Cox Bay Beach Resort

Cox Bay Beach Resort is a waterfront resort at 1431 Pacific Rim Highway, a short distance from Cox Bay, one of the best-known surf beaches on Vancouver Island's west coast. Instead of standard hotel rooms it offers apartment-style accommodation: one-bedroom apartments that sleep four, two-bedroom apartments that sleep six and a two-bedroom loft layout without a view. Each unit has a kitchen, a separate sitting and dining area, a fireplace, premium bedding, designer toiletries, a flat-screen television and a balcony or patio, so it works more like a private home than a hotel room. That layout is the reason families and groups choose it. You can shop for groceries in town, cook breakfast with a view and keep the whole party together, which is a real advantage in a place where restaurant tables are hard to get in summer. Free self parking and free Wi-Fi are included, laundry facilities are on site, and there are barbecue grills. The resort also offers surfing and body boarding, concierge help and a small meeting room, and it is used for weddings.

Location and getting around. The resort is outside the town center, on the coast road, in a rural, waterfront setting. Cox Bay itself is a walk of a bit under twenty minutes. By car, Chesterman Beach is about six minutes away, the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is about five, and Mackenzie Beach is about eight.

Restaurants such as a grill, a taco stand and a sushi spot are a few minutes by car, and the Tofino airport is about seventeen minutes. You will want a car or a shuttle arrangement, because it is not a walk to town.

What to expect. Check-in is in the afternoon and extends into the evening, and check-out is at eleven. Pets are not allowed, apart from service animals. Breakfast is not listed as included, which suits the kitchen layout. Storm season brings crashing waves and dramatic skies, and the fireplace is a welcome touch on a wet day, while summer brings long beach days and the busiest rates.

Planning your stay. Book surf lessons, whale watching and kayaking tours ahead, since popular departures fill in July and August. Pack layers and rain gear in any season, and leave time for the beach at low tide. Many guests use the resort as a base for the national park trails and the Wickaninnish area, which are a drive away.

Who it suits. Families, groups of friends and couples who like space, a kitchen and a fireplace will enjoy it. If you prefer a front-desk hotel with a restaurant on site, or want to walk to the town's shops, look at the other Tofino hotels in this guide. Rates move strongly with the season, so check when you book and reserve early for summer and storm-watching weekends.