Nimmo Bay counts heartbeats not minutes
You feel the need to pinch yourself. You’d be forgiven for thinking that Nimmo Bay is enchanted — a place where time stands still or perhaps even runs backwards a little. Only a quick hop, skip and jump in a float plane from downtown Vancouver to the edge of the Great Bear Rainforest, the spell that you’re breaking is the spell of city life.
Shed the city
Once the plane becomes a flyspeck in the distance, you experience what CEO and owner, Fraser Murray calls ‘shedding the city’. You feel as if you are taking off a heavy overcoat that dulls your senses and weighs you down with the day-to-day worries of work. At Nimmo Bay, you become a wilder, wiser, more carefree version of You.
Everything seems to float here, alongside the guests. The Sanctuary is a seaborne hydrotherapy loop with a cedar Finnish sauna and a wave-cradled, wood-fired hot tub. You can take to a paddle board on a self-propelled cruise past a 100,000 year-old glacier, go fly-fishing in a custom-built boat, or take a coastal safari to watch bears forage for breakfast along the shoreline.
Eat the sea
Speaking of hungry animals, perhaps the most buoyant experience is food-forward. You cast off in a small boat with chef Linnéa LeTourneau who just happens to be a freediver. Before you know it, she has disappeared into the deep for your supper. She reappears with the freshest uni from Poseidon’s private pantry, with a raw tasting to follow right there on deck. Later in the evening, you’ll enjoy your catch prepared by the same chef — no longer in diving gear, of course.
Sophisticated by nature
Your cabin — one of just nine — is close by the woods and the water’s edge, with a dramatic waterfall behind. But it’s no rustic treehouse. Inside you’ll find the finest Belgian linen, handmade pottery and Turkish carpets. There’s a bohemian sophistication that belies the remoteness of the location (although they do admit to what is cutely termed ‘wilderness wifi’.)
Hospitality has a long tradition in these parts, as Nimmo Bay is in the traditional territory of the Gwawaenuk First Nation, part of the Kwak’walawakw people. Nimmo Bay honours the sea and the land with infinite care and attention to detail. Community is a big word at Nimmo Bay, where you can stay confident in the knowledge that the environment is benefiting from your presence. Everything is powered by hydroelectric, and sourcing of produce is local and sustainable.
Made for you, by you
“Our main goal is to listen to our guests and create an individual package for them. We’re not prescriptive. We never do something twice. No set itineraries. During the booking phase, we begin to get to know you — but during the stay things change organically,” says Brianna Sloan, marketing manager.
Organic is a great word to describe the ethos of Nimmo Bay. This is a stay that grows out of your needs. You set the pace. You decide how many heartbeats per minute is the right rhythm for you.
JUST IN
Savour The Coast is a limited availability retreat in 2022 — a wild cookout, a foodie-focused tasting menu with an expert sommelier on hand. We’ve reserved two places for Haute readers but it’s first come, first served so call right now to book.
Call 1-800-837-4354
