We’ve been so fortunate to be able to explore locally this year, and we spent our summer discovering beautiful destinations just a couple hours from home. One of the places that really blew us away was Galiano Island! One of BC’s southern gulf islands, Galiano is just one hour from the mainland and makes for a perfect getaway from the city. It has amazing beaches, beautiful provincial parks, and is very LGBTQ+ friendly. We kicked off our stay at the incredible Galiano Inn & Spa, a gorgeous beachfront property just steps from the ferry. It was quiet, relaxing, and had the most stunning ocean views. Keep reading for details on the hotel accommodations and more info about beautiful Galiano Island, BC.
How to Get There
Located just steps from the ferry in Sturdies Bay, The Galiano Inn & Spa is in the most accessible location on the island. Ferry service from Tsawwassen on the mainland is fast and easy, and the sailing only takes one hour. It’s a very easy trip to do from the city of Vancouver or anywhere in the Fraser Valley! If you don’t want to bring your vehicle to the island, you can leave it on the other side and walk up to the inn from the ferry terminal. The Galiano Inn even has smart cars available to tour the island if you want to get out and explore!
The Hotel
The Galiano Inn & Spa is a fully equipped boutique resort with inn rooms, villas, a beautiful restaurant, pizza patio, and spa. The property is right on the water with the most stunning views, and the gardens and grounds are really lovely to explore. Atrevida, the onsite restaurant features a seasonal menu of West Coast cuisine, and their outdoor pizza kitchen La Lena offers wood fired pizzas with beautiful water views! The staff is happy to help you arrange excursions during your stay like renting a kayak, moped, or e-bike, or you can enjoy the spa services on the property. The Galiano Inn is a pet-friendly hotel (which we love), with one inn suite and one villa allowing pets. Your furry family member will love to come along!
The Rooms
The hotel has ten inn rooms and ten villas, all with beautiful oceanfront views! Our stay was in the Esperanz Villa, which featured a full kitchen, a spacious bedroom with king size bed, a very comfortable living space, and a gorgeous patio. The outdoor space had a fireplace, BBQ, and hydrotherapy tub, not to mention the gorgeous views of the water. We highly recommend booking a villa if you want lots of space, a kitchen to prepare meals, and an outdoor tub to soak in! We loved eating our breakfast outside and enjoying the view with a glass of wine in the evenings. The hotel has a really lovely and relaxing atmosphere. It’s the perfect place to rest and recharge, and you will have everything you need (and more) for an enjoyable stay. We highly recommend this spot for a luxury experience on Galiano Island, you won’t be disappointed!
The Island
Galiano Island has so much to offer from its stunning provincial parks, to its unique sandstone cliffs and caves. You will have so much fun hiking and exploring, or just relaxing and soaking up the beauty of this destination! If you do plan to do some sight seeing, we highly recommend checking out Montague Marine Provincial Park, and Bodega Ridge Provincial Park. You also can’t go wrong with a rental from Gulf Island Kayaking to explore the waters! For a full list of what to do on Galiano Island, be sure to read our complete guide here. We really enjoyed our stay and felt so comfortable as a same-sex couple. The hotel staff and all of the locals we encountered were very warm and friendly! We can certainly recommend this destination to other LGBTQ+ travellers, and we can’t wait to hear what you think after your visit!
For information on The Galiano Inn & Spa and more about Galiano Island, you can visit their website here.
Has anyone else been to the Southern Gulf Islands in BC? Let us know in the comments!
Disclosure: This post is in no way sponsored by Galiano Tourism or The Galiano Inn & Spa. The Galiano Inn did generously host us (and Theo) for a portion of our stay on Galiano Island, and we are so excited to share them with our audience. We had a wonderful experience and highly recommend both this property and destination!
