, at least one lightbulb burnt out, blinds by the front door do not come all the way down so sunlight is streaming in at 5:30am in early July. I will update this review at the end of my stay and after visiting the restaurant but so far I don't feel this place is worth the steep price we paid. Update after first day. Called at 6 am for ground coffee, was delivered promptly. Ran out of sugar during breakfast. The villa also has no spices or oil or oven mitts or dish sponges so bring your own if you intend to cook. The onsite store (Moorings) has a limited selection of "so so" pastries. Consider bringing your own breakfast for your first morning. Returned to the room at 3pm to find it still had not been cleaned. I called and was informed they were running behind. Went to the pool and returned to find only the beds had been made and trash emptied. Sink was full of dirty dishes, dishwasher had not been started, floor/carpet not swept or vacuumed, sheets on sofa bed not changed even though I left a note, they had not entered the bathrooms as the dirty towels and empty shampoo bottles were still in the bathtubs. Very embarrassing as we had relatives from out of town with us and the poor service makes it looks as if we booked a budget hotel as opposed to a room that we paid $$$ for per night. Called 3 times for towels and to have room cleaned properly. Finally a nice young man (Andrew) came over with a buddy and cleaned again. Also the kids pool (Moorings) is a short walk from the villas. It is very crowded and the pool needed to have leaves skimmed off. The pool bathrooms were quite dirty and no one enforces their "no food or drink" and "no pool toys" policy. In fact there is an employee selling alcoholic beverages to the fairly large number of adults present many of whom did not appear to be guests at Poets Cove or to have children with them. Maybe the pool has an open policy. I saw children sitting on the steps inside the pool eating ice cream and then they left their empty cups and spoons by the side of the pool. I also saw a man hiding a glass beer bottle in a t-shirt. This pool would really benefit from more frequent cleanings and better supervision by adults. I was not able to visit the adults pool since I had my kids with me. We cooked dinner as our unit had a kitchen, dishes, etc. We were able to enjoy the view from the 3 balconies/patios. Update after day 2. I called at 11am and left out the door tag to have the room cleaned. I deliberately left a sink full of dishes and crumbs on the floor and towels in the tub. Returned at 4pm and the room had been cleaned. However, the dirty coffee pot which had been on the counter was not in the dishwasher; instead it was back in the coffee stand uncleaned, nonstick pans were in the dishwasher which had not been started. I started the dishwasher but once again it was still running by the time we sat down to eat. No fresh pool towels, lotion, shampoo, or conditioner in the bathrooms so I stopped by the office to get some. The kiddie pool had been skimmed of leaves, pool bathroom cleaned and was much less crowded. I also learned that the kids pool is open to island residents, non hotel guests for a fee. So day 2 was better but still not up to my expectations for the $$$. One highlight is the Internet service, there is a dedicated router for each unit so speed is not an issue. Checking out tomorrow, so this will be my last update. Overall not worth the cost and cleaning staff is in serious need of proper training.

We came back here for the second time this past weekend. We brought another couple with us and once again it was a great experience! The views are amazing! The rooms are very clean and comfortable. It is such a relaxing place and a great get away from the stresses of work. Once again, I still highly recommend!

* Rating for the setting mostly * Pender Island makes a nice quick getaway from Vancouver. It is a pleasant ferry ride over, and really is world's apart as it only has a bit over 2000 people living on the entire island. We booked into Poet's Cove Resort, which has 22 rooms, and some villas as well for larger groups. This is a semi-manicured property stuck into some beautiful nature. The room was modern and well kept, and had a lovely view (http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/jdut0bDiV-UpPCtVHmGRXA?select=TdZjt9qFXbbRXkEmerCPEQ) of the Marina. That little cabin you see in the photo is actually Canada Customs (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/canada-customs-pender-island#hrid:WyHbt9kxohWpVgIU2h6uOg) for those who arrive by boat or seaplane from the States. There was a man-made, but pleasant, water feature right outside the room (http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/jdut0bDiV-UpPCtVHmGRXA?select=mxNvuy5c6fGmpO2RRfujFg) which gave a pleasant sound adding to the peaceful nature all day. But perhaps the nicest surprise of the room was all of the wildlife that wander right by outside the deck. There was a nice variety of birds playing in the water feature, and also some deer that visited semi-regularly (http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/jdut0bDiV-UpPCtVHmGRXA?select=VIkIu8sVxF9s6NnLj5FcXg). Wandering around the beach area there is also a VERY friendly cat that frequently greeted us to say hello in between using the trees as a scratching post (http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/jdut0bDiV-UpPCtVHmGRXA?select=8Tdu-JH2fkSmDyg1x61rGQ). There was also a heated pool and hot tub, both of which had a beautiful view. The spa is simple, and a bit overpriced for what we imagine the quality of the services are - so we didn't indulge in any extensive treatments. They are charging big city prices and likely don't have the skills to match that. But we did enjoy the Eucalyptus Steam Cave and the spa hot tub with nice views. The food at the resort is just ok, nothing to write home about. Service is very friendly, but a bit inexperienced as it seems they were just training up the summer part time help. This is a place to come for the location, not so much for the fine dining or spa services. But perhaps the most memorable part of the location was the sunset: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/jdut0bDiV-UpPCtVHmGRXA?select=yl6dB0e9J_BFWb4-PZmdkw A nice getaway!

