Harrison Beach Hotel may get overlooked when the Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa is but a five minute walk away but this hotel is worth checking out. With beautiful lake and/or mountain views, many rooms having private balconies, and an indoor pool and outdoor hot tub that get all the afternoon and evening sun, it's hard to go wrong.
We stayed in a Lakeview Junior Suite on the fourth floor which included a king size bed in the open concept bedroom separated by a wall from the kitchen and living room.
It also had a queen sofa bed in the living room but since it was just me and my boyfriend we simply sat on it while drinking a bottle of Okanagan wine that we got at the Old Settler Pub Liquor Store just a quick walk away. This extra sofa bed would be useful if staying there with a family as it's only $20 extra per person and the suite is definitely big enough for four.
The hardwood floors, dining area and electric fireplace made it feel somewhat homey (or like a large Vancouver Condo) expecially since the kitchenette was well stocked and equipped with a stovetop, microwave and fridge.
There were also two TVs, one in the bedroom and one in the living room with a DVD player. We found out movies could be rented for a mere $2 but we weren't in Harrison Springs to relax with a movie, we wanted to explore.
They also have an "exercise room" by the pool but you could hardly call it that as it consisted of a treadmill and a bike. The pool is not great but when you have a lake right in front of you and a ton of walking and hiking trails nearby it seems a shame to be inside swimming or running.
Also noteable was the accomodating service from the hotel staff who provided free coffee and tea in the lobby and even stored our bikes in their private staff storage to ensure their safety as we enjoyed the surrounding area.
Another thing I liked was their attention to detail. Although there wasn't any chocolate on my pillow upon arrival, I liked the fact that they fanned the face towels in the bathroom; a small but noticeable thing.
While staying at Harrison Beach Hotel we found that there were too many things for us to cram in during our stay. There is definitely no shortage of things to do in Harrison Springs and the surrounding area. Between going for dinner at The Copper Room, taking a dip in the 60km glacier-fed lake, perusing the city and checking out the Circle Farm Tour, we were already going non-stop.
Had we not ate at The Copper Room we would have had many options for dining nearby as there is no shortage of eateries in the area. Some that appealed to me were the hotel's restaurant Morgan's Bistro, The Laughing Goat, Muddy Waters Cafe, or The Black Forest Steak and Schitzel House.
One of the main draws of the Village of Harrison are the hot springs which were discovered in the late 1800's by a canoe of miners. The hot springs are owned by the Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa which boasts a large exclusive to guests collection of pools we well as a public mineral pool. There is huge discrepancy in the experience for the guests of the resort who enjoy five mineral pools of varied temperatures, three of which are outside, and the public, who only get one mineral pool that sits at a steady 38 degrees. That said, the low admission ($8.50-$12.50) offers an affordable hot springs experience without having to pay the exorbiant price of the resort.
Also worth checking out and coming up soon is the Fraser Valley Eagle Festival from November 19th and 20th with the eagle release happening at Pretty Estates Resort.
For more photos of the Harrison Beach Hotel and the Circle Farm Tour check out my gallery on Flickr.
Disclaimer: The hotel stay was courtesy of the Harrison Beach Hotel management.