Haida House at Tllaal

The accommodation features well-equipped cottages with hot tubs, an exceptional location near attractions, comfortable cabins with stunning views, and friendly, knowledgeable staff. Guests enjoyed varied and quality breakfast.

Originally an old bear hunting lodge from the 1970"s and has been modernized, although the bathrooms let you know the era it was built, very small. Main dining area and check in look like an add on and is stunning with the wood work, totems and masks. Breakfast was included with our BC ferries package, no sauna, pool, or games room available. If you are shy of spiders, webs and living in a tree line - caution. Staff were friendly and tried to help out. We stayed in the lodge part but there are 12 cabins available with ocean view. Access to a very long sandy beach is not well marked from the lodge, a short road walk gives you a better access. Huge glorious beach front, you can literally walk for 2 hours out (and then 2 hours back) and not run out of beach. No lodge maps available and no restaurants close by, you have to drive into Skidegate or Port Clements. There is a lovely restaurant at the lodge, very pricey and very limited menu for dinner only. Breakfast was included and it was not open for lunch. So we ate while out and about exploring. Beds were comfortable, rooms was hot, got a screen put in the window so we could leave the window open at night without fear of something crawling in. There was a portable fan in the room but it was not enough for us. Showers are small so if you are large you would have trouble.

The Haida House at Tllaal is a beautiful accommodation with a great story: In 2011, the Council of the Haida Nation purchased the final trophy bear hunting license on Haida Gwaii. This, in turn, paved the way for the transformation of the Tlell River House into the Haida House at Tllaal. Following some renovations and upgrades to the property, the Haida House opened for business in 2012. The following year, Haida House received the prestigious “accommodations award” from Aboriginal Tourism BC. They also received the nod from high level media, including the Vancouver Sun, NatGeo, and the Globe & Mail. More recently, the Haida House received the Global Vision Award from Travel + Leisure “for leading the way in conscious, environment-minded travel” (2023). All of this is to say the Haida commitment towards environmentally-friendly practices, land stewardship and yahguudang is being recognized and acknowledged worldwide, which is no small feat. And once you’ve had the pleasure of staying at the Haida House – and especially the cabins – you begin to see why. The Haida House Lodge, as noted above, opened in 2012. Featuring an in-house restaurant (the Dining Room), small gift shop, meeting space, patio seating, and ten guestrooms on the upper floor, this edifice serves as the proverbial hub of the Haida House. My partner and I had the pleasure of staying in the Lodge this past September and, overall, we enjoyed our 2-night stay. Our room featured two twin beds; contemporary light fixtures; flatscreen TV; complimentary WiFi; Haida art and pictures of notable places around Haida Gwaii (i.e.: Balance Rock); a mini refrigerator; and, lovely views of the adjacent Tlell River. While I can appreciate that some renovations were done some time ago, it’s clear the small bathroom was left out – it’s very much reflective of the 1980s, when the Lodge was first built (but then, it does have a charm about it). Overall, the Lodge proved to be a cozy space to rest after a day ambling about the Tlell River and Misty Meadows area. If I had to complain about anything, it would be that I struggle to find the full value for money in staying at the lodge. $856 for two nights in a fairly basic accommodation is pretty steep, even with breakfast included. The Cabins at Haida House are a much newer addition, opening late during the 2021 season. Located a couple minutes’ walk up from the Lodge, there are twelve, 2-bedroom cedar cabins nestled between sand and forest. Each cabin is designed to resemble a traditional Haida longhouse, albeit with a contemporary twist. Every cabin has its own deck with covered hot tub and outdoor shower. Inside, the interiors are very contemporary and warm. The living room features a large sectional couch, smart flatscreen TV and large floor-to-ceiling windows, giving you beautiful views of the forest (or beach, if you’re lucky to snag one of the beachfront cabins). The main living space also features a dish washer, sink and microwave; however, ther