Sustainability

Being green was never a fringe movement for us. Inspired by the towering trees and pristine coastline here, eco-friendliness is simply a way of appreciating and caring for where we live; this mindfulness is something you may sense during your time here, too.

Becoming a Sustainable Hotel

When the McDiarmid family was preparing to build the Inn on over 100 acres of oceanfront property, their wish was to preserve the beauty and natural integrity of this amazing site as much as possible. On-site trees were surveyed to assist in the placement of the structures and much of the natural underbrush was hand-cleared by Charles and his brother Bruce to ensure all vegetation outside the building envelope would be left in its pristine state. The Western Red Cedars and Sitka Spruce trees that had to be removed now form the textured walls of the Wickaninnish-on-the-Beach lobby, Driftwood Café and Lookout Library.

Douglas Fir reclaimed from St. Ann’s Academy in Victoria was used to construct guest room furniture and the liners and trim at every door and window. On your next visit, just look for the tiny nail marks and occasional bolt hole which reveal the character and history of this special wood. Even the Inn’s unassuming exterior colour was envisioned to replicate the tone of weathered cedar—integrating itself as seamlessly as possible into the surrounding natural setting.