About
About Us
& Our Vacation Suites
Nelson BC
100 Year Old Home
5 Suites, 18 Guests
THE TOWN
Nelson, BC
est. in 1897
Nelson, British Columbia is a unique mix of cosmopolitan amenities, combined with a quintessential small town charm. You will feel the genuineness of the people and a rich entrepreneurial spirit as you stroll down historic Baker Street. You will begin to understand why Nelson has been known as the “Queen City” for over one hundred years as you surround yourself with the lovingly restored heritage buildings!
Fine dining of local or international fare, specialty and boutique fashion shops, antiques and one of a kind gift stores, nights on the town or relaxing days and stimulating conversations in a local coffee shop – Nelson has it all.
Kootenay Lake’s West Arm, centrally located between Vancouver, B.C., Calgary, AB and Spokane, WA, just 30 minutes from the West Kootenay Regional Airport, Nelson has a growing population of 10,600; and boasts 50 restaurants and cafes (more per capita than San Francisco!), many with outdoor seasonal patios for you to relax and enjoy the scenic summer evenings!
Welcome to Nelson.
Accommodations & About Your Stay
We know personally how important it is to enjoy your vacation and because of this creating comfortable welcoming accommodations for our guests is our priority.
Suites
Baths
Guests
Your Hosts
Cathy-Ann & Kelly Toole
Free WiFi
High speed internet password protected in each suite.
Free Parking
We have a big parking lot on the backside of the guesthouse for use while you are staying in the guesthouse.
Linens
All of the bedding and bathroom towels are supplied in each suite.
Outdoor Dining
Each suite has an outdoor area with a table and chairs.
Toiletries
Each bathroom is supplied with quality natural liquid soap, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion.
Smart TV
Each suite has a Smart TV which can access Netflix with the guesthouse account or another streaming channel that you personally subscribe to.
Washer & Dryer
There is a laundry room with 2 washers and 2 dryers available for guests to use at certain times throughout the day.
Air Conditioning
Each suite is equipped with its own Air Conditioner.
Fully Equipped Kitchen
Coffee/Tea
Each suite is supplied with coffee beans from a local roastery called No. 6 Coffee as well as tea from a local company called Virtue Tea. There is a coffee grinder and a bodum or drip machine in each suite.
Spices & Staples
Each suite has coffee, tea, salt/pepper, extra virgin olive oil, organic balsamic vinegar, pasta, sauce, and Annie’s organic cheese pasta. Help yourself to a meal on us!
Remote Check In/Out
Our system is Self-check-in … each suite door has a key pad with a code which will be given to you when you make your reservation.
Restaurants
Nelson has a plethora of fabulous culinary delights! Wandering down Baker and Victoria Streets as well as the laneway between the 2 streets (known as “Herridge Lane”) will tempt you with so many options you will have trouble deciding! Some of our personal favorites include:
Beauties Pizza: (Baker Street) Serves pizza from morning til late, draft beer, craft cocktails, and stone-baked NY-style pizza.
Cantina Del Centro: (Baker Street) Delicious Mexican food and the best-tasting margaritas north of the Mexican border for sure!
Tamil Kitchen: (Baker Street) Authentic South Indian food …if you haven’t tried this, you are in for a treat! Awesome lunch buffet
The Black Cauldron: (Herridge Lane) Lounge & apothecary bar specializing in charcuterie-share plates & bewitching cocktails.
Coffee
Ahhhh….my personal favorite!
We boast 2 roasteries and a multitude of cafes. I’ll highlight the roasteries and let you discover the various cafes….
No. 6 Coffee Co.: (Front Street) A boutique coffee roasting company that uses beans sourced directly from small farms, co-ops, and respectable trading partners, paying above and beyond Fair Trade minimums. This coffee is perfectly roasted to feature the unique and distinct qualities of each bean varietal. With a weekly rotating coffee menu, you can enjoy a perfect cappuccino or sample a flight of roasts. This roastery and the knowledgable staff are a must if you love good coffee. Open Tuesday through Saturday.
