Traveller’s Choice 2012 National award to Bostrom’s Bed and Breakfast

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Judy Bostrom

We were honored this month to receive the Trip Advisor’s people’s choice award that has listed us as # 7 Bed and Breakfast in all of Canada! Wow! Our hard work, and all the little extras, had been repaid with the enthusiastic responses we receive from guest and from this amazing acknowledgment!

 Over the years we have been careful to listen to the comments of travelers to see how we can improve on their experience:

  • For our European guests who are hungry for a good strong coffee we have provided an espresso machine and fresh roasted fresh ground coffee available any time in the common room.
  •  For those folk who come from a dry warm climate, we have put mattress heaters on all our beds.
  • For folk who would like to be as eco friendly on holidays as they are at home we have recycling bins and use Eco friendly products like Eco towels, bamboo dish cloths, comfy sheets, Aveeda shower gels, and BeeKind ammenities. 
  • Because our winter guests cannot access fresh seafood (the fish store closes in the winter) we put out traps and offer fresh Dungeness crabs for our winter guests to enjoy as hors d’oeuvres or to have as a meal with a salad bought from our local grocery.
  •  In order to better enjoy the fabulous ocean views we built three ocean view decks and furnished them with teak dining tables, deck chairs, barbeques, in the summer and a hot tub on the upper deck to be enjoyed all year long whether you look out on whales jumping or storms raging.
  • Guests enjoy outdoor fires on the dark evenings in the spring and fall and roast hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire pit in the summer months.
  • Stairs lead down from the ocean front deck where guests can swim in the bay.
  • Because the by law does not permit cooking facilities in Ucluelet B&Bs, we provide all we are permitted in kitchenettes, (microwaves, coffee makers, kettles, espresso machines, toasters) and provide barbeques and fire pits outside for those guests who wish to eat in.
  • Guests have the option to meet with other guests or to enjoy privacy with many common areas: there are 3 teak dining suites on three different levels of ocean view decks, rooms have teak bistro tables in front of their rooms, the ocean view hot tub seats 8 and can be enjoyed anytime of the night or day, and the large (40×35 foot) common room has many areas for guests. Some of the things enjoyed by guests in the common room are: a snooker table, darts, 2 dining tables, 2 bar tables, computers, a big screen TV, DVDs, fireplace, a library and some binoculars for spotting whales and other wildlife in and around the bay.
  • We continue to plan for the future with dreams which include a steam sauna by the ocean and a green house to provide fresh organic products all year round.

We so appreciate all the comments guests have passed on to us over the years that help us grow and improve. We also appreciate that so many guests have shared their awesome experiences with fellow travelers on Trip Advisor.  It is because of all of you that we have received this award! Thank-you so much!

Posted in Bed & Breakfast | Leave a comment

Wash Away the Winter Blues with Storms, Crabs, and Gratitude.

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Judy Bostrom

Waves crash on the rocks of the Wild Pacific Trail

January. The first Christmas I had ever closed down.  I had been under rennovations for 2 1/2 months, sick for 3 weeks, and I had been missing the sounds of laughter that comes from the snooker table and the hot tub when guests come to play in the storms. Just about at my most desperate time, Linda, a terrific woman and past guest, emailed me a New Years Greeting with this link http://youtu.be/gXDMoiEkyuQ. Now, it could have been the state of mind that I was in when I watched it, but I swear it changed my life.  Louie Schwartzberg’s new project, narrated from the perspective of a young child and an old man at the end of this video, turned my misery into gratitude.  I hope you find it inspirational in these dark days of winter.

Crysal shares some crab bait with hungry gulls

Gary's got crabs (at least in the winter)

Since life moves a whole lot slower in the winter than it does in our busy summer, we are often able to treat our guests to a feed of fresh Dungeness Crabs.  In so doing we get to treat ourselves to an excursion out to catch the crabs. These are a few pictures of my daughter, Crystal, home for the holidays out to catch some crabs for Warren and Shannon. On the way back into the harbour she decided to share the left over bait with some hugry seagulls.

A seagull in hand is worth 2 in the bush? What?

 Gary was having so much fun catching crab that he caught  a seagull who got too close to his hands when he was baiting the traps.  I will attest that the seagull looked much happier when he let him go.  Though the gull did not enjoy Gary’s big hug, they seemed to enjoy hitching a ride back to the dock on the back of the boat!

Hitching a ride

Our winter guests have not been dissapointed with the weather. We provide galoshes, rainpants, rain coats, and sou’westers so they can enjoy the wonderful storms in the mornings and the warmth of the hot tub in the evenings. The awesome picture on top was taken by Pat from Manitoba out for a walk on the Wild Pacific Trail. We need visitors around to really show us how amazing Ucluelet is Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.  Having lived for so long in this area we are always excited to see it fresh in the eyes of our guests. Watching the waves surge with such awe inspiring power, who has time to complain about the rain. It just makes a gal feel pretty grateful for day like these.

Happy New Year to you all. We look forward to seeing you come up over the horizon someday soon!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Every Body needs a Warm Buddy

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Judy Bostrom

Brian and Kathleen strolling down a path as man and wife (or is that woman and husband?)

