Rockwater Secret Cove Resort on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast
If you’re looking for a quiet seaside getaway without venturing far from Vancouver, consider Rockwater Secret Cove Resort on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. Overlooking Half Moon Bay, a short drive north of the town of Sechelt, the property is surrounded by woods, with ocean views almost everywhere you look.
Here’s the scoop:
A waterview boardwalk leads to the “glamping” tents at Rockwater Secret Cove.
About Rockwater Secret Cove Resort
Rockwater Secret Cove Resort opened in the 1950s, originally as a fishing destination, with a small main lodge and a collection of compact cabins overlooking the cove. But in 2008, the resort added 13 “glamping” tents and repositioned from a sportman’s holiday spot to a couples’ getaway destination.
Compared to more remote Sunshine Coast lodgings like the West Coast Wilderness Lodge farther north, Rockwater Secret Cove is less isolated, a short drive to the restaurants, cafes, and shops in the town of Sechelt. If you are looking for a get-away-from-it-all destination, though, Rockwater offers plenty of seclusion.
The resort has several accommodation options, including rooms in the main lodge building, where the restaurant, bar, and swimming pool are located; cabins, which were renovated in 2024; and the Tenthouse Suites. The lodge units and cabins are perfectly lovely, but it’s the Tenthouse Suites that offer the most distinctive accommodations.
One of the 13 Tenthouse Suites at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort
Rockwater’s Tenthouse Suites
If you think that staying in the tents means roughing it, think again. The Tenthouse Suites are like upscale cottages with canvas walls. Lined with windows, with screens to let in the breeze but not the bugs and roll-down canvas window covers for privacy, these platform tents all overlook the ocean, while the “Signature Oceanfront” units perch on the cliffs, directly above the water.
Inside, the tents have heated floors and gas fireplaces to keep you warm on chilly nights or early mornings, plus ceiling fans and small standing fans for warmer weather.
Inside a tent, with a deep soaker tub
All the tents have king beds, with nearby electrical outlets, reading lamps, and Wi-Fi. Other amenities include espresso machines, tea kettles, and mini fridges, as well as bathrobes and slippers.
Tents have full bathrooms, with a shower and sink near the bed, a separate toilet cubicle with a door, and a deep whirlpool tub, where, if you position yourself well, you might look out to the ocean. All the tents have private decks with water views.
The tents have full bathrooms.
Cabins and Lodge Rooms
The cabins, which are clustered on the lawn close to the main lodge, are less private. However, anyone with mobility challenges may prefer their location, which doesn’t require a long walk along the wooden boardwalk leading to the Tenthouse Suites.
Designed for couples, the oceanview cabins have terraces overlooking the water. Inside these studio units, amenities include a king bed, modern bathrooms, a coffee maker, a tea kettle, and a mini fridge. The deluxe family cabins are similarly appointed but have different bed configurations—one king bed or two queen beds, plus a pull-out sofa in the living area.
Rockwater has 10 cabins, in addition to the tents.
In the lodge, the 16 rooms come in different setups as well, with one queen, two queens, or one king bed. Book one of the “oceanview” units if you want to see the sea. There are also two-bedroom family suites with a queen bed in each bedroom and a pullout sofa in the living room. The smallest room, “the cozy queen,” is an interior unit with no window or patio. Like the cabins, all the lodge rooms have coffee makers, tea kettles, and mini fridges.
Facilities and Services
Rockwater Secret Cove is set on a small rocky beach. Guests can go kayaking from here to explore the cove and the surrounding shoreline. Kayaks are complimentary for guests, by reservation.
You can swim in the chilly ocean waters here, too, although if you’re not a cold plunge person, you might prefer a dip in the pool, which overlooks the water.
Rockwater’s pool overlooks the sea.
The resort has a spa hut near the main lodge, as well as two spa tents overlooking the water — a serene spot for an Ayurvedic massage, deep tissue massage, or other treatment.
Open all day, TuBird Restaurant, located in the main lodge but under independent management, serves breakfast, brunch, drinks, and dinner. In the evening, you can start with crab arancini or graze through a charcuterie and cheese board. Among the mains, pastas like mushroom and mascarpone ravioli are popular, and the pan-roasted salmon served with crisp-tender potatoes is a highlight.
Rockwater Secret Cove Rates
During the summer months, double rates at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort start at about CAD$250/per night (US$180) for a lodge room, CAD$300 (US$215) for a cabin, and CAD$350 (US$255) for a Tenthouse Suite, with higher rates during the July-August peak. The resort stays open all year, offering good-value off-season rates, with even better long-stay rates if you’d like an extended getaway on BC’s Sunshine Coast.
You can also check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Agoda.com.
Hotel feature by Vancouver-based travel, food, and feature writer Carolyn B. Heller. Photos © Carolyn B. Heller. Destination British Columbia and Sunshine Coast Tourism provided support for my stay at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort.
