A lavish stay at the lakeside Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler Creekside Village

Nita Lake Lodge is an upscale hotel in Whistler Creekside Village,  known as the only lakeside hotel in Whistler, with the beautiful, glacier-fed Nita Lake and the mountains as the backdrop. It’s no surprise that it is named one of the Top Resorts in Canada by Condé Nast Traveler, and in the Top Hotels in Canada by TripAdvisor.

To those who are not familiar with the Creekside community, it is the original base of Whistler Mountain and site of the first gondola. The “Creek” is a laid-back place just 4.2 kilometres or an 8-minute drive south of Whistler Village.  You can easily reach the Creek by car, shuttle, or via the Valley Trail.  From ski and bike park access to bars, hotels, and lakes, the Creek is a great choice if you want to stay away from the bustling Whistler Village.

I happened to discover Nita Lake Lodge while looking for a hotel for driving up to Whistler for a foodie adventure in the new Honda Passport SUV. And one of the restaurants I wanted to visit, The Red Door Bistro, is only a few steps away from the hotel.

Perfect!

The drive was smooth, and it took me just under one hour and 30 minutes from my home in Downtown Vancouver to the hotel. It is a rather impressive property with Bavarian-style architecture of sloped roofs and lots of wood, looking quite spectacular in the snow.

Checking-in

The lobby was brightly lit with a holiday vibe.  Walking in from the front door, the floor plan was wide open with direct access to the massive Cure Lounge and the fine-dining restaurant, Aura, both on the lake-front side with unparalleled views of glacial waters and tree-covered mountains. Heated patios are also available in the winter if you want to watch the snow falling while eating or relaxing.

Running through a smooth and pleasant check-in, the friendly front desk staff even offered a few tips about the connecting shuttle from the hotel to Whistler Village, as well as the nearby attractions such as restaurants and bars. I was happy to see The Red Door Bistro was just on the other side of the wall.

Studio Lake-View Suite

Nothing beats a free upgrade when you check in such a beautiful hotel.  I was offered the Studio Lake-View Suite, upgraded from the Studio Suite.  Although the view of the lake and the mountains is iconic, the decor and furnishing is rather contemporary. The studio is spacious and over 500 square foot. There is a lounge area with basalt gas fireplace. The view is spectacular even when it’s getting dark outside. I can hardly wait until the morning for the glorious view.

The luxurious king-size bed is super comfortable with soft sheets and pillows. Once lying down testing the mattress, I just didn’t want to get up!

Spa-style Bathroom

The bathroom is quite spacious here. I seriously thought I was walking into a spa.  The wow factor has to be the fabulous double soaker tub, making me want to jump right into it.  There is also a separate glass shower enclosure which is also quite large.

And I did have a wonderful soak in the morning.

The hotel toiletries are supplied by L’Occitane en Provence. Really liked the body lotion after taking a shower.

Kitchenette and Closet Space

I thought I was walking past a large closet when I first opened the hotel room door, but it turned out to be a kitchenette. Kitchenette hidden in a closet – talking about utilizing the space!  There are glasses, plates, mugs, kettle, coffee maker, microwave, fridge, etc, which is pretty standard for Whistler lodging.  The fridge is rather small if you are planning to bring lots of food and drinks that need to be cooled. Overall,  if you are planning to prepare meals here,  this is probably not the right hotel for you.  The actual closet, hower, is quite sizable.

Cure Lounge

I had my first dinner at Red Door Bistro and came back to Nita Lake Lodge to take the shuttle to Whistler Village for my 2nd dinner. The shuttle provided by the hotel goes to the village every 30 minutes, which allows me to sneak in a cocktail at the Cure Lounge.  The Ginger & Rosemary Smash ($15) is the right fix in between meals, refreshing and helping with digestion. The lounge offers happy hour “Nita Apres” from 2 – 5 pm, serving $6 draft beer, $7 house wine, $7 mulled wine, and $8 late harvest whiskey. And they happen to have live music every Wednesday, which I had a chance to enjoy!

A Walk in the Morning

The next morning, I woke up from a great sleep. It was snowing outside, and I was captivated by the beautiful view outside of the windows. The full view of the lake and the nearby mountains is breathtaking, especially in white winter, but it must be quite attractive in the summer too.

It was so beautiful outside and a walk around the lake is definitely a must.  Getting out of the backdoors behind Cure lounge,  the view of the lake, the forest, and the mounts was breathtaking,  with a touch-up with the Japanese style lights right at top of the stairs leading to the lakefront. The lake was only semi-frozen due to a late winter this year. I could only imagine how spectacular it is when the lake is completely frozen! There is a river on the side of the hotel. Listening to the river current and watching the snowfall – what a memorable moment! You can also walk around the hotel and discover how fantastic the entire architecture is through different angles.

There is an outdoor spa and I wish I had time for it. Hot tubbing in the snow is really something that can’t be missed in winter lodging.

Bye-bye,  Nita Lake!

Although it was a short stay, I truly had an incredible time at Nita Lake Lodge. The luxury feature

I wish I had spent more time to enjoy what the hotel has to offer – Aura Restaurant, award-winning spa treatments, and spending more time exploring the beautiful Nita Lake. And sure will be back! Thanks to Honda Canada providing the winter-ready Honda Passport to make this experience happen!

Nita Lake Lodge

2131 Lake Placid Rd, Whistler, BC V0N 1B2
(604) 966-5700 or nitalakelodge.com