*This review is for the spa only* I was on Pender Island, staying in a cabin, when I decided I needed a massage. Booked into the Sussurus Spa at Poet's Cove. The massage itself was lovely. I was looking for a relaxing massage, and that's what I got. The therapist used oil, and a lot of long, Swedish strokes. The treatment room was clean and dimly lit, and the treatment bed was large and cushy. After the treatment, I relaxed in the (small) lounge before heading outside to the steam cave. It's basically a man-made cave-like steam room. I'm glad I was the only person in there though, or else it would have been a bit too intimate. Not the most luxurious spa that I've been too - and definitely not a "destination" spa...but it was nice enough, and if I'm on the Island and needing a little "pick me up", I'd go back.

This place is a piece of heaven. Staff is so attentive and responsive. We stayed for a long weekend, and with the exchange rate it was very affordable. My partner had a great massage from Stephanie.

We normally like making a stop at Poets Cove, but this long weekend the restaurants were closed, the pool was cold and the hot tub was colder! We had to ask for pool towels three times before they showed up. Pull up your bootstraps Poet's Cove! You are better than this!

We really liked this place, our first time. Gone a little down hill since we used to come by boat. This time we stayed in a villa. Food and service in the restaurant was great. Setting gorgeous. Went to the hot tub 30 minutes before it closed at 10:30... Filled with the guy who checked us in and his friends. A bottle of wine (glass, who cares about the wine) and smoking (blowing right at us). Both against the "rules." As paying guests, we didn't stay long. Thinking about coming back but think I'll consider somewhere else. Not how I would run the place.

Very poor customer service. My girlfriend and I went here for our anniversary. We arrived shortly before the check in time of 4pm. Our room was not ready, and we had to wait an hour just to get in. We told them it was upsetting, and their response was "thanks for telling us". The room was OK, adult only pool and hot tub was nice. Restaurants were OK. At $400 per night I expect a level of service that Poet's Cove does not provide. A well run hotel would expect their customers to be upset if rooms aren't ready in time, and will have some confession ready and waiting in hand. Save your money, there are much nicer and better run places to visit.

Accommodations - 4 stars. Customer service - 1 star. I've only been moved a few times to write a review and unfortunately this is one of those times. Let me start with the positives. The view is spectacular and the accommodations wonderful. My husband and I spent our weeklong honeymoon at Poets Cove and were very pleased with our cottage. The bed was the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on and I have travelled all over the world. The cottages all come with their own outdoor hot tub and fully appointed kitchen. Overall, no complaints. Customer service is another story. After checking in and unpacking (no one offered to help with getting our luggage to the cottage), we sat on our deck overlooking the harbor (around 9:30pm), and all of a sudden the pool next door came alive with young employees partying and playing music. The employees lodging was directly behind our cottage so we saw them coming and going all week. And, on our first night there, we saw them all go over to the pool, the pool that is designated for guests! They were loud, their music was loud, and we found this shocking. On Saturday night, we walked into the restaurant at 9:02pm and were met by a rude server who said the kitchen closed at 9pm. 9pm! On a Saturday! We immediately noticed a couple of servers and a line cook sitting and drinking at the bar. This is 2 minutes after the kitchen closed! We then saw another server sitting with patrons in the back. When the employees at the bar went outside for a smoke, a paying guest sat at the end of the bar and ordered a drink. But when the cook, still in his filthy cooking clothes, sat back down, the paying guest looked annoyed and left. This is all before 9:20pm! My husband and I have a lot of experience working in restaurants and know that this is not how you run a successful restaurant and bar - by closing the kitchen at 9pm and then allowing your employees to take up the bar and offend paying customers. All of the employees at the front desk and concierge desk looked 'put out' when we asked them questions. All of the employees at the resort were in their early 20s and obviously knew nothing about customer service. We saw one adult the whole week that looked like he was the manager, and we only saw him once. We just felt like the young employees were rude and basically treated the resort as their own playground. This should not be allowed. And if the kitchen is going to close at such an early hour, there should at least be room service. No room service. Overall, we had a good time, but the employees' behaviors were inexcusable. Maybe they don't know any better than to take up barstools and party in the pool, but the managers should. This resort has a lot of potential but is poorly run. Then when we checked out, again by a very young girl, we were slapped with a $150 "cleaning fee" that they charge all the guests!!!!! This is to cover maid service. No one ever told us about this substantial add on. It's absolutely absurd! The cottage next to us sat dirty for days, as the maids never cleaned it once the guests checked out! It looked messy inside and out! The best customer service experience I had was the little resident black kitty who greeted me every day. Considering how expensive accommodations are, we expected fine dining and a 5-star experience; instead, we received 5-star views and a 1-star experience. In fact, the locals told us not to eat there. Nothing about the resort said, "We are glad you are here and we will do our best to make it a memorable stay."

