Naturally Pacific Resort: Wellness and More on Vancouver Island

Located on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, the city of Campbell River has long been a salmon fishing port. The Indigenous peoples who have lived for millennia in this region, as well as settlers who arrived more recently, have sustained themselves from the sea. But these days, there are new reasons to explore this part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. One of those reasons? A stay at the wellness-focused Naturally Pacific Resort

Here’s the scoop:

Opened in May 2024, Naturally Pacific Resort sits high on a hill a short drive above the town center. Though it’s convenient to the waterfront where wildlife-watching excursions and fishing tours depart, you could easily enjoy a getaway on the property with its golf course, mineral pool and spa, and indoor heated pool.

Immersion Spa and Mineral Pools at Naturally Pacific Resort

A highlight of a Naturally Pacific stay is a soak in the “rainforest” mineral pool, an indoor jetted hot pool where the waters are naturally infused with a variety of minerals. Adjacent to the pools are the “experience showers,” programmed to change color and temperature, which you can use to refresh between your soaking sessions.

In the showers, the “relax” setting starts with a cool mist, then changes to a warm, full-pressure shower before finishing with a refreshingly cool flow. The other setting is designed to energize; it starts with the same cool mist before the water pressure strengthens into a full cooling shower. Be prepared: the next setting is cold, though I’m sure this bracing flow is good for you.

Bathing suits are required in the mineral pool, as your soak isn’t necessarily private. While you may be fortunate, as I was, to have the hot pool to yourself, it can accommodate up to six guests at a time.

After your soak, or before or after any other treatments in the Immersion Spa, you can relax with a cup of tea in the small spa lounge. The spa, which is open to the public as well as hotel guests, offers a full menu of massage and other body treatments. If you’ve brought a partner, you can book a couple’s room for your services.

Other Facilities and Services

In a separate glass-enclosed building adjacent to the main hotel is an indoor lap pool with a nearby sauna and steam room. A hot tub is located outdoors on the patio behind the pool structure.

Also behind the hotel is a large seating area with fire pits where you can lounge in temperate weather. Or you can challenge your traveling companions to a game of outdoor chess.

Note that you have to go outside to walk between the lobby or the spa and the pool building. Fortunately, the guest rooms are stocked with robes and slippers, as are the changing rooms in the spa.

The fitness room is also separate from the pool and spa, located on the hotel building’s second floor. While it’s not huge, it’s lined with windows and outfitted with all the standard modern workout equipment.

The hotel is adjacent to an 18-hole golf course with practice greens, a driving range, and a pro shop.

Guest Rooms and Amenities

In this five-story hotel, all of the 100 rooms feature a similar design with contemporary furnishings, colorful area rugs, and either one king or two queen beds. Measuring 441 square feet with a wall of windows, the guest rooms feel airy and spacious.

In-room amenities include Nespresso machines, mini-fridges, and 55” LCD TVs, and the modern baths, with Molton Brown body products, have large rain showers and separate toilet areas.

The property has eight one-bedroom suites with a living room in addition to the bedroom, some with wraparound balconies.

The 3rd floor is the dedicated pet floor, welcoming guests traveling with their dogs for a CAD$40.00 per pet fee. Dog beds and water bowls are provided. This floor is equipped with a dog-washing station to clean up your pet after you’ve been out adventuring.

Dining Options

Carve Kitchen + Meatery is the hotel’s main dining room, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant space includes a lounge with a long bar, as well as two adjacent dining areas, one of which features a green “living wall” covered with plants.

In the evening, as the name suggests, the menu emphasizes steakhouse classics, though regional seafood and a tasty roast chicken served with a crispy creamy potato rosti are excellent alternatives.

In another adjacent building, the Velocity Lounge at the golf course serves local beer, cocktails, pizzas, and other light meals. You can also gather the gang into one of the seating pods for a round of electronic golf.

Where to Eat Nearby

If you do venture off property, Campbell River has several places to eat that are worth a stop. I’m a fan of the pastries at Freyja, The Croissant Story, including flaky chocolate croissants and cardamom buns dotted with pomegranate seeds.

Another delicious option is a meal at Nhau Vietnamese Kitchen & Bar. Overlook the modest surroundings and order traditional Vietnamese dishes like the housemade pho, the crepe-like Ban Xeo, or the Com Tom Sai Gon, which the menu calls “Golden Char.” Available in chicken or pork versions, the latter includes crispy grilled meat served with a salad of shredded greens, herbs, carrots, and daikon, plus “broken” rice and a sweet, slightly spicy fish sauce. It’s worth a detour.

Before heading off property, stop at the concierge desk in the lobby for tips about things to see and do in and around Campbell River. But you could certainly choose instead to stay put at this Vancouver Island resort for a rejuvenating “Naturally Pacific” holiday.

Rates

Double room rates at Naturally Pacific Resort vary with the seasons, starting at CAD$179 (USD$125) per night. You can also choose a package including breakfast or breakfast and dinner.

Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.

Hotel feature by Vancouver-based travel, food, and feature writer Carolyn B. Heller. Photos © Carolyn B. Heller. Naturally Pacific Resort arranged my stay for review purposes.