Sunrise at Watermark Beach Resort in BC’s Okanagan Valley
When you drive east from Vancouver over the Coast Mountains and into the sunny Okanagan Valley, you might think that you took a detour and ended up in Arizona or in California wine country. Particularly if you head into the South Okanagan region just north of the U.S. border, you may be surprised to find that you’ve driven into a desert.
Yes, a desert. A desert that’s filled with wineries. And yes, you’re still in Canada.
Watermark Beach Resort
Whether you want to go wine touring or simply get away to the sun, the mild, dry region around the town of Osoyoos in British Columbia’s South Okanagan makes an excellent destination for a getaway at any time of year. It’s particularly lovely in spring and fall when the days are warm and the nights crisp and cool.
One of the nicest accommodations in Osoyoos is the condo-style Watermark Beach Resort overlooking Osoyoos Lake, which has everything you need for a lakeside getaway.
Guest Rooms and Amenities
In the main lodge building, the 122 family-friendly suites include studios, one, two, and three bedrooms. Decorated in beachy terracotta or sage green with honey-colored wood furnishings, they’re not super-deluxe, but the design is contemporary and comfortable.
A lakeview guest room at Watermark Beach Resort
All have balconies or patios, with the best units facing Osoyoos Lake or the large outdoor pool.
The units have full modern kitchens, with microwaves, coffeemakers, toasters, and enough dishes and pots and pans to feed the family, along with in-suite washer-dryers.
Well-equipped kitchens in the Watermark suites
Another accommodation option for families or groups of friends traveling together is one of the beachfront townhomes, next door to the main hotel building.
The furnishings in these 30 townhouse-style condos are similar to those in the main building, but since many of these units are spread out on more than one level, with a living area on the main floor and bedrooms upstairs, they feel a little more spacious. They’d comfortably accommodate multiple generations on holiday together.
Watermark has 30 family-friendly townhomes.
Facilities and Services
15 Park, the resort’s restaurant, is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The wine list highlights Okanagan labels.
The heated outdoor pool at the center of the property, with a waterslide for the kids, is a popular spot from spring through fall. One of the two hot tubs is reserved for adults only, while the other is family-friendly.
The property has a well-equipped fitness facility on the 2nd floor. Independently-owned Levia Wellness Spa offers massage and other services to hotel guests (and to the public).
Wi-Fi is complimentary throughout the property, and rates include parking in the resort’s underground garage. The garage has several EV chargers, connected to the FLO network.
15 Park Restaurant at Watermark Beach Resort
What’s Nearby?
Some of the best wineries in the Okanagan are located in the Oliver-Osoyoos area, from cult favorites like Black Hills or Maverick, to up-and-coming winemakers like Kismet Estate Winery (which also has an excellent Indian restaurant, Manzil), to larger producers including Burrowing Owl or Tinhorn Creek. Canada’s first Indigenous-owned winery, Nk’Mip Cellars, is here as well.
You could spend your entire holiday wine-tasting and touring, but the area is also rich in Indigenous culture. Learn more about the region’s First Nations at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre. Or take a walk through the scrubby grasslands at the nearby Osoyoos Desert Centre.
Of course, there’s plenty to do at Watermark, too, even if your idea of “activity” is to pull up a chaise by the pool or stroll along the lakeshore.
Just remember, at this desert wine-country resort, you’re really still in Canada.
Rates
Springtime rates at Watermark Beach Resort start at CAD$199/night (US$140) for a studio unit and CAD$289/night (US$210) for a two-bedroom unit. Rates are higher in the summer and early autumn. In the winter months, Watermark offers economical monthly rates for “snowbirds” who come to enjoy relatively mild weather.
Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Hotel review by Vancouver-based travel, food, and feature writer Carolyn B. Heller. 15 Park photo courtesy of Watermark Beach Resort. Other photos © Carolyn B. Heller. Watermark Beach Resort hosted my stay for review purposes. This review was originally posted in 2016 and updated in 2025.
