Best Western Tin Wis and Restaurant in Tofino
Title:
Best Western Tin Wis and Restaurant in Tofino
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WantsToTravelMore
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Why this Best Western is different from all the other Best Westerns.
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| The Best Western Tin Wis is right smack dab on Mackenzie Beach, about 3 km outside of Tofino itself and is perhaps the coolest Best Western location on the planet. Best Western, as a hotel chain, differs from others as it's not as tightly regulated as other chains. This has the advantage that you can actually have a unique experience within a chain. Conversely, you can have some experiences that don't measure up. Best Western Tin Wis is on the higher end of the Best Western continuum. The key reason for this is Mackenzie Beach. As the photos in this article show, the views from the rooms are spectacular. The back yard (front yard if you stick with idea that the water is always the front of the property) is a 90 second walk over grass onto the beach. Because of the big tides, the beachscape varies from hour to hour. Frankly you can sit there all day and look at the Pacific knowing that the next destination is Japan and never get bored. The hotel is operated by the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. There are many native bands on the West Coast and for most travellers we don't have a lot of knowledge about the cultures. When we were staying their over March Break 2011, we were in the Queen Loft, which I think they have only one of. It has a cool upstairs and two balconies to look out from. The décor is straightforward and there are pictures of native masks on the walls. My kids had fun in the restaurant looking for the actual mask on the wall and comparing it to the photo in the suite. What was odd was some of the fixtures of the room. The suite was new, but the bathroom door was a solid core door; it reminded me of upscale suites from the 80s at old CP Hotels rooms. The tub and shower were fine, but an older style of pre-molded bathtub/shower combo with an anachronistic set of taps. The toilet was a new modern low water use device. Not a problem at all, but curious! Even in March, we did not spend much time in the room! We had sensibly brought our rain boots for wandering on Mackenzie Beach. It was still too cold for flip flops or water sandals. You have to be careful though. Even on a calm evening the water can come up and fill your boots! The sand in the tidal area was so compact, it was amazing. Normally when you stand in the sand and let a wave roll over your feet, you sink in. The sinking sensation was small. The restaurant, which I'm covering in a separate write up, opens in late March so you want to be careful as to your planning. There are heaps of options for dining in Tofino. Best Western Tin Wis Resort Hotel 1119 Pacific Rim Highway, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0 (250) 725-4445 +1 800-661-9995 (250) 725-4447 (Fax) |