Oso Negro: The original coffee roastery in Nelson located on Victoria Street. Definitely a hot spot to people watch! Signature dark and bold coffee with a great outdoor seating garden to enjoy your coffee and the locally produced treats! Open daily.
Bars & Lounges
No need to get into your car after having alcohol when staying at our place as you can walk everywhere!
The Royal on Baker: (Baker Street) Awesome spot 1 block away which often features live music.
Finley’s Bar & Grill: (Vernon Street) Lively, family-run pub offering hearty fare, beer, regular event nights & a patio with lake views
Uptown Sport’s Bar: (Vernon Street) Located in the Adventure Hotel, this bar is the place to catch the game and enjoy a pint of local craft beer.
Bloom Nightclub: Brought to you by the creators of the Shambhala Music Festival, this bar features dj’s from far and near.
Spirit Bar : (Vernon Street) Located in the basement of the Hume hotel this venue features live music and dj’s
Mike’s Place Pub: (Vernon Street) A classic pub located in the Hume Hotel ….Nelson’s version of “Cheers”! Great pub food and lots of beers on tap. Foosball, pool, darts, and “bad ass bingo nights” on Tuesdays throughout the winter ski season!
Craft Breweries
Get your walking shoes on and do a tour of our local breweries!
Backroads Brewing Co: (Baker Street) Awesome brews with a prime location right on Baker Street. Inside and outside seating. Great homemade pretzels!
Nelson Brewing Company: (Latimer Street…uphill about 6 blocks from downtown…still walkable…maybe start with this on your brewery tour!) Located in Nelson’s 125 year old brewery building, this is our certified organic brewery with a quaint tasting room and creative and delicious beers! (tasting room has limited hours so check before you go)
Torchlight Brewing Co: (Hall street) Located near the waterfront downhill from downtown this craft brewery host a large selection of brews and is the only brewery in Nelson boasting a kitchen/meals. Join them for events such as karaoke!
Art & Culture
Nelson and the surrounding area is rich in arts and cluture. Visit local galleries, museums, theatres, sculpure walks, street art displays and more.
Helpful links:
Galleries https://www.nelsonkootenaylake.com/things-to-do/arts-heritage/galleries
Museums https://www.nelsonkootenaylake.com/things-to-do/arts-heritage/museums
Sculptue Walk https://www.sculpturewalkcastlegar.com/
Mural Festival https://www.nelsonkootenaylake.com/stories/nelsons-iconic-mural-festival
Capital Theatre https://capitoltheatre.ca/
Shows & Entertainment
Nelson is one happening small town! There is often more going on than one can comfortably take in during any given month!
From our cooperatively-run movie theatre and our historic live stage theatre to our various street and park festivals and markets, you will be entertained by experienced and talented locals.
Check out these links for the theatres: https://civictheatre.ca/ and https://capitoltheatre.ca/
When it come to big name musical acts, more come to Nelson than any other town of this size! With a myriad of venues to choose from you can see live music or DJ sets every weekend of the year.
Peruse the calendar of local events to time your visit just right: https://www.kootenaycoopradio.com/events/
Are you entertained by meandering through farmer’s markets? I sure am!!! Check out this link for a list of local markets: https://www.nelsonkootenaylake.com/things-to-do/shop/markets
Outdoor & Adventure
The Kootenay’s are an outdoor recreational paradise!
In the warmer months you can explore the Kootenay Lake on foot by hiking or walking one of the fabulous trails (Pilot Point Trail is a great lakeside one!), by boat (see Captain Eric at “The Captains Boat Shop” or go to “Nelson Paddleboard and Kayak Rentals”), or jump right in at one of our many fabulous beaches.