We chose to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary with a quick seaplane trip up to Poet's Cove on Pender Island. The room was lovely and quiet. The view is utterly amazing. The grounds are pretty and well maintained. We did not use the pool or spa so I can't comment on those. It's the service and food I want to talk about... Service: there is no room service; the hotel had offered to have champagne waiting in our room for us when we arrived. It was not there, but they brought it a few hours after we had arrived -- pounding on the door while we were sleeping; Housekeeping did NOT come during our 2 night stay. We slept in Saturday morning and kept the do not disturb sign on the door til about noon. When we came back from a lovely whale watching excursion late in the afternoon, they had still not been to tidy up the room. We called to ask about it and we were told they had gone home for the day. We asked them to at least bring some fresh wine glasses. When we came back from dinner, there were 2 glasses and that is all. Bed not made, dirty dishes not removed... Let me also say the resort was NOT busy while we were there. Food: This is the most unfortunate part. The food is simply not worthy of the setting. Since we chose a seaplane to get us there, once we arrived we really were stuck at the resort. Options were poor. There is one "restaurant" open for breakfast only (closes at 10:30). It was the kind of basic buffet you might find in a 1 or 2 star motel that offers complimentary breakfast. Cold and dried out french toast; rubbery "eggs Benedict;" bad sausage; mini boxes of cereal... oh - and I think we were charged about $50 for that experience. Lunch and dinner must be eaten in the only other restaurant at the resort. It's a pub, with bad pub food. The menu is extremely limited. The chicken strips were decent, but that's pretty much it. A few salads, a few apps, burgers and a few entrees you can order after 5 pm. The soup of the day seemed to be the soup of the week. It was a roasted red pepper and tomato "bisque" for three days in a row. It tasted like warmed up ketchup. I ordered a pina colada from the BLENDED drinks menu, and was told there was no blender. I guess that makes it hard to make a blended drink! The $27 steak entree was lousy - a tough piece of meat sitting on a pile of cauliflower. We considered trying to eat elsewhere on the island. When we inquired about that at the front desk, we were told there's a resort shuttle we could take for $25 EACH WAY to go the few miles into town. It's too bad - this place has so much potential to be great, and the prices would suggest it should be. Some simple suggestions - completely rework the food offerings. Hire a chef who knows what they are doing, and let them do it. I found myself wishing we had packed snacks. How about a simple cheese/fruit/cracker plate? The rooms are so great with their private balconies and cushy chairs, that it would be really nice to enjoy some wine and cheese there. And/or, how about offering complimentary wine and cheese at 4pm every day in the lobby? Take some tricks from the play books of resorts who do it right, like Alderbrook or the Willows. How about room service? How about a decent breakfast offering, with made-to-order crepes or omelets or waffles? How about mimosas? How about working with Gulf Islands farmers and creating memorable dishes from local fare? How about rotating specials on the dinner menu? How about an actual soup of the DAY so we don't feel like we are being offered reheated leftovers at a huge cost? Enable your staff to really take care of their guests. Make sure all the rooms have been serviced before housekeeping goes home for the day. How about free shuttle services on the island so your guests can explore and leave wanting to come back? We have three young kids and so we don't get to do many trips on our own these days. We are so glad we got away to a beautiful and relaxing place, but this could have-- should have -- been so much better for what it cost.

