Whalers Guesthouse

We had a great stay. The rooms were clean, the kitchens were laid out well, and the staff were really helpful. We’d made a few mistakes with our booking, but Victor at the front desk helped us sort everything out.

I’ve stayed here several times and would come back. It’s a friendly, social hostel with a well-equipped kitchen that’s sensibly laid out, great views, and a very clean feel. When I needed something, the staff were friendly and responsive. The rest of the stay went smoothly after a bumpy start. Staff aren’t available until 5pm, and parking needs a better system. No one knew how the spots were assigned, and during a torrential downpour there was nowhere nearby to park. People ended up taking each other’s spaces, which led to some conflict while we all waited in the lobby for 20 minutes for staff to arrive.

The washroom was clean, though shared, and the breakfast room had a nice view. The hostel is well located, very close to the beach. We didn’t enjoy the morning view much because of the heavy fog. I’d never stayed in a hostel before, but we’d run out of options on our Tofino visit. We had a private room with two bunk beds for three people, so the extra bed was handy for our stuff. The main issue was having no chair, which meant we had to sit on the beds. We arrived after 9pm, after the site manager had left, and couldn’t reserve parking, so we had to park at the beach.

For Tofino, this was the most affordable choice. We had a private family room overlooking the water, just as pictured. The beds were comfortable and the linens felt like hotel quality. The location was amazing, within walking distance of the main downtown area and the grocery store. The communal kitchen was clean and well organized. Staff did a good job, though they weren’t especially friendly. We booked surfing through the hostel and got a discount. I’d stay here again.