Feeling flush? Looking for luxury? Book a trip on a float plane or ferry and head to a place with manicured lawns, exquisite meals and the richness of an old manor house on grounds that take your breath away.
Hastings House on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia is open to guests from March through November.
Be warned: It’s not cheap. And it’s not the destination for a spontaneous getaway. But the planning is worth it.
Hastings House was built as a private residence in the late 1930s by Warren Hastings. It is a replica of his family’s 11th-century home in Sussex, England.
Hastings, a naval architect, used stone and native woods to create the Tudor-style home, where he and his wife lived in until 1978.
The Manor House and other accommodations, including several restored historic buildings and a picture-perfect cottage, rest on a 22-acre country estate with lush and beautiful grounds at the head of Ganges Harbour.
There are 18 suites at Hastings House, including two in the Tudor-style Manor House, a series of hillside suites in a separate building, others scattered on the grounds in restored historic buildings and a picture-perfect cottage.
The feel of old England enfolds guests whether they are sipping an aperitif before dinner or a cup of tea in the afternoon in front of the fireplace.
And it’s no wonder.
The rooms, both private and public, are decorated with handsome furniture and pretty fabrics. One of the offerings in The Barn has a large bedroom with sumptuous bedding and a warm, spacious bathroom. Overstuffed couches in the sunken living area with a fireplace make this a perfect spot for sample the warm pastries or muffins and hot tea left at the door each morning.
Although the room rates are high, various packages offer cost breaks by combining dining options such as a picnic lunch or dinner by the fire; suite choices; and spa treatments.
A two-night “pajama party” package offers fireside dining and spa pampering along with other surprises. That package costs about $1,330.
Old meets very little of the new at Hastings House. Televisions are only put in rooms upon request, although anyone can check e-mail in The Snug, a hideaway outside under the dining room.
After lingering over breakfast, coffee and the newspapers in the dining room visitors can saunter outside and look out onto serene Ganges Harbour, the same view Hastings and his family would have enjoyed.
A short walk from the property takes guests to Ganges, the largest town on Salt Spring Island, with opportunities for browsing art galleries and bookstores.
Back on the estate, guests can enjoy a soothing facial, massage or body wrap in the spa before heading to the dining room for dinner.
In the dinner room, executive chef Marcel Kauer prepares meals using ingredients from Salt Spring, such as lamb, goat cheese and herbs raised in Hastings’ own gardens. The food is so good that you will go to sleep wondering what the chef is dreaming up for breakfast.
Beautiful grounds provide a perfect canvas with a wishing well, graveled paths and sheep munching close to guests’ windows.
Salt Spring Island itself has a lot to offer visitors. The largest and the most populated of Canada’s Southern Gulf Islands with 10,000 residents, Salt Spring has a secluded feel and is home to many artists, musicians and farmers.
The island, known as the organic gardening capital of Canada, has no public transportation. A flight from Kenmore Air’s Lake Union terminal in Seattle takes just over an hour including a stop for customs. A car will meet arrivals by arrangements.
If you leave the car behind on the mainland you can rent a scooter to take you to Ruckle Provincial Park or one of Salt Spring’s many beaches.
If you want your car, bring it along aboard the ferry from Tsawwassen, B.C.
Staff members at Hastings House are happy to suggest hikes, walks and views for guests to enjoy. Their attentiveness is one of the reasons a visit is close to perfect.
Christina Harper is a Snohomish County freelance writer. She can be reached at harper@heraldnet.com.
If you go …
Hastings House, 160 Upper Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island, B.C. Canada
Accommodations: 18 suites scattered across the estate in the Manor House and various outbuildings.
Cost: Rooms range from $450 for a guestroom to $780 for the premier guestroom suite, which includes a sitting room and small kitchen, for double occupancy; included are a “wake-up hamper” of coffee and muffins, a farm breakfast and afternoon tea.
Dining: The Dining Room in the Manor features an a la carte menu and a six-course chef’s menu for about $110.
Getting there: Kenmore Air has scheduled and charter flights by float plane that leave Lake Union in Seattle and fly to Ganges Harbour, where a car can be scheduled to pick you up; 800-543-9595. Or take the ferry from Tsawwassen, B.C.; www.bcferries.com/schedules/calendar/sch09050611.html
Information: 250-537-2362 or 800-661-9255; www.hastingshouse.com.
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