Warm buddies have been developed by Karen McKee in Richmond BC. Karen has a backgroud as a Registered Nurse  and interested in alternative therapies, herbal medicine and aromatherapy,  which led to studies in India at a natural healing hospital. The  warm wraps and warm plush animals she developed have been used in children’s cancer wards, to help soothe and relieve aches, pains, and stress in the elderly, and also in wildlife recovery centers for orphaned animals. They have won the PTPA Media awards for excellence in parenting products and have won my heart.  Many of my guests have purchased Bostrom’s warm buddy bears as momentos of their holidays. It is the warm buddy bear that Kathleen and Brian left with that continues to bring a smile to my face.

Bostrom sitting on the future site of his home with Brian and Kathleen

 Brian and Kathleen arrived from Australia on their honeymoon. You can tell by their wedding picture that there would be plenty of love and warmth in their lives. The first morning at Bostrom’s B&B Brian woke  expecting to see his beautiful Kathleen. Instead he opened his eyes to a pajama clad Warm Buddy staring right back at him.  Throughout their stay, the warm buddy, they named Bostrom, could be found doing headstands in their bed, hanging from the lamps, and cuddled up in the arms of Kathleen.  Though Brian may have had the few qualms of jealousy, common for a new dad, Bostrom was adopted into their family and left to his new home in Australia.

Bostrom posing in front of the infamous sideways growing tree

In the middle of the first snowfall of the year I recieved a bunch of pictures from the little family. Bostrom seems really happy in the sunny climate of Western Australia. Notice the sideway growing tree behind him on the fence? I wonder if it is true that the toilet water goes counter clockwise too. What an amazing land! It looks like Bostrom is on quite an adventure!

Bostrom sits on Mom and Dad's bike. "Are we there yet?"

I you have any pictures you can share of your Warm buddy Bostrom bear I’d love to see how they are doing and what they have been up to. If you are interested in a warm buddy Bostrom bear I’d be pleased to sell you one ($35.75 plus shipping) or go to the Warm Buddy Website for more options on these wonderful creatures. They have sheep with big warm bellys, puppies, and bears all in three sizes.  They also have other spa products developed over the years by Karen McKee. http://www.warmbuddy.com/index.html.

Bostrom suntanning at Busselton Jetty in southwestern Australia

I’ll keep you posted on the travels of warm buddy Bostrom. I have a feeling there will be more adventures to follow.

Posted in Valued guests and friends | Tagged | Leave a comment

A West Coast Wedding in Sunny September

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Judy Bostrom
Chris and Andrea recline on the forest floor with ferns and greenery surrounding them.

Just married

People travel out to the West Coast for many reasons. Folk arrive just to enjoy the Wild west coast while some come for specific celebrations.  This summer we have had birthdays, anniversaries, baby-moons, honey moons, and of course, weddings.  

I wrote a blog on January 31 2011 after Chris and Andrea arrived on my doorstep to check in.  They were bursting with excitement as Chris had proposed in the most romantic way. For those of you who are planning to “pop the question” you may want to flip back and do your research!  

Andrea and Chris planned an eco wedding with moss centre pieces, an outdoor wedding on Big Beach, and a fabulous array of family and friends that arrived to witness the union.  The wedding party arrived for the long weekend in September.  The rooms were full friends camped on the lawn, and family wandered in and out to visit. By the time they stood on Long Beach in their wedding gard and gum boots to commit to a life together, I was moved to tears and was passing along tissues like an old auntie!  I loved meeting the wonderful family and friends at the barbeque and at the wedding reception in Black Rock.  

We did it!

The days passed in a whirl wind of excitement and joy and Chris and Andrea have given me permission to share some of the joy with your through these pictures .  It is Andrea’s sister, Stephanie who took these photos. I have always been thrilled when I peek into her gallery. Her expertise is with pictures of new born babies and their parents.  http://www.stephanierobin.ca/ After seeing these pictures, I know you will agree that her wedding pictures are eaqually amazing! 

If you are wondering if Andrea and Chris went surfing in that beautiful wedding dress. The answer is yes!  I found the dress on a quilted hanger hanging on a tree to dry the next morning. I’ve always loved a practical girl who could wear her wedding dress again….but surfing Andrea!  

Andrea, just moments before catching a wave

I look forward to seeing Chris and Andrea and all my new friends back here on the west coast.

Posted in Weddings and engagements | Leave a comment

Not a Disney Moment

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Judy Bostrom

I have a rather sad story to share.  The 150 sea otters that had been camping out in the bay since April are no longer

Ocras taken by JF Marleau on the Ms. Judy

 to be seen.  On day we watched a pod of orca come into the bay.  The pod was 30 strong.  We were so delighted until we found out why they had come.  They ate our sea otter like they were popcorn. When the sea otters first arrived in such numbers we were worried about the crabs and sea urchins. It is a favourite food of theirs and in such numbers we worried they would decimate them, as had happened up north in Kyoquot. Even so, when the orcas came, we were rooting for the sea otters. It was not a Disney moment.

Last week a grey whale came into the bay and searched around for about an hour.  He came close enought to see all the barnacles on his back. We love the grey whales who are gentle giants. The humpbacks who we see off the island are much more rambucious but are a delight to watch.  The orca. What can I say?  May they get fur balls caught in their throats.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment