A luxurious new resort just opened in Campbell River and we got an inside look
A new resort in Campbell River aims to become the premier gateway to Vancouver Island, according to its owner.
Naturally Pacific Resort, which opened in May, is owned by Amanda Mailman, making it one of the few female-owned and operated hotels in Canada.
The Mailman family is well-known in the Campbell River community. They have a history of involvement in various housing development projects. They have also owned the Campbell River Golf Course — now part of the resort’s backyard — since 2017.
Owner Amanda Mailman cuts the ceremonial ribbon on opening day/Meredith Rose Photography
“[W]e are proud to share what we hope will become an iconic Vancouver Island destination resort with our community,” said Mailman upon the opening of the resort.
From relaxation, lounging, golf, and sports to exceptional food and fun activities, Naturally Pacific Resort appears to be well on its way to achieving its goal.
Daily Hive was invited for an exclusive preview to check it out. Here’s what we found.
The resort
If you wanted, you could live a life of leisure at Naturally Pacific Resort.
With a golf course in its backyard, a pool and sauna area, and a world-class restaurant, the resort can be either a playground or a sanctuary — whatever you choose.
The resort’s backyard is Campbell River Golf Course (Daily Hive)
The resort is like a choose-your-own-adventure book. Upon entering the sliding doors, there’s a spa to your right, a restaurant to your left, and a golf course and pool area straight ahead.
Go right, and you can spend the morning or afternoon soaking in mineral pools and relaxing with a massage at Immersion Spa & Wellness. Cycle through a mineral pool and shower infused with aromatic oils like peppermint and peach, then enjoy a couple’s massage and decompress at the lounge with tea or coffee.
To add a bit more energy to the day or evening, guests can visit the emerald greenways of the Campbell River Golf Course, an 18-hole, par 70 resort-style course.
For a more casual experience, the resort offers an indoor pool, a sauna, a spa, lawn games, and outdoor fire pits. It’s a perfect space to unwind with a book.
In the evening, Velocity Lounge is a great place to tee off on the driving range with some cocktails and craft beers. Grab a private area with friends and watch some sports on the private TVs with your own server.
If you’re a foodie, you’ll love the resort’s restaurant.
Carve Kitchen & Meatery serves a creative array of dishes and a great cocktail menu filled with craft beers, wines, and distilleries from around Vancouver Island, such as Shelter Point Distillery, Poplar Grove Winery, and Sheringham Distillery.
Carve Kitchen + Meatery/Leila Kwok
The kitchen proves that when it comes to cuisine, you won’t have to go far. Led by Chef Ryan Watson (Fairmont Banff Springs, Marriot), the menu is elusive, simple, and brimming with flavour.
The entrees are organized by protein: pork, beef, butternut squash steak, cabbage, and salmon (among others). It makes it easy for guests (especially those overwhelmed by options) to choose a dish.
Chef Ryan Watson cut his teeth in renowned kitchens such as the Fairmont Banff Springs (Daily Hive)
While the menu may seem simple, the dishes are far from ordinary. They offer a fusion of world spices and flavours, plus locally grown vegetables. Watson told Daily Hive that the kitchen sources them from its on-site garden.
A standout dish is the OMG rings, a sophisticated twist on traditional onion rings with duck confit and a Vietnamese-style salad. This dish should not be overlooked, and it almost represents the Carve Kitchen philosophy in general: familiar, elevated, and comfortably casual.
If you have any dietary restrictions, fret not, as the kitchen can accommodate any allergies to fit the guests’ needs.
The OMG Rings from Carve Kitchen & Meatery with duck confit, 5 spice plum sauce, and dakon & carrot (Daily Hive)
Even without a pastry chef, Watson has been able to “carve” out some pretty great desserts.
The creme brule cheesecake was served at the welcome dinner, and it stole the show (which is impressive, considering we were served a Tomahawk steak the same night). It was rich but not too sweet, with a healthy mix of crumble and smooth texture. Expect the dessert menu to get even better once they have a pastry chef.
When it comes to the service, it’s impeccable, educational, and genuinely attentive.
The resort’s hallmark warm hospitality was evident from the start when they welcomed our dogs. (The resort is pet-friendly on a few floors and takes a lot of pressure off guests who simply cannot live without their pets.)
The welcome dinner at the Harvest Table featuring Tomahawk steak and salmon (Daily Hive)
Mailman and General Manager Justin Stevens expressed their excitement about presenting Naturally Pacific Resort, but perhaps what excites them most is the opportunity to showcase Campbell River’s untapped natural beauty.
Campbell River
During a morning whale-watching trip, a pod of southern resident killer whales breached and swam along the glassy Discovery Passage waterways.
It’s in those moments you realize, once again, the magic of Vancouver Island.
Campbell River, while not as globally renowned as Victoria or Tofino, boasts the same natural beauty as many other areas on Vancouver Island. However, it’s the wildlife that is particularly unique about this place, which makes it perfect for whale-watching.
Our guide, Bradden Kalley — an Australian who has lived on Vancouver Island for 14 years — told us that observing these endangered southern resident killer whales is prohibited.
As soon as he and a colleague in another boat were able to identify these whales, we were required to safely leave the area, but not before they put on quite the show (shown below).
Kalley said that there are close to or just over 75 killer whales left around Vancouver Island, and we saw about a third of them that morning, plus what looked like a few babies.
After safely vacating the area, we continued to explore the expansive Discovery Passage.
We saw a humpback whale, a black bear, and an eagle, among other fascinating sites. Our tour guide even shared some fascinating local history, taking us to the site of the Ripple Rock explosion — the world’s largest non-nuclear peacetime explosion.
Bradden Kalley captaining the whale watching boat (Daily Hive)
Campbell River is a small but growing town known for its fishing heritage, which gives it a unique charm but also a somewhat narrow cultural scope — being farther from a larger metropolis might do that.
However, this doesn’t mean its culture is absent and that there aren’t unique spots in town.
Local bakery Freyja offers some of the best sourdough croissants on Vancouver Island, and it’s like having a flavour of Budapest in the middle of Campbell River — because that’s basically what is on offer.
Freyja’s pistachio croissant and owner Géza Tóth-Harasztos (Daily Hive)
Co-owner Géza Tóth-Harasztos was passionate about the croissant place in Budapest of the same name, and when he moved here with his wife and family, they brought those recipes from his beloved bakery to Canada in 2021.
He and his wife, Emese Tóth-Harasztos, opened Freyja on Canada Day in 2022.
From sweet and savoury, Freyja’s croissants are decadent, buttery, flaky and rich. A real treat in downtown Campbell River.
Building on Freyja’s success since opening, Emese has teamed up with Campbell River locals Lesley Assu and Karen Bezaire to bring another unique spot to the city: Meraki.
Meraki offers ethical skincare, artisan goods, seasonal floristry, and a vibrant plant-based café, tapas, and cocktail bar.
View this post on Instagram
Géza echoes what so many said to us during our trip: that Campbell River is growing into a worldwide destination. The Tóth-Harasztos and their expanding empire are evidence of that.
And it’s true that Campbell River is rich with opportunity.
Being nestled between the foothills of Strathcona Provincial Park and the shores of Discovery Passage, it’s a perfect escape into nature.
With a resort like Naturally Pacific Resort, those who have wide eyes for Canadian escapes will see the appeal of Campbell River. The resort proves to be a great home base for it.
It’s not hard to picture the resort’s opening as one of the bigger steps forward for Campbell River’s tourism.
Aerial view of Naturally Pacific Resort/Meredith Rose Photography
The author of this article was hosted by Pacific Natural Resort and Hawksworth Communications.
Follow Channels and Categories