Hiking: The amount of incredible and accessible hiking trails will exhaust even the most avid mountaineer visiting Nelson. Check them out at: www.westkootenayhiking.ca
Biking: The mountain bike trails in the Nelson area are the stuff dreams are made of! There is everything from gentle railway grades, to hard core DH for the adrenalin junkies, to technical blast runs with tons of freestyle stunts to keep you wired until the brewpub! Explore some self guided trails or join a group …. but just do it!
Golf: Experience the Kootenay’s mountain golfing adventures right in town at Granite Pointe Golf Club. This course boasts spectacular views of Nelson, Kootenay Lake and the famous Kokanee Glacier and you can relax after your game at The Grill at Granite for great food and bevvies. www.granitepointe.ca
Drive 30 minutes north to the Balfour Golf Course where you will have an unforgettable experience at one of nature’s most scenic golf courses with 18 holes guaranteed to challenge any skill level. www.golfbalfour.com
Winter Recreation
The Kootenay’s are an outdoor recreational paradise!
In the winter we boast some of the best powder you will ever find!
Downhill Skiing: Ride the fluff at Whitewater Ski Resort (www.skiwhitewater.com) where you will be hard-pressed to wait in a lift line longer than 10 minutes which will bring you up to a multitude of groomed runs, powder runs, treed runs, and slack country bliss.
Ski Touring: Explore the backcountry by ski touring just 15 minutes from town in the Hummingbird Pass or delve into the bottomless powder at Stagleap Provincial Park up the Kootenay Pass which is the highest elevation highway accessed pass in BC….therefore the earliest and latest snow to be found!
Xcountry skiing:
Apex ski area (http://nelsonnordicski.ca) lets you enjoy 30+ kms of groomed trails including warming huts and classic/skate groomed trails.
Paulson Ski area (www.castlegarnordic.ca) boasts 45 kilometers of interconnected classic track trails, the Viking Centre at the entrance to the ski area and 4 warming huts placed strategically along the trail system. Go for a 1 hour to a full day adventure in this scenic outdoor playground!
Snowshoe: Make your own tracks by strapping on a pair of snowshoes and heading out in any direction from town!
Sight Seeing
Nelson offers visual delights from the architecture and landscape to the unique and colourful people. Visit our fabulous new visitors centre in the restored Railway Station at the far west end of downtown Baker Street to get all of the information that you will need to explore to your heart’s content. Just a hop and a skip from the guesthouse, they are more than happy to share all that they know and to direct you to what you seek. To find the visitor centre: walk along the sidewalk beside the guesthouse to Baker Street and turn left. Walk 2 blocks and look for the beautifully restored railway station. Grab a coffee in their cafe and chat with the staff or just peruse the brochures. Have fun exploring Nelson!
Day Trips
As if there isn’t enough to do in the immediate Nelson area, we also have tons of ideas for you to get out of dodge for the day!
Check out:
Ainsworth Hot Springs: (www.ainsworthhotsprings.com) Just 40 minutes north of Nelson these healing waters have been welcoming guests since the 1930’s. These are the only hotsprings offering a horseshoe cave filled with healing hot water flowing from the earth for you to steam and soak in…truly an experience not to miss! The Lower Kootenay Band of the Ktunaxa people bring a unique First Nation brand to the hospitality industry. After you soak, be sure to enjoy some of the fresh, local, indigenous inspired food at the Ktunaxa Grill overlooking the pools.
Fletcher Falls: North of Ainsworth en route to Kaslo you can stop and walk down to the waterfront and over to the waterfalls. Just a 15 minute walk down to the lake and a 5 minute walk in to the falls. A great place for a picnic or hike in camping!
Kaslo: (www.visitkaslo.com ) Nestled in the mountains 1.5 hours north of Nelson this is a little town with a lot of charm. Steeped in history, you can tour the Moyie sternwheeler and get transported back to an era when the lake was the only highway bringing people into this rugged landscape. Come in midsummer for the famous “Kaslo Jazz etc festival” (www.kaslojazzfest.com ) Picture performers on a floating stage with spectators dancing on the beach with mountains rising over 10,000 feet from the lake as the backdrop…what’s not to like?! The restaurants are delicious and the Angry Hen brewbub is awesome….well worth the trip!
