Whistler Staycation: Escape to Nita Lake Lodge

We’re back! Long time, no blog (or travel). For our first local getaway of the year, we opted for a Whistler staycation at Nita Lake Lodge!

After spending most of 2020 at home, now that our home province of BC is in Phase III, local residents can take part in smart, safe, and respectful travel within the province.

Travelling during Covid-19 is definitely different, but we felt very safe at Nita Lake Lodge with their extra sanitation and social distancing measures.

Whistler Staycation: Travelling During Covid-19

When it comes to choosing where to stay in Whistler, we really loved the tranquility of Nita Lake Lodge’s location. Nestled between two lakes, it’s a relaxing escape from the city, and who doesn’t love going directly from your door to the dock!? We also really loved that the hotel is located in nature and away from the bustle (and crowds) of Whfistler Village.

There’s a complimentary shuttle that runs from the hotel to the Village though, so you’re only a text message (and full sanitation of the shuttle) away from our fave spots in Whistler.

There’s a few other amenities to appreciate while travelling during Covid-19, like the fact that all of the suites at Nita Lake Lodge have private outdoor space (those lake views though 😍).

Unlike a traditional stay, housekeeping doesn’t enter your room during your stay, but you can still ask for anything you may need! By the way, we loved Nita Lake Lodge’s text message concierge service, it’s so convenient!

And right now, BC residents save 20% off the best rates at Nita Lake Lodge - check out the offer here.

Whistler Bachelorette / Elainerette!

We went up to Whistler with our besties Lindsay and Tim, and the three of us decided to turn our Whistler staycation into a mini-bachelorette for Elaine and surprise her! #elainerette

Elaine was supposed to get married in September, and since Covid brides have had a rough year, we wanted to bring a little joy into the process by having an outdoor celebration on the lake. Whistler’s #1 realtor David Lewis took us out on his motorized floating dock, and we had such a fun afternoon with the four of us!

Heather at Weddings from Bluebird organized the whole event for us and she did an amazing job. We told Elaine we were going canoeing, and she was shocked when she saw this set up instead!

The dock was outfitted with adorable decor from The Reverie Co, and made complete with the most amazing charcuterie board from Picnic Whistler, a new small business that just opened up. Seriously - this charcuterie board was incredible, and would be great to order to your hotel for a Whistler staycation treat!

This was a super unique solution to a Whistler bachelorette party, thank you so much Heather for your creativity and planning!

Whistler in the summer is such a dream, especially because we are big fans of lake life! And when you’re staying at Nita Lake Lodge, you’re basically living lake life 24/7, whether you want to jump off the docks at Alpha Lake, chill in a floatie, or take a canoe out on Nita Lake.

Plus…nothing beats a sunset dinner at Cure Lounge & Patio, one of the restaurants on the resort, which was exactly what we did to continue the Elainerette celebrations!

Where to Eat When Staying at Nita Lake Lodge

A relaxing Whistler staycation means taking things slow, and we loved that we really never needed (or wanted) to leave the area around Nita Lake Lodge.

Cure Lounge & Patio boasts modern, west coast flavours at its lakeside location, and we enjoyed a delicious dinner, yummy wine, and summer cocktails outside.

The vibe inside Cure Lounge is even cozier, with a big indoor fireplace and individual, socially distanced outdoor fireplaces that are perfect for curling up next to the fire with a big glass of vino. We’re also obsessed with their new cauliflower “wings!”

For breakfast, you can enjoy your coffee with a lake view at Aura Restaurant, located inside the hotel as well. Whether you’re indulging in their famous banana bread french toasts (with a vegan option) or one of the Nita egg benedicts, it’s a great way to start your day on a staycation in Whistler! (Note: as part of their re-opening, Aura Restaurant is currently closed for lunch & dinner).

If you want something quick to go, you can also enjoy locally made pastries, sandwiches, and lattes at Fix Cafe in the hotel! Basically…there are a lot of yummy options to eat without needing to ever leave the hotel.

If you want to order food from the Village, there’s no UberEats or Doordash, but you can use Whistler Dine-In, the local food delivery service.

Whistler Spa at Nita Lake Lodge

We had such a great staycation in Whistler, but honestly we didn’t really leave the hotel much over our 3 day stay! We treated ourselves to spa treatments at The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge, which is a stunning and tranquil space after it’s recent renovations.

Plus, the spa is focused on sustainability and uses organic products, and it’s recent liquor license means you can enjoy some Moet Chandon bubbly with your friends at their new Champagne Nail Bar, which is what we opted to do!

Before or after your spa treatments, you can relax in the eucalyptus steam rooms or soak in the rooftop hot tubs. There’s something so indulgent about going from your room to the spa and back in your robe!

During Covid-19, similar procedures are in place at the spa that you would find at your local nail salon or facial spot in BC, like masks, social distancing, and extra sanitation measures (more details here).

Best Hotel for Whistler Staycation

When it comes to hotel rooms in Whistler, we are sooo obsessed with the 2 bedroom suites at Nita Lake Lodge (we have stayed here a few times - check out our last winter stay here!).

Unlike some other hotels, there is SO much space, huge bedrooms, luxurious bathrooms, and the 2 bedroom suites are actually 2 storeys, so you get to enjoy lots of natural light from the big, lake front windows.

We spent every night drinking wine by the fireplace, playing board games or just talking and laughing late into the night with our best friends.

The final activity that we enjoyed on our Whistler staycation was getting out on the water! One of the perks of staying at Nita Lake Lodge is that all guests get free access to canoes, kayaks, and standup paddleboards.

All you have to do is reserve them in the morning at the front desk, and then you can get out on the lake with your friends or family! Or…just sit and enjoy the serenity of the dock.

And don’t forget - right now, BC residents can save 20% off the best rates at Nita Lake Lodge! Any questions about staying in a hotel or travelling during Covid-19? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram at @localwanderer for more local travel inspo!

Disclosure: Our stay at Nita Lake Lodge was gifted, but this post was not sponsored. For more information about local travel in BC, please see Destination BC’s tips for travelling during Covid-19 here.