Dateline: Salt Spring Island, B.C., Canada

Taking advantage of a break in my lecture program, and wanting to cool off after daily temperatures over 90, I left BKK on my favorite super-economy class on EVA airlines and, after a few horse-changes, was soon driving through British Columbia.

I descended into Vancouver from a few days camping up in the mountains and pulled into the Four Seasons. After the campfires, I felt a bit of style shock but it didn't take long for the dignified comfort of my room, the efficiency of the staff, and the courtesy of the general manager to smooth my be-wildered soul.

I took off my shoes, turned on CNN, and enjoyed a good room-service dinner. In the morning, I drove to Tsawwassen and onto the two-and-a-half hour ferry to Long Harbour on Salt Spring Island, the largest of Canada's Southern Gulf Islands. Fifteen minutes after landing, I crunched in the drive of Hastings House.

This is the quintessential country house hotel—a benchmark for all who love low-key, gracious hospitality or, aspire to the hostelry business. A retreat of such naturally-provided comfort and in-bred good taste that their membership in Relais et Châteaux is a given.

The thirty acres of grounds run down to the sea. Ganges, the island's largest community just across the little bay, is hidden by tall trees and beautifully-manicured gardens. The centerpiece of the property is a charming, gabled, mock-Tudor manor house. Here are two interconnected dining rooms, a low-beamed drawing room with an extraordinary inglenook fireplace, and, upstairs, two of the hotel's eight suites.

My room was in the upper level of the architecturally-redesigned barn. A high-peaked bed-sitting room with sky-lights, soft country fabrics, and good, antique, pine furniture. The king bed faced a wood-burning stove, in the corner was a concealed mini-bar, and the modern bathroom had all the little goodies we've come to expect in top establishments around the world. I settled down on the wide, window chaise; baabaas were wandering the meadow and so was my mind. The fast pace of the previous week came crashing to a stand-still and I snoozed to the chickens free-ranging below my perch.

I slept right through Afternoon Tea (residents only), but arrived in the drawing room in plenty of time to have a Campari before dinner.

Dining at Hastings House is an experience in itself. It has been described as one of the top ten Inn dining rooms in North America. The menus change daily; feature the flavorful, Salt Spring Island lamb, the freshest seafood available from local waters, and fresh produce and herbs from the estate’s gardens. Just let me give you the menu—it was hand-calligraphed on the reverse of my place card in the dining room:

Mussel & Saffron Velouté with a Parsley Cream
Paupiette of Baby Coho & Crayfish on a Garden Chive Sauce
Orange & Mint Granité
Sliced Loin of Veal with Roast Apples & a Calvados Sauce
Fresh Figs with a Blueberry Yogurt Ice on an Orchard Plum Coulis
or
Plateau de Fromage

I took the chef's advice and enjoyed a bottle of Chateau La Four Martillac, Grand Cru Classe, 1986 and thus finished with the cheese instead of the magic, fruit thingy.

What more can I tell you? Only little details like the coffee and blueberry muffins that arrive outside your door in the morning to tide you over to a huge breakfast served in the dinning room; or the waitresses you're sure are retired society matrons doing this just to keep busy—except they're too polite and professional to be that; or the perky, pink-cheeked gals who somehow know when you're not in your room (even if you've forgotten to "Put out the Cat"—a stuffed sign to let them know)—the room is always tidy, the towels changed, the flowers fresh.

I know what it takes to make this all work—love, pride, and lots of effort. Of those in which I have stayed, Hastings House is one of only five establishments in North America which I rate at the top of their genre. It is certainly my favorite country house hotel in Canada.

All the best,
Uncle Ted

Hand-drawn illustration by Sue Hunter.

http://www.hastingshouse.com/html/indexmain2.html

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