We came to Pender for some rest and relaxation and we found it! We arrived around 1 pm and as our room wouldn't be ready till three decided to have a light lunch at the Aurora restaurant. I ordered the yam fries and my husband got the seafood chowder. The fries were crispy and nicely seasoned. The chowder, on the other hand was very bland and uninspired. It wasn't horrible but when you're sitting water front in the West Coast you expect more than "ok" when it comes to seafood - especially clams. Our room was small but fantastic, I cannot complain and I loved the soaker tub with room for two. It was so relaxing and tranquil. There is a man-made waterfall just outside which is a nice touch. (We were in room 310, top floor furthest down the hall so only one neighbour) Dinner was good, the British server named Sam was very attentive and pleasant. I ordered the lamb terrine which was nicely presented with good flavour. My husband ordered the scallops which were a bit under seared and overlooked but good nonetheless. As I mentioned we were just grateful to sit down and share a real mean together, having an eightenn month old toddler ensures that rarely happens! For the main I got the duck breast.... What did that poor piece of meat ever do to the cook?? I asked if it would be cooked medium rare and was told it was more of a "medium" and was "cooked through" which I should have taken as a red flag.... It was horrendously overcooked and I was sad to see it, as a nicely seared duck breast is one of the better things in life. Ah well, the potatoes were great. Hubby got the lamb shank and it was fantastic, tender and flavourful accompanied with surprisingly well executed gnocchi. For desert we opted for some alcoholic coffees and took an order of carrot cake and flour-less chocolate cake back to our room. Tiny portions for the dessert, carrot cake was very yummy... but the "chocolate cake" was excellent! Wish I had some right now. The service here is great, strangely they do not offer room service but we were able to call our breakfast order down for pickup and had a quiet morning eating it in our room. They even put our coffees in paper cups for us to take back. I was sad to see that the Café by the marina was closed for the season, but the discounted off season price was worth it. We got the "Romance Package" which included: Sparkling wine (Prosecco) and (delicious) truffles in room upon arrival, a voucher for two, three-course dinners at Aurora, two nights accommodation, and a $100.00 gift card that could be spent anywhere in the resort. A GREAT deal. We went for a morning walk around the shore of the resort and appreciated the unique landscape and beauty of the Island. We found many Sea slugs and crabs and interesting rock formations. We were lucky to have a sunny day and a slack tide for our excursion. We are not "spa" people. Neither of us really get the whole "couples massage" thing - but I knew I wanted to try the "eucalyptus steam cave" on offer at Sussarus Spa at the resort. The "cave" is located beneath the man made water fall I mentioned earlier. It was $15.00 each to use the steam cave, relaxation room, and the outdoor hot tub for as long as we wanted. I really enjoyed it, the steam cave was done very well; for being made out of concrete it really gave the impression of a natural location. We switched from the cave, to the hot tub, and back again a few times- it was chilly this time of year but it was still enjoyable. There was also complimentary tea and water on offer to keep you hydrated after the steam cave. After the Spa visit we opted for a light dinner at Syren's, the Marina "Pub". It was interesting the menu was the same as at Aurora, not sure if this is the case during high season or not. We ordered hot wings to start (they were amazing, the sauce tasted fresh and was incredibly spicy, I think they just popped some Habaneros into a blender and pureed them!!) My husband ordered the Syren's burger and I got the Salt Spring Mussels. Every thing was great and more than made up for the tragic duck incident the night prior. We visited the "Upper Pool" which was heated to the perfect temperature for comfortable swimming in February and we had a great time making idiots of ourselves with no one around. We brought two bottles of wine and a litre of orange juice (I love Mimosas in the morning) which made our trip extra romantic. I would probably bring more "snacks" next time. But other than that it was a terrific stay and we will definitely be going back again. Things that would have sent this trip over the top for me: Room Service! Stronger drinks Softer bathrobes Larger desert portions (Come on, we all love chocolate!) Real cream for the in-room coffee maker (I hate whitener with a passion.) Kayak rental available off season too.

