DO stay here if you love nature, stunning views, and want a truly peaceful location...
DO stay here if you want a warm, spotlessly clean and well appointed suite with a deck by the water’s edge where deer will wander and graze below you....
DO stay here if you can’t get enough of watching the ever changing light over the ocean and the mountains behind, whilst you enjoy your first beer after a long day of exploring...
DO stay here if having a friendly and knowledgeable host will help you discover the area more fully..
DON’T stay here if you want a generic hotel/motel experience with TV and WiFi. All other amenities are up to date and efficiently working!
Hidden Cove Lodge is a rare find. A lodge with cottages that were built specifically to be in harmony with the natural landscape, by owners who cherish their land and the creatures who frequent it. We loved staying there and would definitely stay again, hopefully in a post COVID world when we will be able to enjoy eating in the main lodge! ���
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Date of stay: July 2020
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hidden Cove Lodge is a unique place to stay. Where else can you draw the blind in the morning to see a Black Bear wandering past the window. The wildlife is insane, we saw Mink, Sea Otters, Bald Eagles, Kingfishers, Hummingbirds, Deer and 4 bears during our two night stay. It’s breathtakingly beautiful.
The Lodge is off-grid and free from light and noise pollution. The only sound is of birds and water lapping against the shore line. Our accommodation was a room in the main house, it was clean and basic. Breakfast was simple. Don’t expect frills and lux but do expect peace, tranquillity, beauty and nature in abundance.
Hidden Cove was a highlight of our trip.
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Date of stay: June 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A very warm and safe welcome from owner Sandra and other helpers. We were the first guests for this delayed season. A well-appointed self-catering cottage right on the water’s edge (can recommend cottage #1), with a deck and good views of two humpback whales passing close by one early morning. The gravel road in was not in too bad shape for our low slung car, but Sandra promises it will soon be even better if she can track down the grader driver. Having had to cancel our international travel this year, we were delighted to discover such a wonderful destination in our home province! Well worth the trip.
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Date of stay: June 2020
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Room Tip:Cottages on the water have beautiful views, with the possibility of close-up whale/dolphin...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Totally awesome place to be ! We had a beautiful, well equipped and comfortable 2 bdrm cabin right at the edge of the ocean. From the deck we had amazing ocean views, black bear visitors, eagles, herons, sea lion, stellar jays. Elk and deer in vicinity and and …. We saw whales in the distance from our deck and could frequently hear them spouting. The sky on a clear night was bright with stars and the ocean waves calming. This is one of the most beautiful places I have stayed and the owner, Sandra Kirby, is equally lovely.
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Date of stay: September 2023
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is a delightful place to stay. So quiet with wildlife abundant to view from your room. The rooms are lovely, well equipped and very clean. Nice, simple breakfast. Pleasant and friendly staff, Very enjoyable stay and just a short drive to Telegraph Cove itself. The sunset and sunrise over the cove, viewed from your own veranda, is to die for!
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Date of stay: June 2023
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our experience did not match up with the excellent on-line reviews. Perhaps our case was the exception but I doubt it. This lodge is in a spectacular but remote location - there aren't any good alternative lodgings nearby. Just be forewarned that the owners can be unresponsive, even arrogant, when dealing service problems, of which we had several. I am not in the habit of complaining. In fact this is the first negative review I've posted at Trip Adviser.
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Date of stay: August 2011
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hidden Cove Lodge is a place you will never forget. The owners Dan and Sandra make you feel very welcome as soon as you step in the door. The view is amazing, especially when the Cruise Liners go by. They are an amazing sight to see. If you go whale watching, you get picked up by boat at the hotel. Bears, eagles and kingfishers are all on the doorstep. I recommend Hidden Cove Lodge to everyone, it's so tranquil. A very relaxing holiday. We were there for a couple of nights, and will definitely be going back. Fantastic to have no telephone and no TV, complete relaxation.
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Date of stay: June 2004
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Having visited Hidden Cove Lodge on numerous previous occasions, and having been one of the first to review it, we have read other peoples' opinions and feel it is time to add an updated review. Hidden Cove is a wilderness lodge, which was built by the owners and is constructed of local red cedar which, over a period of time, naturally weathers and blends perfectly with the environment. In its natural setting no other building would be suitable. The owners, Dan and Sandra, during their 24 year period here have constantly striven (and succeeded) to maintain this accommodation in what is obviously a very harsh environment, and standards continue to be high. The rooms are immaculately clean, the cottages are like new, and improvements and an extension have recently been added to the dining and lounge areas. The breakfasts provided are very acceptable, and the dinners supplied at an extra cost are quite simply the best that the area of Telegraph Cove/Port McNeill has to offer. Dan and Sandra are hospitable, hard working people ( as well as running the lodge Sandra also works full time in the logging industry). Dan definitely has a quirky sence of humour, which the vast majority of people "get", and is obviously and rightly proud of what they have achieved here. He and Sandra love to pass on their experiences of the area and wildlife - visitors constantly scan the beach opposite for a glimpse (or even an hour long viewing whilst we were there recently) of a black bear. Deer wander the property, orcas, other whales, seals and sea lions often bask in the kelp beds offshore, and even cougars are seen from time to time. We feel that North Vancouver Island is still one of the best kept secrets of the Canadian Tourist itinerary. If stunning scenery, lakes, mountains, unspoiled coastline, with unforgettable wildlife thrown in, is your bag then this area is a must, and Hidden Cove Lodge will provide the perfect place to stay whilst you are here.
