Located at Langford, off Millstream Road, 20 km northwest of downtown Victoria, The Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa is part of an upscale residential development launched in 2004. The Westin opened in 2006 and the adjacent 18-hole Jack and Steve Nicklaus golf course is currently being extended to 36 holes. Over 300 single family dwellings and 55 townhouses have been built along the Bear Mountain Parkway with lots more on the way and several multistory condominium residences are nearing completion near the resort. Visitors should be prepared for construction in the vicinity for the next few years. On a clear day there's a spectacular horizon view of Mount Baker in Washington State.
The Westin Bear Mountain Resort has two separate accommodations buildings—the five-story, 93-room Clubhouse and the three-story, 65-room Fairways, a short walk apart. The reception and most of the facilities are in the Clubhouse. The Clubhouse lobby with its dark wood paneling, open stonework, fireplace, and steaming water is what you'd expect to find in an exclusive private club. A large scale model of the Bear Mountain Complex is just beyond the reception desk.
Three restaurants are at the end of the Clubhouse lobby overlooking the 18th hole. Copper Rock Grill (6:30 am to 10 pm) serves west-coast cuisine, especially salmon and other seafood. The exclusive Panache (Wednesday to Sunday 5:30 pm until late) with steaks and seafood is just behind the Copper Rock. Opposite is the more informal Masters Lounge (11 am to midnight) with burgers, nachos
and wings. In good weather the Masters Lounge is a nice place to sit outside and watch the action, and a good choice for late snacks or after-dinner drinks. Jack's Place (11 am to midnight) is a sports bar and grill in a separate building across the parking lot. Kuma Sushi (Tuesday to Saturday 11:30 am to 2 pm and 5 to 9 pm) serves Japanese fare and shares the building with Jack's.
The Mountainside Athletic Club (weekdays 6 am to 10 pm, weekends 7 am to 10 pm), between the Clubhouse and the Fairways, has a heated outdoor pool with a nice view of the Clubhouse, a well-equipped fitness center, and daily exercise classes. The resort's Sante Spa (10 am to 6 pm daily), downstairs in the Clubhouse, offers a wide range of treatments. The Bear Mountain Pro Shop is also downstairs in the Clubhouse. The green fees for 18 holes vary from $75 to $145 Canadian plus tax including a power cart, depending on the season, day of the week, and how far in advance you book. These charges apply to guests and non-guests alike and anyone primarily interested in golf should ask about stay-and-play packages which include include guaranteed tee times and fees. Experienced hikers with proper boots can scale Mount Finlayson from the resort in a couple of hours.
At the moment the only shopping is for golf-related items in the Pro Shop. The large Village Market building just down the hill from The Westin will be finished mid-2008. Car rentals are not available at Bear Mountain, so pick your vehicle up at the airport or ferry wharf.
The 4,600-sq-ft ballroom on the main floor of the Clubhouse can be divided into three sections. Together the ballroom can handle banquets for 330 guests and receptions for 800. The 16-seat boardroom near the Clubhouse front desk and a second boardroom at Jack's Place are available for smaller meetings. A business center with a row of internet-enabled computers is just behind the Clubhouse reception. The Westin Bear Mountain Resort levies a nightly $15-per-room resort fee which covers parking, use of the fitness and business centers, Internet access, and local phone calls. The regular parking lot is sometimes full and valet parking is $15 extra. A shuttle to downtown Victoria is not available and the taxi fare could be as high as $50 Canadian.
The Clubhouse elevators face the front desk. All rooms in both buildings have a desk with high-speed Internet, 27-inch TVs, a phone with voice mail, minibar, coffeemaker, iron and ironing board, and a patio or balcony. The baths have separate shower cubicles and tubs with robes and toiletries provided. The standard rooms have two queen-size beds while the suites have a king-size bed plus a queen-size pullout. All suites include a full kitchen.
The 70 one-bedroom suites are spread over all floors in both buildings. The corner suites in the Clubhouse building (room numbers ending in -31 or -53) offer the best views over the valley. One penthouse in the Clubhouse is available for the price of two suites.
All rooms are smoke-free. Only five rooms are fully wheelchair-accessible, three in the Clubhouse and two in the Fairways. Pets are only allowed in the Fairways and a $60-plus-tax one-time fee is charged, which is valid for the entire stay and includes a dog bed. Room service runs 24 hours a day with the full menu offered from 6:30 am to 11 pm. Same-day dry cleaning must be turned in before 9 am. Self-service laundromat facilities are available on the second and fourth floors of the Clubhouse and all floors of the Fairways.
The resort staff is helpful and highly competent. You'll be cheerfully received in the restaurants, Pro Shop, Athletic Club, Sante Spa, and at the front desk.
The Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa is the only upscale resort near Victoria which has an on-site golf course. The only comparable Vancouver Island resort is the Fairwinds Golf Club and Schooner Cove Hotel in Parksville, 150 km northwest. The Hotel Grand Pacific in downtown Victoria offers golfing packages at four area golf courses but the closest is a 30-minute drive from the hotel. This makes the Westin the obvious choice for the sports-minded Victoria visitor, although the downtown hotels will work far better for those more interested in sightseeing, whale-watching, eating out and nightlife. No other hotels are near this one.