My husband and I stayed here recently on our sailboat in the marina. The setting is beautiful, however the resort has lost some of its look and feel over the sat couple of years. The Maria staff are friendly and helpful but the resort staff leave you feeling that you are really not part of the resort. For example we used to be able to use the upper pool and workout area, now this is only for resort guests. The pool and hot TV area marina guests have access to is nice but over-used and not cleaned on a regular basis. The pay showers are large and when cleaned are worth the loonie they cost. The resort has rental vans which one can rent and tour the island, a great addition! There is a small cafeteria with some sundries available for purchase, but not nearly the breadth of items o e would exoct. All in all, a pretty lace to stay but not worth the high price they charge for moorage

I'm writing my second review of the restaurant. Last year, 2015, I gave it a very poor review but it seems they have sorted out their staffing and management problems and we had a much better experience. The service was perfect as well as our food!! Nice selection of items on the menu. We would definitely go back.

Where to begin? Poets Cove is more than tired, it is run down! It is no way worth what they are asking you to pay. The chairs in the room were stained, the towels were bare and had strings hanging from them. The room was stuffy, no air and we had to sleep with our patio door wide open to get air flow. TV is dated, they have a coffee pot in the room but you have to move it somewhere to plug it in. A very poorly planned hotel room. We had breakfast in the hotel, they had one poor girl serving coffee and waitressing. She could not take orders for Latte's as she had to go downstairs to make them and that would leave no one in the restaurant. We were lucky being in the Lodge area as the power went off (which apparently happens often) and they have a generator that services that part of the hotel. The rest of the people were out of luck. We had actually called and spoke to the manager before going to Poets Cove as we had read all the bad reviews. He assured us it was only the restaurant that was the problem and that they were dealing with it, the hotel he said was in fantastic shape! No way!!!

We just got back from Poet's Cove on Pender Island and were really disappointed and troubled by our experience there. Our accommodation was $650.00 a night, a 2 bedroom cottage. When we arrived the windows were open. Even still, the second bedroom smelled off. My friend, who has little sense of smell, said that he could tolerate the smell and we went to bed. The next morning my friend took all of his belongings out of the bedroom pronto and called down to the front desk in the hopes of remedying the situation. Housekeeping had left a spray bottle of "Linen Fresh" on the dresser and we suspect that the perfume of said deodorizer hid the now intense and unmistakable smell of vomit. Housekeeping said they would steam clean the carpet. I requested that no harsh chemicals or perfumes be used for health reason. The smell wasn't improved when we returned to the unit in the afternoon. We both have experience cleaning up after sick kids and our children's pets and have no trouble getting rid of the mess and the smell without using harsh chemicals or perfumes. The troubling thing...this unit should never have been rented out in this state. Poet's Cove left it to us to identify, address and somehow cope with the problem. We were offered breakfast vouchers, and a main floor condo unit.. which we declined. The main floor condo wasn't comparable and we were concerned about the noise in the unit above. Also, with our precious vacation time ticking away, our focus was on getting out of Poet's Cover and off Pender Island as soon as possible. To add insult to injury, Poet's Cove were going to charge us $710.00 a night and would have done so if my friend didn't have a copy of the confirmation e-mail quoting a price of $650.00. When pressed they offered us $130 off the total cost of our stay. Needless to say we paid our bill and left Poet's Cove never to return. We were able to catch a ferry to Vancouver and salvage some of our holiday cheer there. One highlight...when we related our tale to a Pender businessman he knew we were staying at Poet's Cove even before we identified where we were staying. When I said it sounded like there wasn't much point in complaining to the staff at Poet's Cove he said "there would be as much point in talking to the staff as to talking to the salt and pepper shakers on the table in front of you." He encouraged us not to give up on visiting Pender Island and recommended we contact the Chamber of Commerce for B and B's on Pender. He even offered to find us accommodation if we decided to visit the island and gave us his contact info!

I'll keep this review short and sweet because I'm confident the poets cove team lacks the sophistication to keep track of a yelp profile and will surely not be taking action in response to the many negative reviews sharing a similar tone. The property is nice but this place would be well served by pushing the reset button and firing their entire service staff. The complete disregard for the customer experience is completely unacceptable for a resort charging the rates they charge. Requests such as booking a room, checking into that room or ordering a pub lunch are met with blank stares from the poets cove zombie crew who have all been heavily sedated prior to their shift. With the exception of those possessing a strong "do-it-yourself" attitude with regards to their holidays, I cant see how this would make the mark for even the least discerning holidayers.

