Everyone has their happy place, whether it be the beach, a specific sprawling city or maybe their childhood hometown. For hospitality veteran Sarah Cruse, it’s Canada’s Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge.
Set on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island, Clayoquot is only accessible via seaplane or boat. From the dock, guests are transferred to the property in a horse-drawn carriage. That singular experience flips a switch for many visitors.
“I meet guests on the dock, so I'm seeing them right off the bat,” Cruse said. “They're discombobulated at first, and a little out of their comfort zone. And then they breathe. I see that moment of calmness that comes. They know they're off-grid and remote. Then they go on their journey with us.”
Cruse felt a similar sense of awe when she first visited Clayoquot, which is part of the Baillie Lodges family of luxury lodges (the portfolio includes the Tierra Hotels in Chile and Southern Ocean Lodge in Kangaroo Island, Australia. She was coming from California’s Carmel-by-the-Sea, where she managed The Quail, a beloved golf resort overseen by Peninsula Hotels.
Sarah Cruse, general manager of Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge
Credit: 2025 Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge“I flew up on my own dime and time to meet this property,” she recalls. “And I still remember sitting in the estuary on a log wondering how I could raise millions to buy it. I just said, ‘I'm home.’”
When she was turned down for the job, Cruse didn’t falter. She kept her eye on the prize and her resume in the pile. Within a couple of years of her initial visit, she was named general manager of the 25-tent property.
This year marks the 25th anniversary for Clayoquot, and last year the lodge earned one of its biggest accolades yet: it was awarded three Michelin Keys for the exceptional (and luxurious) experience it offers. Only 10 properties in North America earned the same distinction, and only one other in Canada.
After arriving to Vancouver Island by seaplane, guests are delivered to the lodge via horse-drawn carriage.
Credit: 2025 Clayoquot Wilderness LodgeActivities at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge
Cruse is proud of the Michelin Keys recognition, but she’s more eager to talk about the transformational power of a stay at the seasonal lodge.
“Ten months in the wilderness is like five years of therapy,” Cruse said. “After being here just a little while, I was a changed person. I was a better person — a kinder, more loving, softer version of Sarah. I saw that dramatic change in myself, and I've been studying it ever since.”
The Sip to Sky experience includes a helicopter ride to a mountain peak, plus charcuterie and drinks.
Credit: 2025 Clayoquot Wilderness LodgeThe property is a “pure pocket of goodness,” as Cruse puts it. Guests are surrounded by incredible woods and waters, and wildlife sightings are abundant, from bears and eagles to whales, sea otters and sea lions. And a stay here is “generously inclusive,” meaning dining and many activities are rolled into the booking price. Clients select from three-, four-, seven- and 10-night packages, and they won’t need to fret about bills when they check out.
Adventures here are as plentiful as animals. Clients can go on a marine excursion (ideal for sea life sightings), harness their inner strength for a glacial plunge, take an alpine helicopter tour, ride horses in the wilderness or venture out on a riverside hike. For extra-special occasions, there’s the 2.5-hour Sip to Sky experience — a helicopter zips riders up to the top of nearby Ursus Mountain, where they enjoy charcuterie and drinks with extraordinary views.
Furnished tents include propane fireplaces, heated floors and epic views.
Credit: 2025 Clayoquot Wilderness LodgeAccommodations at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge
Cruse calls Clayoquot’s tents “hotel rooms with canvas walls.” She loves that guests are “outside” and close to nature, but with all the comforts needed to keep them toasty warm. Tents have heated floors, contemporary furniture (including comfortable beds with nice linens) and propane fireplaces. The details guests comment on the most, though, are the old-fashioned hot water bottles (for keeping cozy at night) and the morning coffee delivery.
“We can't knock, because it’s only a zipped-up wall, so we just leave the coffee outside the tent,” Cruse said. “And that cup of coffee is the best they've ever had, because it’s a delight and a luxury to have a hot cup of coffee in the woods, in their tent or on their deck, looking at Mother Nature.”
There are 25 tents in all; their layouts and locations differentiate them. Some are waterfront, while others are set in the temperate rainforest. Every accommodation includes a private bathroom, a deck or veranda and epic views.
Meals and beverages are included in stays at the lodge, and clients can dine indoors or outside by the water.
Credit: 2025 Clayoquot Wilderness LodgeDining at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge
What tips the scale to luxury even more is Clayoquot’s cuisine. Guests regularly comment on the quality of the fare — something they arrive not expecting, given the remoteness of the lodge.
Three meals a day are included in package rates (as are wine, beer and spirits), and the culinary team aims to highlight the best of Vancouver Island and British Columbia. To that end, much of what guests eat is sourced from sustainable local growers and purveyors, and the menu changes daily to reflect what the team acquires.
Dining menus change daily and reflect the best local goods the lodge can acquire.
Credit: 2025 Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge“Our chefs come from around the world,” Cruse said. “Then, they take a time out and dedicate four months of their life to Clayoquot. We have a very structured standard of excellence for our food. Our chefs can cook, and they do so in an open-air kitchen, so it's a show that they're sharing with our guests at the same time.”
Guests can dine indoors, or they can opt outside and sit right on the sound — whales have been known to float by as guests enjoy their meal. Dinner is a “celebration,” according to the property website, with entrees ranging from beef rib-eye or bison from local producers to fresh fish from First Nations partners.
The level of service onsite — which is perhaps most visible when guests are dining — is a critical component of the Clayoquot experience. And Cruse hires every staffer herself.
“Our guests are blown away by the people who work here,” she said. “We want travel advisors to know that the people and experiences at Clayoquot are truly unbelievable. Clients will not be disappointed.”
Guests can kayak in the sea, hike in the woods, brave a glacial plunge and more.
Credit: 2025 Clayoquot Wilderness LodgeThe Right Client for Clayoquot
Families are welcome at Clayoquot — check out the Hillside Family accommodation, which is actually two adjoined tents — though children must be 6 years old to stay. Cruse noted that plenty of adults come in pairs for the chance to reconnect and restore in nature. Groups of friends are common as well; this year, a set of four friends that had stayed at Clayoquot 22 years ago made a return visit. Milestone birthdays and anniversaries are often celebrated at the lodge, and multigenerational groups gather here, too.
“I think my favorite guests are parents who come without their children,” Cruse said with a smile. “And then all they want to do is come back with their children.”
Ultimately, the right client for Clayoquot is someone looking to commune with their fellow travelers, and to luxuriate in nature.
“You can do so much here — we are a sea-to-sky destination,” Cruse said. “You can start your day in the ocean, wildlife viewing, and finish on top of a mountain with a helicopter and a glass of champagne. You can take a cold-water dip in a glacier lake to the sound of silence. You can go kayaking or canoeing, then be on our trails among old-growth trees. This is a privilege of place, and I get to share that with guests every day.”
