British Columbia

Inside Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge’s The Ivanhoe, B.C.’s Most Dramatic Bar

Drinks are free when you're staying at the lodge (cheers to that).

By Neal McLennan /
Jeremy Koreski

There are a few elements at play at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge's The Ivanhoe. First is the selection—deep in craft gin and single malts, pretty solid in amaros. Second is the fact that it's free (i.e., included in your daily tariff), and no matter how many zeroes you have in your bank account you’re bound to feel an undeniable charge when you see a bottle of Hennessy XO that's yours for the asking.

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge The Ivanhoe 3Jeremy Koreski

Then there's the luxury of time—there's no bartender scrambling between customers, there's just a long communion over drink, a back-and-forth that steers you to exactly what you’re looking for. Then take all of that goodness and drop it at 50 feet above the Bedwell Estuary and it's exceedingly tough to not spend your entire week in the bar's dramatically cozy confines.

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge The IvanhoeJeremy Koreski

MORE ON CLAYOQUOT WILDERNESS LODGE: Arrive via Horse (!) and Eat Like Royalty

Neal McLennan

Neal McLennan

Neal McLennan is the wine and spirits editor for Vancouver and Western Living magazines, where he susses out the wonderful (and occasionally weird) options for imbibing across Western Canada.