Last year, my husband and I were looking for a wedding venue around the Pacific Northwest that would accommodate a large party in a banquet hall, a venue that was also located on the water / marina, had amazing views that also allowed for different photo opportunities, and had a real high end feel, but still felt relaxed and comfy. After looking at many venues along the Pacific Coast and San Juan Islands, we happened to run across Poets Cove Resort & Spa on a random Google search. Given we live in the United States (Washington specifically), we thought getting to Poets Cove on Pender Island was a short drive and a fun ferry ride away, and decided to check it out. I cannot describe to you the feeling that overcame me when I stepped on site of the resort. Poets Cove Resort & Spa met every single one of our wedding venue must haves. Needless to say, we immediately booked the resort for our July 26, 2014 wedding. We were not disappointed - not one bit. I had the wedding of my dreams, many thanks to the staff at Poets Cove. We had a large wedding group that traveled from United States to attend our wedding. The staff was very warm, welcoming, and accommodating to every one of our guests. They were also very accommodating to me and my husband in our needs and making sure our day was as smooth and enjoyable as possible. We had arranged multiple events for our wedding weekend that the resort had to manage (outside vendors shipping in from Vancouver / Victoria, a pool party for the kids, wedding reception in the banquet hall, a breakfast buffet for our guests the morning after). I know the staff worked a very long, sleepless weekend just to accommodate our wedding. I was very impressed that they were as organized and accommodating as they were. Everything went so amazingly well! Oh and the FOOD. I must mention the food! The. Food. Was. Delicious! Our guests still tell us to date that they ate like royalty. Everything was fresh, perfectly seasoned, and the presentation was perfect. Presentation is key, as it's very difficult to accomplish this task for a buffet style reception (both dinner and breakfast). However, the chef and staff were able to do this impressively well. Also, we had an amazing seafood spread served at our wedding dinner buffet. One of our guests is the CEO of an international seafood distribution company. He specifically mentioned to us that the seafood the resort used was so fresh, the quality of salmon and tuna were excellent cuts of meat, and cooked to perfection. These are HIGH PRAISE words coming from him! The breakfast buffet was also pretty impressively put together; very fresh! All of our guests left with full, happy stomachs! The resort also has many different photo opportunities that we and our photographers maximized to the best of our abilities. There is a beautiful marina with a long dock where photos can be captured. To change the look, there are also lush green trees located on site, as well as a beautiful rock beach, and a dry grass field. All these areas add to a beautiful variety of photos that we captured for our wedding collection. So much in fact, our wedding photographers asked our permission to submit our wedding and photos for multiple magazine contest covers! We are excited to hear the outcome of these submissions later in the year! I cannot stress enough how happy we are to have chosen Poets Cove Resort and Spa as our wedding venue. I had honestly had THE best time. We constantly hear feedback from our guests that this was the best wedding they've ever been to, everything was planned to perfection, the food was awesome. They loved the resort! The rooms are well maintained and clean! The resort offered many activities for adults and children to enjoy themselves. Poets Cove Resort & Spa went above and beyond my wildest expectations. The resort is now forever a part of our lives, and we look forward to spending many anniversaries there in the future. A special shout out to Numo, Pamela, Quinn, Cayle, Jeff, Sergio, Jake, and Kavita. Thank you for contributing to one of the happiest weekends of my life. It was a year long process and we very much appreciate all the extra effort and the attention to the little details that the team put in to make sure we had THE BEST experience possible, especially considering the difficulty of coordinating not only what we consider a destination wedding, but an OUT OF THE COUNTRY destination wedding. It is not an easy task to do, but you all played a part in pulling it off without a hitch! You all are now forever embedded in our memories and can never thank you all enough for making our dream wedding come true! Allen & Pindar

We really disappointed with the new management, we made a reservation in Nov 2014 for Aug 2015 with reservation confirmation, some how it was cancel due to a wedding reservation without any notice until I call in to confirm my room #, they said we call in to cancel which we never did. They just want the wedding party and neglect other customers. It is very disappointing with the new management. They never follow up or solve problem but ask us to wait for their reply until now.

We were recently married at Poets Cove. We found the resort itself and the accomodations to be quite nice, however the new management and service levels were terrible, and far worse than what we were promised when we signed our contract to get married here. We felt the management and leadership at Poets Cove very unwilling to work with unplanned changes that occured during our wedding and resistant as opposed to supportive. We also had several billing concerns as Poets Cove seemed to have no idea what prices they had agreed to for our wedding, and we had to hold them accountable on many occassions. Overall response time was very slow, and the event planners were not proactive and very reactive. We were also not pleased when we expressed our concerns with Poets Cove after our wedding took place, and rather than addressing the concerns we had, they made a bunch of excuses and blamed us for any of the issues we had. Our overall opinion was that the management did not know what they were doing, and not really concerned about our satisfaction level. I would not recommend picking poets cove to get married at.