TheArtisans of Crawford Bay: Take the Kootenay Lake Ferry (longest free scenic ferry crossing in the world! 35 minutes) from Balfour (40 minutes north of Nelson) to Kootenay Bay and drive 7 km to Crawford Bay. Walk from one unique studio to another and watch the artisans at work. Step into a variety of structures made from logs to strawbales where you can ask questions and purchase crafts directly from the makers. Pottery, textiles, forged iron accessories, blown glass, and traditional handmade brooms (that were used in the Harry Potter series) are just some of the items you’ll find!
Sandon and Idaho Peak: Visit a bonafide ghost town! Back in the day (beginning in 1891) Sandon was the centre of what was the richest silver-lead producing region in Canada. What was once a booming town of 5000 people is now occupied by little more than a caretaker. Still, it boasts a cool little shop in the summer months, a hydro electric power plant (that sells power to the government!), a summer music festival (Valley of the Ghosts Music Festival), as well as a 2 km gentle hike to a look out with breathtaking 360 views of the surrounding area. Take this hike from mid July to mid August for the most incredible display of wild flowers you’ll ever see!
New Denver: This picturesque mountain town is nestled in the Selkirk Mountains on the eastern shores of the Slocan Lake. It has been the setting for several movies including “A simple Curve” and “Snow Falling on Cedars” and you’ll see why as you wander through the scenic streets and the lapping lakeshore with awe-inspiring views. Visit the The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre with it’s important history and unique Japanese Heiwa Teien Peace Garden.
The Slocan Valley: Drive south of New Denver through the pastoral landscape of the Slocan Valley. Home to organic farms, quaint family bakeries, earthy cafes, and quirky shops, this valley boasts a rich mix of draft dodger and Doukhobor history and still attracts and houses people of the same ilk. A blast from a colourful past! The Frog Peak Cafe at the south end of the valley is a local gem that is not to be missed! Open until 4 pm, locals beat a path to it’s door for fabulous breakfast and lunch.
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Checkin & Checkout
Our system is Self-check-in … each suite door has a keypad with a code which will be given to you when you make your reservation.
Arrival/departure times:
- Arrival time is 4 pm unless you have made prior arrangements to arrive early.
- Check out time is 11 am.
Parking
The guesthouse is located at 203 Victoria Street. Please be aware that this is a ONE WAY street. If you follow our driving directions (as seen on the website and your confirmation email) you will drive up to the back side of the building. There is a large concrete parking pad on the backside of the building that also wraps around on the west side of the guesthouse. If you are staying in the Herridge Lane Suite you have your own dedicated parking spot (see your confirmation email) but all other suites can park anywhere on the large concrete pad where there is space. We have room for 1 vehicle per suite. If you have more than one vehicle, please let us know and we can make that happen as well. Parking on the street is metered between 9 and 5 pm Monday through Saturday.
Cancellation Policy
If you have to cancel your reservation more than 2 weeks prior to your arrival date we will refund you the cost of your reservation less 10% (this will cover the credit card fees that we incur when charging and refunding your card and our time). If you have to cancel within 2 weeks of your arrival date we will put your suite back online as available and, if we can rent it out again to a new guest, we will only retain 10% of your total reservation cost (again, just to cover the credit card fees and time incurred when we charge/refund your card and repost the suite).If we are unable to rerent your suite so close to the arrival date, then we will refund you 50% of your total cost.
House Rules
- All dogs must be pre-approved prior to arrival. Dog fees are $20/night/dog to a maximum of $40 per stay.
- Quiet time is between 9 pm and 8 am every day.
- There is a strict no smoking policy for the entire building and the property. Guests may smoke on the sidewalks surrounding the guesthouse or in the back laneway.