Sleeps 8 ocean view hot tub garden accessible dog

Description from the owner

Our recently renovated home gets rave reviews. Guests enjoy the space, light, interesting art, Douglas fir floors and windows, comfortable beds and furniture and modern amenities. French windows open to a large deck partially shaded by wistaria and clematis, where you can sit with a coffee or a glass of wine to enjoy the ever-changing ocean colours. Or the whole party can eat out there, with the spiral staircase as a short cut down to the lower deck, the hot tub and the garden.

The state of the art ventilation system provides fresh air and comfort to the whole house year round. There are two comfy queen size beds, one up, one down, with... twin beds also upstairs, which can be placed together, and downstairs bunk beds are specially popular with children. Wheelchair access to the house is through the side door, with wooden ramps around the house leading to the lower floor, garden and hot tub. Doors are extra wide, aids for toilet and tub available. One group of disabled adults has come for the last seven years for their annual holiday. Many other groups return regularly, from frisbee golf players to musicians and many families. We had four generations in one family gathering! The house is ideal for two families with children.

We love to come to Pender Island ourselves, at least once a year, to check on our summer-resident killer whales with new babies each year, and to restore our souls and bodies. After an ocean kayak or a steep hike, or getting mildly lost on curvy roads and woodland trails, there is nothing like the hot tub last thing at night...and with house lights dimmed, the stars are brighter on Pender than anywhere else on earth!Read more

Additional Location Information

Pender Island is quite unique, in that each house has its privacy and ours its fabulous ocean view, and woodland trails to unspoiled beaches in easy walking distance (5-30 minutes), yet the island also offers an excellent shopping centre, superb restaurants, Medical Centre, Library, golf course, kayaking, a winery with free tasting, Farmers Market and cultural events at the Community Centre, not to mention tennis and the international frisbee golf, free and open to all, in walking distance of our house! You obviously need a car to reach us from Victoria or Vancouver by direct ferry (Southern Gulf Islands route), and you will need the car to explore both North and South Pender, two spectacular islands approximately 30 kms long, with mountains and creeks and interesting geography. It's a walker's paradise, yet some love to cycle those hills and bends too. Come see the arbutus trees, which grow only near the salty ocean, in their prime, before many of them succumb to a mysterious "bug". There is a fabulous grove of them in the park near Buck Lake, just a few minutes walk up our road, and turn left. Our garden is fenced to keep out the deer, so it's ideal for children and dogs.
Watch out for deer in the evening, drive slowly! Bird watchers paradise, specially Gowland Point!

Location Type Away from it all, Ocean, Rural

Rental fees

Additional notes from owner

Up until 11 June it is possible to rent for 3 nights, and early June will be available at the lower rate of $1500.00 per week.
High Season from 15 June to 7 September 2013 is rented at minimum $1800.00 per week only.

GST tax of ONLY 5% is payable after April 1, 2013 - compare to 13% taxes payable through Agencies!

What Past Guests Are Saying

Overall Rating

• Katy
  Surrey BC

  Very Relaxing

  Left on 05/13/2012 for a stay in November 2011
  
  

  We arrived with great instructions on how to get to the place and to get inside. Once inside, we were really impressed with the house. It was very airy, well laid out, well stocked with towels and other necessities and it was very clean and comfortable. The kitchen had everything we needed and was the perfect size. The bed was comfortable and what a pleasure to have the window open and have it so quiet outside, us city folk are not used to the deafening roar of silence! Outside is absolutely wonderful. The hot tub was fantastic, the deck was great to enjoy a couple of nice sunsets, the BBQ did its job and the yard is well kept. Pender Island itself is such a nice place to spend a few days as there are numerous hiking trails, low traffic and the community is very friendly. We loved the house and would certainly like to return!

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

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  Response from Pam Waddington - 05/14/2012

  

  Pam Waddington

  Owner

  Many thanks, Katy. We really appreciated that you left the house in tip-top condition, and would love to have you back anytime.

• L Zima
  Edmonton

  A special part of Canada is here!