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Date of stay: September 2014
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:For McKay Whale watching trips ( normally departing from port McNeil) and Tide Rip Grizzly Bear...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The location is literally fantastic, the lodge is signposted off the main road to Telegraph Cove and down a 3 km track, you really do feel like you are going to a hide away wilderness lodge. Outside and around the lodge there is a small bay, with a jetty, and a real "hidden cove" behind a small island. This place is literally teaming with wildlife, there is also a regular bear visitor although we did not see him. Compared to Telegraph Cove accommodation this is good value, If you want to get away from things this is a great place to go, it's not a hotel, so no wi-fi and hot tubs etc ... , having said that it is more of a b&b than lodge /hotel. Upon arrival the welcome was most unusual, almost unfriendly, which is very odd for Canadians, however Dan the owner and builder of the lodge was very chatty at breakfast, he practically joined us ! He seemed like a really nice guy and changed our mind about the place somewhat, i can imagine some visitors might find him a little overbearing but I think you either get his sense of humour or you don't. As for the lodge and surrounding area, it just needs a dam good tidy up,, for me, first impressions count and this place is poorly maintained, let's not mistake run down for rustic. The rooms rooms were clean and tidy but somewhat dated, we didn't dislike Hidden Lodge and there was nothing to actually complain about, however we are not likely to stay again.
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Date of stay: September 2013
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This has to be my most favourite place in the world! Partner and myself went to Canada for a months road trip, nothing pre booked just turning up at places night by night. When we arrived in to Telegraph Cove there were just two options; a modern hotel fully booked or a room with shared facilities which was rather quaint but very 1920's, we made the decision to try and find something elsewhere - best decision we made! A couple of miles up the road we came across a sign hidden cove lodge, in our tiny Chev sonic we made the turn off down the long drive and came across the lodge. I can't recall the staff members name we first dealt with but we were advised there was only either a twin room in the main lodge house available or a private cabin at around $300+ available, we asked to see the private lodge. As soon as we walked down and saw the setting we were sold, scrap the attempt to travel on a budget this just couldn't be turned down!
We stayed in the private 2 bedroom lodge cabin directly on the shore for two nights, breathtaking views and the most tranquil place I have come across.
Don't expect any mobile signal or wifi, you won't want it here anyway, this is a place you come to for a complete switch off, surrounded by water, woodlands and wildlife.
The cabin was well decorated and equipped, fully fitted kitchen with dining table and basic condiments to enable cooking for yourself. Both bedrooms were well decorated and the bed we slept in was comfortable. If I recall correctly there is no hairdryer. The bathroom was also as you would expect but with missing plug for bath due to fact of low rainfall and only water source being a well, this didn't bother us but something to be aware of if you are a bath lover. There are also lots of posters printed reminding you to save water and be ecological, seems very ruley when perhaps just one note would suffice. The living room looked nice but the sofa was not comfortable at all, the fire probably hadn't been used for quite some time, we visited mid to late September and had to clear quite a bit of dust and a spider to get it started, the spider quite clearly wanted to keep his home and scurried to a corner. The cabin has a wooden veranda and table and chairs looking out to the waterfront to admire the view, enjoy a glass of wine or a home cooked meal.
We did not eat in the main lodge restaurant due to having self catering facilities but the menu did look really good and changed daily, others we spoke to commended the food.
The staff would go out of their way to offer guests a stay they will always remember, when we arrived staff were out taking photos of guests out on the floating boat deck giving them a memory to treasure. Don and Sandra are owners of the lodge, though we didn't really see Sandra Don was most helpful and was often spotted conversing with guests, when we asked for candles one evening and were met with looks of horror from Sandra (cabins are wooden) Don later returned to our cabin with some led battery candles which I thought was really kind of him.
Whilst here make sure you book Stubbs whale tour, fantastic trip out and the tide rip grizzly bear tour which will even pick you up from hidden cove. We had a treat on our way back from the whale tour as when we arrived back at hidden cove we found a black bear and baby cub turning over rocks on the shore, we later had a bit of a run in with mummy bear I'm not sure who was more terrified but we both shot off in different directions, easy to say stay calm when you are not faced with one! There are some lovely photos in the main lodge of wildlife visits and Don has some stories about the Bears coming up and personal.
Only things I could say hidden cove could improve on are very minor; replacing sofa in cabin with something comfortable and hairdryers in cabin.
Hidden Cove is a fantastic place, if you enjoy being in nature and would like a complete switch off from the modern day world this is definitely a place to put on your bucket list.
I would move here in an instant, really cannot think of a better place in the world to be, hopefully it won't be too long before we can return hopefully for a lot longer next time.
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Date of stay: September 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I would contact the lodge directly to get an answer. I drove there so no idea about local busses. It was probably 20 mins + from the lodge to Port McNeil. No public bus would take you from the road to the cove though, that’s quite a walk with bags so I wouldn’t do it.
You will have to take a ferry to Vancouver Island from Vancouver,the city. There is probably a bus service from Nanaimo, where you disembark the ferry, to Campbell River or Port MacNeil on the northern part of Vancouver Island. There is no public transport to Hidden Cove Lodge as it is at the end of a long private road. Perhaps you should stay at another resort which has public transport access.
I would think so, when we went on Stubbs whale tour from telegraph cove we did see kayakers, may be worth contacting via email one of the Canada visitor centres the staff are really helpful and can probably direct you to some companies that offer this. Would def recommend hidden cove as a base to stay at by far my most favourite place in the world a complete switch off in fantastic surroundings
Kenmore Air has float planes available from Vancouver. In the past, they have flown right up to our dock. However, most people choose to rent a car in Vancouver and take the ferry over, then drive up to the Lodge. Alternatively, you can also fly into Port Hardy.
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