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Wickaninnish Inn
Tofino, Canada · Independent · High Luxury
The realization of a 40-year family dream on a rocky headland where Chesterman Beach meets Tofino's temperate rainforest, opened August 9, 1996. Dr. Howard McDiarmid, Tofino's doctor from the 1950s who helped create Pacific Rim National Park, envisioned the site; his son Charles, a Cornell hotel-school graduate and Four Seasons veteran, cleared the land by hand to save trees and pioneered winter storm-watching with waves up to six meters.
- 75 rooms
- Opened 1996
- Neighborhood: BC V0R 3A0
- Rooms from 470 sq ft (44 m²)
About Wickaninnish Inn
- Dr. Howard McDiarmid arrived in Tofino as the town's doctor in the 1950s, helped create Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, and envisioned a luxury inn on the family's beachfront land.
- His son Charles McDiarmid, a Cornell hotel-school graduate and Four Seasons veteran, cleared the site by hand to preserve trees before opening the inn.
- The Wick pioneered and popularized winter storm-watching as a Canadian travel experience, with waves up to six meters and hurricane-force winds visible from every room.
- It joined Relais & Châteaux in 1997, in just one year versus the typical three-year process.
- Entry-level rooms start at 470 sq ft (44 m²).
History
The Wickaninnish Inn opened on August 9, 1996, on a rocky headland where Chesterman Beach meets the temperate rainforest of Tofino, British Columbia. It was the realization of a decades-long family dream: Dr. Howard McDiarmid, who arrived in Tofino as the town's doctor in the 1950s and helped create Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, envisioned a luxury inn on the family's beachfront land, and his son Charles McDiarmid — a Cornell hotel-school graduate and Four Seasons veteran — spearheaded the project, clearing the site by hand to preserve trees.
Built around the drama of the Pacific, 'the Wick' pioneered and popularized winter storm-watching as a Canadian travel experience, with floor-to-ceiling ocean views, private balconies and gas fireplaces in every room. It joined Relais & Châteaux in 1997, added the Ancient Cedars Spa in 1998, and completed the Beach building in 2003; today the 75-room inn, still owned and run by the McDiarmid family, has been named Canada's number-one resort.
Restaurants and bars
- The Pointe Restaurant — Restaurant · Canadian
- Driftwood Café — Café · Cafe
Experiences
- Storm-watching — Winter brings storm-watching and dramatic seas.
- Grey whale watching — Fall brings migrating grey whales.
- Wildlife encounters — Summer offers wildlife encounters.
- Surfing — Summer offers surfing.
Amenities
- Spa
- Fitness center
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Condé Nast Traveler Gold List (2026)
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN One Key (2026)
- AAA Four Diamond (2025)
- Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards (2025)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2025)
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