On Labour Day weekend, Sally and I decided to enjoy a last-minute weekend getaway. Since it's difficult to get ferry reservations a trip to Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands was out of the question. Also, it did not seem a suitable time to go into the Interior. So, I checked whether there was any accommodation at Rowena's in Harrison Mills. Surprisingly, Pete's Room was available for Saturday night and I quickly booked it, along with a golf tee time reservation at the resort's Sandpiper Golf Course.
If you are not aware of Rowena's, you are missing one of BC's best kept secrets. An approximate one-and-a-half-hour drive from Vancouver, it's in Harrison Mills, just 20 km west of Harrison Hot Springs. It is most delightful.
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| Photos of the Pretty Family can be found on the wallpapered walls of the Inn |
The resort includes a historic 1920's inn that was once the home of the Pretty Family. It offers five fully renovated rooms, some with balconies and terraces. Each is now ensuite, although there are no televisions in the rooms, which is a plus, or negative, depending on your perspective. |
| Pete's room has a large balcony overlooking the grounds and lake |
In addition, there are eighteen one-, two- and three-bedroom cabins set in the grounds overlooking the lake and golf course. More details and photos can be found here https://rowenasinnontheriver.com/.A few years ago, the resort and golf course were purchased by Keltic, a Vancouver development company which has undertaken significant and thoughtful improvements. These include new well designed and equipped two and three-bedroom luxury cabins, and enclosure of the restaurant patio with a sophisticated retractable glass panel enclosure system manufactured by Lumon, a Finnish company for which I do some consulting. https://lumon.com/ca/.
The adjacent Sandpiper Golf Course is a challenging 18-hole course that takes you into the woods and across creeks and streams, often full of salmon. One year in late October, I could not believe my eyes when I discovered salmon jumping in a creek in the middle of the 15th fairway. The 17th fairway runs along a small airplane runway, so it is wise to check if a plane is landing before searching for an errant tee shot.
Twenty-one years ago, Sally and I booked the entire resort and invited friends, both golfers and non-golfers, for the weekend. The resort catered meals, as they do for many weddings and other celebrations, and it was most memorable. Upstairs in the Inn, I saw a bookcase full of guest comment books and just happened to find my entry from May 1st, 2001. I wrote that the resort was a well-kept secret and wasn't sure whether to simply leave it that way.
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The clubhouse restaurant with its expansive retractable glass enclosed patio
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The clubhouse restaurant offers good food but it's menu could be expanded, especially for those staying in the hotel and not attending a catered function.
While Rowena's remains a well-kept secret for many, this could change as the developer has plans for some major renovations. The old swimming pool will be replaced by a spa facility and further accommodation and golf course upgrades are planned. So, my advice is to book a short stay now, before the place becomes even more popular. You won't regret it. Here are a few more photos that you won't find on the website.
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A new pizza oven and outdoor patio area have been built since we were last there.
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| The resort hosts a lot of weddings and other functions, special birthdays, etc. |
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A view of some of the newer cabins overlooking the golf course and lak
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| The side entrance to heritage Inn |
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| The room layout on the second floor of the Inn |
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| My guestbook comment from 20 plus years ago |
