European Style meets Westcoast Comfort at the Shoal Harbour Inn By Sandy Faust Contributor to Travelink Publishing If I had to pick my favourite type of getaway, I would be hard pressed to choose between a stylish little European hotel and a Westcoast oceanfront hideaway. Fortunately, I can now have both at once! The Shoal Harbour Inn in Sidney, BC, blends stunning Westcoast scenery with the style, comfort and sophistication of a European boutique hotel. Judi and Jason, innkeepers of the successful Latch Country Inn and Latch Dinning Room, are also responsible for the plush, 16-room Shoal Harbour Inn just a stone's throw away. It's a wonderful discovery which mesmerized us the moment we arrived. The lobby features warm, honey-toned woodwork and the atrium style architecture provides glimpses of the sky and a view of all three floors of rooms, tucked in around the outer walls. First Nations art work, a fireside lounge and a grand staircase with a trellis over its bottom steps makes it a perfect spot for a wedding!. Our room, the Eagle's Nest, was a delightful escape, filled with hand picked, locally made furniture and including three gas fireplaces, custom made bedding, an impressive ensuite (complete with warmed towel racks) and a gleaming, fully appointed kitchen. After we had enjoyed a bottle of wine on our wrap-around balcony overlooking the bustling harbour and surrounded by tangled arbutus trees and towering Douglas-firs, the kitchen might have tempted us to cook an intimate dinner if the Latching dining room hadn't been right next door. Built by Samuel Maclure, the Latch is more than an inn, it's a first class dining experience. A small, well-chosen menu allows for very fresh food, using local produce whenever possible. We indulged in a squash bisque, sweet and redolent with cumin, scallops with risotto, an excellent roasted vegetable and goat cheese tart and a perfectly cooked lamb tenderloin. The crème caramel and the apple pie with sambuca-soaked raisins were equally irresistible. While guests at the inn will always be reluctant to crawl out from under their down duvets, the wide range of activities nearby makes it well worth it. Sidney has come a long way since its early days as a farming community: filled with shops and galleries, this town is a book and art lovers paradise, with pedestrian-friendly streets and an ocean promenade for more serious walkers. World famous Butchart Gardens, only minutes away, offers fifty acres of botanical gardens, along with restaurants, a gift shop and seasonal festivities. Sidney is also home to the BC Aviation Museum where aircraft buffs can learn about historic aircraft and artifacts, and witness the restoration of planes from days gone by. Visitors more interested in the sea can spend an afternoon exploring the Sidney Whale Museum, while athletically-inclined folks can enjoy two golf courses, whale watching, fishing and kayak rentals. A weekend away was only too short and after a delicious breakfast in the waterfront breakfast room, we had to make our way back to the real world. Soulful food, sea air and the Inn's hospitality had made us feel totally cared for and restored to ourselves. The Shoal Harbour Inn features two suites completely accessible by wheelchair. The Inn offers many packages such as a Gourmet Getaway. Wedding parties are a specialty! Pets are welcome. If You Go: The Shoal Harbour Inn/The Latch Dining Rooms 2328 Harbour Road Sidney, BC V8L 2P8 Tel: (250) 656-6622 Fax: (250) 656-6212 E-mail: latch@latchinn.com Web site: www.shoalharbourinn.com Half an hour from Victoria, in the town of Sidney, BC, the Shoal Harbour Inn is easily accessible from Vancouver or Washington State. From the lower mainland, BC Ferries will take you from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (which is just minutes from the inn.) The Victoria International Airport is located in nearby Sidney, just minutes away.