What’s more romantic than nestling into a warm, cosy, fire-lit room with a spectacular view in the wilderness with your beloved? That’s precisely how my husband and I spent our romantic weekend away in beautiful Pemberton, safe and warm at the lovely Pemberton Valley Lodge.
For those in the know, Pemberton is the secret mountainous wonderland just beyond the touristy town of Whistler. It’s about 20 minutes north, past the tourist buses, through a spectacular mountain range on a windy road. The town of Pemberton lies on this road, a cute and quaint little place that seems so unassuming, yet boasts one of Canada’s top restaurants. The town sits in a valley, so it’s surrounded by the most majestic mountains, with a gorgeous lake to walk around and views upon views to take in. This is precisely where the Pemberton Valley Lodge lies, a charming lodge perfect for short and long-term stays. Ironically, the lodge is nearer to Whistler village than certain parts of Whistler!
Pemberton, the lesser-known mountain retreat
We chose Pemberton Valley Lodge because we wanted somewhere that was Canadian-owned and independent, with a local team. So we packed our bags and drove up 2.5 hours from Vancouver one Friday afternoon. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the most lovely, welcoming team, who we learned were BC locals born and bred.
The lobby is spacious and equally welcoming, with wood features, a roaring fireplace, and lots of space to lounge and relax. Complimentary infused water and absolutely delicious hot cider were given to us as we checked in. We were delighted to find that they offered keyless entry in a bid to be eco-friendly, which we appreciated. In fact, the whole lodge is known for being a green key eco-rated property!
The home away from home at Pemberton Valley Lodge
We had a one-bedroom suite with a balcony, one of the many self-catering spaces at Pemberton Valley Lodge. All of them come with a full kitchen, and ours had a lovely balcony looking onto the mountains surrounding us, as well as a separate bedroom and sofa bed. The space was elegant, with more wood accents giving a cosy lodge feel, and the dim lighting giving the suite a cosy, warm vibe.
One absolutely delightful surprise awaited us, though – since we were there for a romantic weekend, the lodge had treated us to a gift. We had a rose, two little bottles of champagne, truffles, and love hearts awaiting us! Such a lovely treat! We also had some ice cream in the freezer waiting for us as an unexpected surprise. We learned that this Romance package can be added to any stay.
Upon arriving, we had a rest before making our way downstairs to the hot tub and steam room to unwind. The lodge has a full-length heated swimming pool outside with a steaming hot tub looking onto a spectacular backdrop of mountains.
That evening, after ordering some glasses to our room to enjoy after the champagne, we had a wonderful night’s sleep in the luxurious, warm bed, nestled between the quiet mountains.
Joffre Lakes – Canada’s world-famous hike in the snow
The next morning, we’d planned a snowshoe to the local Joffre Lakes, one of Canada’s most famous glacier lakes. Whilst of course the lake would be frozen over in the winter, the hike was still deemed to be well worth it. Pemberton Valley Lodge offers a Fresh Start Breakfast with coffee service and regular or deluxe continental breakfast from 7:30 AM to 10 AM daily, of which we were glad to take advantage.
With snowshoes ready, we made our way over to the mountain and began our ascent. It was magical. A steady five hours or so with a long break at the top, where we got to bask in the sunshine, we were so glad to do it.
A legendary institution in Canada
After the hike, we stopped for dinner at the legendary Mile One Eating House, a restaurant known to be in Canada’s top 50. Read more about that in my review of the place in the fine dining section. Needless to say, it was well worth the visit!
That evening, we were able to catch their Happy Hour, which runs 5 – 7pm and offers incredible value on local wines and beers. Served from Café YPS, located next to the Pemberton Valley Lodge lobby, we were glad to bring the wine to our room. I had their Hester Creek white wine, a local favourite from the Okanagan, and later we got the Our Story Sauvignon Blanc for our room.
Cafe YPS also serves a light menu for snacks, including some very tempting Panko-encrusted cauliflower bites that I would have ordered had I not been stuffed from the early dinner. They also serve Pemberton’s local Brewing Company Straight Shot Lager and Cream Puff Ale, as well as other local craft beers.
Endless possibilities for fun in the winter sun
We woke to a sun-filled Sunday with lots of possibilities open to us. Pemberton Valley Lodge had generously given us a late check-out of 1pm, so we made the most of the facilities (more time in that toasty hot tub!). We then went for a walk around One Mile Lake (which was actually just a 4-minute walk from the lodge) and basked in the glorious winter sunshine.
Other local activities are hiking in Nairn Falls Provincial Park, going ice skating at the Whistler Olympic Plaza and, if it were spring, trekking to the T’sek Hot Springs, which is known to be a very sacred place of indigenous significance.
Heading home with a vow to return
We vowed to return a few months later, with a view to spending more time exploring the stunning wilderness!
Pemberton Valley Lodge is perfectly equipped for all seasons and all occasions. There is a wedding package, with the use of outdoor barbecues and also a golf, fishing, and dog-friendly package! In the springtime, one can even enjoy horseback riding, too.
We knew we’d come back – it’s just a matter of when. And when we do, we’ll certainly be staying at the Pemberton Valley Lodge.
Pemberton Valley Lodge
1490 Sea-to-Sky Highway
Pemberton
British Columbia
V0N2L1
Canada