  Left on 05/10/2012 for a stay in August 2011
  
  

  Where to start...the house or the Island?? The pictures of the house do not do it justice, the house is extremely large with so much room we didn't hear our teenage boys fight once all week! The decks were perfect for morning coffee and evening wine while enjoying views of the ocean or looking up at stars. Walking out onto the lower deck in the morning you were filled with the wonderful smells of the lilly's and other flowers from the garden. Having 2 kitchens made it easy for multi tasking while making dinner (2 boys who like different pizza's) and the hot tub was perfect for relaxing in while star gazing. Pender Island is a special place in a special country that draws you into "Pender" time very quickly. The laid back and friendly people make this Island a place that we want to come back to. Our first impression of the Island was watching Orcas swim and play as we were on the ferry to the Island...what a welcome! Walking among the many Island trails (Pam & John provide a guide for the trails) kept us busy exploring many different beaches around the Island. Our boys enjoyed the disc park, swimming in Majic Lake and Ice Cream at the driftwood centre while the adults enjoyed a glass of wine at Morning Bay winery and touring the numerous artist studios-- we returned to the Gabriel Pottery Studio many times to admire and purchase crystalline glazed pottery from this unique studio. Pender Island and the arbutus house are definitely on our list of places to return to!
  
  

  

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Travelers, Disabilities, Families

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  Response from Pam Waddington - 05/18/2012

  

  Pam Waddington

  Owner

  So glad you had a wonderful time, starting with whales from the ferry! Thanks for terrific review and photos.

• Jan
  Ottawa

  Repeatable!!

  Left on 05/10/2012 for a stay in May 2011
  
  

  
  
  Guest: Jan (Ottawa, Ontario)
  Date of Stay: 04/26/11-4/29/11
  We shared this wonderful house with another couple (they live on Bowen Island) We took the ferry from Schwartz Bay terminal near Sidney on Vancouver island,, a lovely 40 minutes trip. The house is very large and lovely and with only 4 of us, space was not a problem! The advice given, prior to our 3 night stay, was very helpful and the website does give a very good overview of the house and its amenities.It is is very clean and very well maintained. We thoroughly enjoyed our walks and car trips (It would be a wonderful place to have bicycles!!) We found the amenities on the island to be excellent ie supermarket, bakery etc.at the Driftwood Centre. We were a bit early, for all the galleries listed in the tourist info, but did enjoy spending time in the Red Tree Gallery, after a delicious lunch in the café at Hope Bay. ( Our only wet afternoon!) We had an excellent dinner in the restaurant at the Poet's Cove resort, a beautiful place, on a lovely evening. We enjoyed lunch at the Inn in Port Browning. The islands have great charm and the easy access to the sea was a special treat! We have already recommended arbutus House to friends. I am still trying to identify the lovely little, pink orchids we discovered on Roe Islet!
  
  See photo 1.
  
  

  

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  Response from Pam Waddington - 05/11/2012

  

  Pam Waddington

  Owner

  Thank you, Jan, for describing how enjoyable Pender Island is, even as early as April. The main attraction missing is the legendary Farmers Market, all summer long at the Community Centre, with home-grown fruit and veg, flowers, munchies galore and often musical entertainment.

• Annie
  Lower Mainland, BC

  Wonderful Experience!

  Left on 05/10/2012 for a stay in August 2011
  
  

  We have been going to arbutus house for our annual vacation for many years . This is a very special place for our group since some of the supported individuals are in wheelchairs. The house is very clean and spacious. The setting is so tranquil and beautiful. The owners are very helpful and prompt to answer all our questions. Our residents love going back every year! We definitely recommend this lovely place to others, especially if looking for wheelchair accessibility properties!

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Disabilities, Families

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  Was this review helpful? Yes

   

  Response from Pam Waddington - 05/11/2012

  

  Pam Waddington

  Owner

  Thanks so much, Annie, for your review and visits over many years. We would love to have more specially-abled guests, as we are set up with wide doors inside and ramps around the house to garden and hot tub for those in wheelchairs.